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The Office of the Dean is pleased to announce the acceptance of Kristen M. Kelly, MD, as a fellow in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program. Dr. Kelly is chair of the Department of Dermatology at the UCI School of Medicine,  and a professor in the Departments of Dermatology and Surgery at UCI School of Medicine. She is also a clinical researcher at the UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic.

ELAM is an intensive one-year program of leadership training with extensive coaching, networking and mentoring opportunities aimed at expanding the national pool of qualified women candidates for leadership in academic medicine, dentistry and public health. Dr. Kelly will participate in this one-year curriculum focused on strategic finance, organizational dynamics and personal leadership effectiveness.

Click here to learn more about Kristen Kelly, MD.

Photo credit: School of Medicine

Reducing renal disease may ultimately improve brain health

Irvine, Calif., May 3, 2023 — A study led by University of California, Irvine neurology and nephrology experts has revealed the first clear link between chronic kidney disease and increased cerebrovascular disease. It was previously thought that renal disease’s effects on the brain were largely due to hypertension, but researchers discovered that CKD promoted the development of cerebral microhemorrhages independent of blood pressure.

Findings, recently published online in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, show that a mix of gut-derived bacteria-dependent toxins and urea, which accumulates in kidney failure, can cause vascular injury and microhemorrhages in the brain.

“CKD is increasingly recognized as a stroke risk factor, but its exact relationship with cerebrovascular disease is not well understood. Our study provides crucial insights into the underlying mechanisms of brain injury that can occur in CKD, offering new therapeutic targets that involve treating kidney disease,” said Dr. Mark Fisher, professor of neurology in the UCI School of Medicine and corresponding author. “Observations have shown that people with advanced kidney disease are at a higher risk for stroke, suggesting that we can ultimately enhance brain health by reducing renal disease.”

Researchers randomly divided aged female and male mice into control and CKD groups. They found that CKD produces brain microhemorrhages without hypertension and to a greater extent in mice with more severe kidney injury. They also observed a sex difference, whereby males showed a more pronounced increase in microhemorrhages than females.

“The effects of CKD are associated with blood-brain barrier impairment, which is caused by uremic toxins and microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells. We know that inflammatory cells in the brain play an important role in how CKD causes cerebrovascular disease, but we need to understand this relationship in better detail,” said Dr. Wei Ling Lau, associate professor of medicine-nephrology in the UCI School of Medicine. “It remains to be seen if just treating kidney disease by itself will improve brain health.”

The team also included researchers from the departments of neurology, medicine-nephrology, pathology & laboratory medicine in the UCI School of Medicine, the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, and the department of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences in the School of Pharmacy at Chapman University.

Click here to read the full UCI News article.

Sydney Williams, UCSF graduate student, shares her undergraduate summer program experience in UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic’s Access to Careers in Engineering and Sciences (ACES) program and what it means to be a Black woman in science

I noticed you’re wearing a UCI sweatshirt.

I still represent my summer institution. I bought it during my first summer at UCI and it’s still holding on.

How did you hear about ACES?

My friend Lauryn was an ACES alum and recommended that I apply. At the time, I was a freshman and didn’t think I’d be accepted.

My entire life, I thought I would go to medical school and hadn’t considered doing research or pursuing grad school. As a first-generation college student and in my community, we [African Americans] aren’t typically exposed to science.

What led you to think that you wanted to be an M.D.?

Science was always my thing. Growing up, I loved studying the body – anatomy and physiology. I studied a book of the systems of the body.

Then, I got hurt playing basketball. When I went to rehab, I thought about becoming a physician, specializing in sports medicine or becoming a physical therapist. I didn’t have the best impression about the benefits of having a Ph.D. It wasn’t until I had research experience. Before that, I was purely chasing opportunity.

The summer before my senior year, I realized that I hadn’t set myself up for success in applying to medical school. That’s when I started thinking about grad school. I had to do my own research on what it actually meant to do research. Only then, did I consider other potential paths.

Then, COVID hit, which changed my course. Within the fall of my senior year, I became serious about Ph.D. programs.

Institute Associate Director and Project Scientist Dr. Sari Mahon suggested that I connect with her daughter who worked in industry. That’s when I truly understood what doing research meant and the various pathways to industry. With a Ph.D., there was much more to offer, than what I originally thought.

Next thing you know, I was writing applications, scheduling interviews and was on the first plane to California.

What did you think about the ACES program? What research did you do?

ACES was my gateway to graduate school. It really opened my eyes to all things research.

My first project was in the Berns lab at the Institute under Dr. Nicole Wakida and the late Institute Founding Director Dr. Michael Berns, who I loved. We worked on the activation and function of microglia, immune cells of brain that respond central nervous system that repair the brain after infection and traumatic injuries. At the time, astrocytes were becoming a hot topic in neuroscience.

