
Zen Vuong
Zen Vuong is a former USC media relations writer.
Stories by Zen Vuong:

Why you should care about this 130-million-year-old fossil
The ancient find, unearthed in Utah, bridges the transition from reptiles to the beginning of mammals and changes our view of continental drift, too.

Cancer registry managed by Keck School of Medicine of USC receives $43.7 million award
The Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program has improved the understanding, prevention and control of cancer.

Unexpected addiction for minority teens in L.A.: Tanning
USC researchers dispel myth that tanning is a problem only among white, college-age women.

USC recruits diverse participants for landmark $1.5 billion precision medicine research initiative
Big data project seeks to accelerate research and improve health for a diverse population, not just majority groups.

5 things to know when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
USC social work expert answers questions to help you succeed at caring for a family member with dementia.

5 ways to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s
Scientists and physicians offer tips to stay sharp in old age.

Alzheimer’s tool lets people 50 and older monitor their risk over time
Healthy people at increased risk of developing the disease could join clinical trials sooner, says director of USC therapeutic institute.

Opioid abuse leads to heroin use and a hepatitis C epidemic, USC researcher says
Nearly everyone who used heroin transitioned to drug injection in about six months — a trend that contributes to the hepatitis C epidemic, USC-led study finds.

USC research helps stem cell experts develop kidney treatments, reduce dialysis
Trojans investigate mouse and human kidneys to hasten new remedies for renal disease.

Who should be held responsible for the Aliso Canyon gas leak?
SoCalGas’s corporate dysfunction and a lack of oversight for underground gas storage facilities are responsible for the largest methane gas leak in American history, USC-led study finds.

Pregnant women deficient in vitamin D may give birth to obese children
Vitamin D supplements during pregnancy might help stem childhood obesity.

Half of all dementias, including Alzheimer’s, start with damaged ‘gatekeeper cells’
Once the cells are compromised, blood toxins can trespass into the brain and damage critical connections, USC researchers say.

Survival among young adults with cancer hasn’t changed much over three decades
Analysis by USC researchers breaks data down to specific segments on race or ethnicity, sex, age group, socioeconomic status and cancer stage.

USC 2017 | From scientists and students, breakthroughs and hard work that improve health and change lives
✌ Year in review: In the lab and the field, USC researchers are making a difference in Alzheimer’s, cancer, diet and more.

Fake social media accounts can be hazardous to your health
Automated Twitter accounts spread unsupported claims that electronic cigarettes help people stop smoking, USC researchers say.

Badly behaved teens? Air pollution could be to blame
Tiny, toxic particles creep into developing brains, cause inflammation and may damage brain pathways responsible for emotion and decisions, USC researcher finds.

USC, Harvard hospitals and Mayo Clinic to build national Alzheimer’s research system
New infrastructure could enable researchers to accelerate clinical trials and find new treatments for the disease, thanks to a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Newfound protein may prevent viral infection, cancer often linked to HIV
USC-led study sketches a disease roadmap for a soft tissue cancer called Kaposi sarcoma.

African-Americans face highest risk for multiple myeloma yet underrepresented in research
Most multiple myeloma studies involve people of European descent, but the disease is more likely to affect African-Americans.

6 USC professors named fellows of esteemed scientific society
The American Association for the Advancement of Science recognizes the researchers for their efforts to advance science.

An iPhone app that monitors heart failures — and perhaps saves lives
The high-tech, low-cost diagnostic tool is designed to detect heart failure before it happens, USC engineer says.

Teens who vape higher doses of nicotine are more likely to become regular smokers
Nicotine is extremely harmful to the developing adolescent brain, USC study finds.

Schizophrenia found to disrupt the brain’s entire communication system
Wiring is frayed in more than just one region, according to a new international study — the largest analysis ever of white matter among people with a psychiatric disorder.

USC team discovers how liver cancer cells survive
The discovery by Keck School of Medicine researchers could ultimately lead to new therapies for the cancer, for which incidence rates have been rising steadily.