Meghan Lewit
Stories by Meghan Lewit:
Novel Device Opened Clogged Arteries in the Brain
Neurosurgeons at USC University Hospital recently performed the first procedure in California using a unique, balloon-expandable stent to treat narrowing in the arteries of the brain.
USC Norris Named Center of Excellence for Clinical Trials
The USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center has been designated a Phase I Clinical Trial Center of Excellence by the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
Genetic Predisposition to Fatty Liver Disease
Two studies from the Childhood Obesity Research Center at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have found evidence that Hispanic children and adolescents are genetically predisposed to developing fatty liver disease — a condition that can lead to cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Health Care Reform Presents New Opportunities in L.A.
Provisions of the federal health care reform law passed earlier this year will have a profound impact on Los Angeles and surrounding communities.
Breakthrough Award Goes to Artificial Retina Team
Keck School of Medicine of USC scientists Mark Humayun and James Weiland, leaders of the artificial retina team, are recipients of a Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award for their role in developing the Argus II retinal implant. The device restores partial sight to people blinded by degenerative retinal diseases.
Studies Find New Genetic Links to Ovarian Cancer Risk
Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have discovered new genetic variants in five regions of the genome that affect the risk of ovarian cancer in the general population.
Stem cell technology yields first ‘knockout’ rats
Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have, for the first time, generated “knockout” rats — animals that are genetically modified to lack one or more genes — through embryonic stem cell-based gene targeting.
USC to Lead Prostate Cancer Study
Researchers at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have received a $12 million National Cancer Institute grant to lead an international project aimed at identifying new biological pathways critical to the development and potential treatment of prostate cancer.
USC Studies Nitric Oxide’s Link to Asthma
Children with elevated levels of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) are at increased risk for developing asthma, particularly among children without a parental history of the disease, a study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has found. The study is published in the European Respiratory Journal.
Researchers Test Less Invasive Breast Cancer Screening
Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers will test whether a set of blood-based biomarkers can assist mammography in the early detection of breast cancer with a $180,000 grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
USC-led Team Studies Aggression
In parts of the world marked by violence and religious or political conflict, much about the psychological factors that lead to extremism is not well understood.
USC Researchers Create HIV-Resistant Cells
Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC successfully have transplanted blood stem cells modified to be resistant to HIV into mice, allowing the animals to control HIV infections.
Breakthrough Research at Oncology Meeting
Researchers at USC and the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center will present promising new findings in a number of cancer research areas at the 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago from June 4-8.
USC Participates in Major Clinical Trial
A major study of people at risk for stroke, conducted in part at USC University Hospital, showed that two medical procedures designed to prevent future strokes are safe and effective overall. Physicians will now have more options in tailoring treatments for their patients at risk for stroke.
Critical Connectors Cited in Social Networks
Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers have developed a new measure that identifies “bridging individuals” in social networks. These individuals act as critical connectors involved in the flow of information or spread of diseases between social networks and communities.
Air Pollution Exposure at Schools Linked to Childhood Asthma
Living near major highways has been linked to childhood asthma, but a new study led by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC suggests that traffic-related pollution near schools is also contributing to the development of asthma in children.
Researchers ID Key Mechanism in Heart Tissue Formation
Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have identified a key cellular mechanism that guides embryonic heart tissue formation – a process which, if disrupted, can lead to a number of common congenital heart defects.
USC to Collaborate With Autism Institute
The Keck School of Medicine of USC has announced a collaboration with the Dan Marino Foundation and its Marino Autism Research Institute to support multidisciplinary research into the causes and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
Air Pollution Linked to Progression of Atherosclerosis
Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers, in collaboration with international partners in Spain and Switzerland and colleagues in California, have found that exposure to air pollution accelerates the thickening of artery walls that leads to cardiovascular disease.
USC Stem Cell Researchers Receive Funding
Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers Qi-Long Ying and Gregor Adams are the recipients of a National Institutes of Health grant and an American Society of Hematology award that will enhance their individual work in stem cell research and therapy development.
Predicting the Recurrence of Gastric Cancer
For the first time, USC researchers have identified specific genetic variations that predict clinical outcomes in patients with gastric (stomach) cancer.
Faculty Physicians Named ‘Super Doctors’
Nearly 200 Doctors of USC have been selected for the 2010 Southern California Super Doctors list to be published in Los Angeles Magazine. All are faculty physicians affiliated with the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Developmental Neuroscience Program Flourishes
Researchers at the Saban Research Institute at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles are moving closer to understanding the complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors that impact the development of brain architecture.
USC Receives $3 Million for Stem Cell Training
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded USC $3 million to support a training program in stem cell biology.