My second project was under UCI Professor of Pulmonology Dr. Matt Brenner and Dr. Mahon, studying cyanide poisoning. I worked in chemistry and biology. I learned how to do infusions and other techniques, like which spectrophotometer to use and practicing dilution techniques.

I was also playing with engineering. I created a device that made it easy to read cyanide poisoning in blood. The project spearheaded my interest in drugs and toxins. It led me to the Pharmaceutical Sciences program that I’m in now. It was really fun presenting the project. To this day, I still
have the poster.

Tell me a little bit about the program. What aspects of ACES did you like?

The support from the Principal Investigators (PIs) and the Engineers was awesome. I appreciated gaining real life experience. You had to be in the lab, dedicated to the project to get results.

I also enjoyed meeting other people. With the program dedicated to HBCUs, these type of HBCU programs are few and far between in comparison to the majority of universities in the nation. To find a group of Black scientists interested in doing something that was unheard of, or not known, was really cool.

I still talk to a lot of the students I met. They’re all doing phenomenal things. It’s really cool to see these brilliant minds – people who look just like me. ACES brought us together and created a phenomenal community.

Did you feel supported while in ACES?

I still talk to Dr. Mahon and former UCI Assistant Dean of the Office of Access and Inclusion Dr. Sharnnia Artis. They made sure that I was good – on a personal note and academically. They asked if I there was anything that I needed and if I had any questions.

It was an awesome introduction to what I’m doing now. Without the program, I don’t think I would have seriously considered graduate school.

What are you doing now? What research are you doing?

I feel like I stumbled into my Ph.D. program. Unlike most people, when I joined the program, I didn’t have a research interest in mind.

Now, I’m a rising second-year in the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics program at UC San Francisco (UCSF). I joined the Lakkaraju lab, studying age related macular degeneration (AMD).

We’re studying the molecular mechanisms behind the causes of AMD and repurposing common drugs known to either restore or at least halt the progression of AMD. This is all in the hopes of restoring sudden vision loss.

I chose the Lakkaraju lab based on the mentorship opportunity. The bonus was that the field is very niche. We don’t have a lot of answers and it’s not a saturated market.

Being novel, leaves ample space to study and figure out answers to questions that we haven’t even considered. I think most people don’t even know what AMD is, but it’s so common. I’m excited to see what I can do.

What does your community at home think about you being in the Ph.D. program? Your family? Your professors at Hampton University?

My Hampton family was thrilled – they were extremely excited. My Ronald McNair Scholars program family at Hampton encouraged me to pursue the summer research opportunity at UCI in the first place. They think UCSF is a great school and can’t believe I’m on the West Coast.

My immediate family – they’re super excited. Every other time we talk, I break down what I’m working on.

From observing ACES seminars, it seems like the program teaches students not only how to be a scientist, but also how to translate research into layman’s terms. Was this valuable?

It is much bigger skill set than people realize. It is very underrated. It’s extremely hard to remove the jargon and translate research. You have to break down the science – plain and simple.

The ACES symposiums, introducing how to present at conferences, definitely helped. Before ACES, I didn’t realize how people were explaining their research.

I feel like science communication is the one barrier between people who don’t know about science and people who do. I would love to bridge that gap.

I’ve already spent several summers coming home, sharing my posters with my family. I hope to use the training that I’ve had in ACES and in the Ph.D. program to communicate better. I’m going to spend the next four years practicing. That’s the plan.

It sounds like mentorship was something that you gained from ACES. How are important are these connections?

I want to maintain connections with people from the past – like those at UCI.

Now, I work with students in high school and undergrad programs that are helping Black and Brown students. I see value in mentoring, since those who mentored me are the whole reason why I’m in grad school.

During my first year, my main focus was building connections and networking. I was not only getting acclimated to classes, but I was also talking to PIs. I want to talk to people in different career fields – authors in science communication, consultants on TV shows or those in the pharma and biotech industries. That’s where my trajectory is now.

It seems like you’re doing all the right things to lead you to where you want to be. How is your first year in grad school going?

I would not trade my first year for anything. The first year is typically very difficult. The support and preparation that I received in ACES and at Hampton helped me join the communities that I’m now a part of.

I was a sheltered child from Charlotte, North Carolina without much experience outside Charlotte. These past experiences helped me feel comfortable being me, while also learning new things.

I’ve met new people. I’ve eaten new food. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone – intentionally trying to build a community. I’ve enjoyed the accumulation of these experiences because they’ve taught me to be intentional about what I want.

There’s so much growth to be had in a Ph.D. program. My goal is to grow as a person. Over time and after my dissertation, I’ll figure out where I’ll land.

Would you recommend ACES to others?

Absolutely – I’ve shared with many others. From someone who was never exposed to science prior, ACES is extremely important. ACES provides the opportunity to get your feet wet and even swim a little bit. That’s the fun part.

You get to see what you don’t know. Everything feels new – the symposiums, the people, the scientific jargon. The program allows you to explore without being overwhelmed. It’s extremely important for anyone who’s interested in science – even if only slightly interested.

What has it meant being a Black woman in science?

To be a black woman in science is huge. I’m still learning about the impact because I’m still new to what it means. It’s pretty revolutionary because there’s a lot of science that gets swept under the rug or ignored because it doesn’t talk to the majority.

Being present in these spaces and making my presence felt is important. I want others to know I’m here. I want my voice to be heard in these research experiences.

It’s a challenge because I’m triple minority. I’m a Black, queer woman in science. I have a lot of populations to represent. I’m going to make sure that we’re represented. I’m going make my mark regardless.

I’m happy to have a community. Through B-STEM, our Black excellence in STEM group, and some of our other extracurricular groups, I don’t feel like I’m by myself. It’s a journey.

As a university, what can we do better to help support students?

I think continuing the bridge to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) is extremely important.

Continuing to cultivate an environment of inclusivity is huge. It’s not just about having a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) panel or having a DEI event. I already know what it’s like to be Black or Brown. I’ve lived it my entire life. What I do need is for people to show up and not just be figureheads – to put action behind it and make sure that there are spaces, where we feel supported.

If there’s prejudice or discriminative acts, we need to make sure that someone’s there to stick up for us. I think the little things go a long way, like being open to learning about the boundaries that have been set or the stigmas that had been implied for years.

I think a lot of people believe that science is free from all of those stigmas and that it is objective, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s important for people to learn and be willing to continue to learn. Otherwise, there won’t be much change.

I’m blessed to say that I’ve had this opportunity, but I know that not everyone does. There definitely needs to be improvement – there needs to be change.

UCI Graduate Student Shares his Undergraduate STEM Summer Program Experience and More

For the past five summers, the Institute has hosted a total of 42 talented undergraduate college students for the Accelerating Careers in Engineering and Science (ACES) program and its predecessor Pathways to Biophotonics and Biomedical Engineering (PBBE) program. This University of California (UC) Office of the President supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) partner program introduces high-achieving, underrepresented undergraduate students to the possibilities of graduate education and to UCI graduate programs in the fields of biomedical engineering, biophotonics and related science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines.

Chris Johnson, a former ACES program participant, is in his third year as a graduate student in the UCI Department of Biomedical Engineering. He shares his ACES experience, impactful research as a UCI graduate student and future career aspirations.

How did you connect with UCI?
As an undergrad at Hampton University, I participated in two UCI internships. The first was after my freshman year. I helped with a pilot study, gathering data to help apply for a grant. I really enjoyed the first internship, so I decided to come for a second time.

I was in UCI Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Anatomy & Neurobiology and Bioengineering David Reinkensmeyer’s lab and he does stroke rehabilitation. I helped develop the thumb, index and middle fingers of a hand exoskeleton, which looked like an Ironman hand.

The second summer, I did a stand-alone project, rebuilding a haptic device. When I arrived, the device was in pieces. I reconstructed it and the device worked successfully before I left.

What did you think about those two projects?
The projects were very interesting. Some of the work was difficult. As an undergrad, I studied electrical engineering. For the projects, I had to do some mechanical engineering work. It was definitely a challenge because I hadn’t taken some of the classes that would have helped. Fortunately, I was surrounded by helpful people.

Was this the first time that the exoskeleton was built?
It was Quentin Sanders’ project to build a hand exoskeleton for stroke patients. He was a graduate student in Professor Reinkensmeyer’s lab. Quentin worked on the index and middle fingers, and I created designs and prototypes for the thumb to attach the exoskeleton.

That must have been rewarding to build something to help stroke patients. How did you become interested in this area?
I did robotics in middle school and high school and loved it. During my senior year of high school, my grandfather suffered from a stroke. Once he had a stroke, I thought about what I could do to help. I asked myself questions: “What are my interests?” “What can I find to help him?”

It was interesting because during my first UCI internship, I met Institute Director at the time, Bruce Tromberg. I shared my interests and he suggested that I connect with Dr. Reinkensmeyer. Dr. Tromberg told me about Dr. Reinkensmeyer’s work in stroke rehabilitation and he thought the two of us would get along. The rest is history.

When you returned to your undergrad program, how did you hear about the ACES program?
At the time, ACES was the PBBE program. Hampton University was an HBCU ACES program partner. Hampton University School of Engineering & Technology Assistant Dean for Research Raymond Samuel collaborated with Dr. Tromberg and Institute Associate Director Sari Mahon. As an undergrad, I worked in Dr. Samuel’s lab and he suggested that I apply to ACES. I hadn’t done research and I didn’t know that it was an option after graduating from undergrad. I really liked the program and my interest in conducting research stuck.

What did you think when you returned to UCI to participate in the ACES program?
Quentin Sanders was a great graduate mentor. He introduced me to a lot of UCI faculty and staff. It was almost as if I had a mini-network, so I didn’t feel like I was alone on an island.

Also, Quentin and I are from the same hometown in Maryland. We connected because of our backgrounds and now we’re the best of friends.

What was your experience like in the ACES program?
My experience in ACES was great. We lived on campus 7 with students from other programs. Many different majors were represented – from history to psychology. I called it “the melting pot.” It was interesting to hear about the interests of others and all the research going on at UCI.

What made you decide to apply to graduate school at UCI?
Between the two internships and ACES, I had already been on campus and knew that I wanted to join Dr. Reinkensmeyer’s lab. I also wanted to explore other options in the UC system, so I applied to a couple of UC schools.

Overall, what drew me to UCI was my previous experience and that I had a network. Quentin and former Assistant Dean of the Office of Access and Inclusion Sharnnia Artis were my biggest influences to continue my education and attend graduate school.

I was thankful for the people in the Engineering Department and those in the Engineering program who looked like me. Those in my network shared that this was a good place to grow and pursue a degree.

How did you pick the field of biomedical engineering?
At first, I was interested in mechanical engineering. Dr. Reinkensmeyer suggested biomedical engineering instead. He recommended the field not only because of my electrical engineering background, but because he knew that I was interested in doing clinical work. It was the perfect combination for graduate school and my future career.

Now that you are in graduate school, what are your career aspirations?
Right now, I’m doing stroke rehabilitation. I’m focused on improving ankle function, specifically ankle sensation and movement for walking. When someone has a stroke, one side of the body is affected. Depending on the severity of the stroke, it may be difficult for someone to independently complete their activities of daily living (ADL). Examples of ADLs are getting dressed, getting in and out of a chair, walking, etc. For these examples, it is important that ankles function properly. It may be difficult for them to walk without an assistive device, such as an ankle foot orthosis because of foot drop. Foot drop is muscle weakness that makes it difficult to lift the front part of the foot. This can cause them to trip and fall, so what I focus on is proprioception.

Proprioception is your body’s awareness in space. Some people call it your “sixth sense.” Patients need this awareness to know the position of their ankle.

When I arrived at UCI as a graduate student in June 2019, I told Dr. Reinkensmeyer that I wanted to build a robot. I designed AMPD, or Ankle Measuring Proprioception Device, from the ground up. In February 2020, I finished building AMPD and within a month, it was and is still being used to assess ankles.

I watched the process from the beginning to the end – from the design, to the build and now to watch stroke patients interface with the device. The feedback that patients provided was extremely helpful. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Now, I’m building a second robot. In the future, maybe I’ll build another robot for the clinic or launch a company to commercialize the robots that I build.

How is it going building the second robot?
The design of the second robot is going really well and the CAD, or online software, is about 95 percent complete. I tried to take what I learned from building the first robot and applied it to this second version.

The biggest thing that I learned from building AMPD was time management and setting realistic goals. It took me a lot longer to build the robot than I had anticipated. It was extremely challenging and I worked a lot of late nights.

In the upcoming weeks, I will be meeting with the physical therapists who I work closely with to ask for their
feedback. It’s important to get their input because they’re going to operate the machine.

I need to know: What is good? What is bad? The dos and don’ts of the device.

I’ve learned to make things as simple as possible. Complexity is great, but it has to be user friendly, or it will not get used.

Another question that the therapists have asked: “Chris, is it safe?” Safety is the biggest thing. It doesn’t matter if the device helps people. If it’s not safe, then it won’t be used.

Right now, the device is solely for stroke patients, but it has the potential to help many people. People with ankle injuries, including athletes and dancers could benefit – among others.

What do you want to do in the future?
I am considering academia versus industry. I like conducting research that interests me, rather than what a company prefers, and I like to teach. I am a graduate mentor for ACES and I mentor a couple of undergrad students. I get a lot of fulfillment out of watching students’ progress. It makes me smile. I suppose it sounds like I am leaning towards academia.

Would you recommend ACES to other students and if so, what advice would you give students?
I would definitely recommend ACES. The advice that I would give is not to be afraid to try new things. Even if you had one experience or heard about the experience of others, you should try it for yourself. You don’t want to question “what if” later.

How is your grandfather doing? Has he tried the robot?
He’s doing good. He lives in Virginia, so he hasn’t tried the robot. I wish I could transport the machine. Maybe one day. He’s doing good though.

Read the full article in LASER Magazine.

The grant will galvanize the team’s medical imaging technology research.