Zen Vuong
Zen Vuong is a USC media relations writer who covers health and medical research. Before joining USC, she was a science writer at the Pasadena Star-News.
Stories by Zen Vuong:
Health expert uses an unlikely source — pop culture — to learn what matters to you
Jon-Patrick Allem uses information from Google searches and social media posts to generate research that brings about change.
New map may lead to drug development for complex brain disorders
A study of protein interactions could be the first step to finding treatments that focus on problematic pathways, USC researcher says.
Drinking coffee could lead to a longer life
Whether it’s caffeinated or decaffeinated, coffee is associated with lower mortality, which suggests the association is not tied to caffeine.
Tiny fossils reveal backstory of the most mysterious amphibian alive today
The discovery fills a significant gap in the evolutionary history of frogs, toads and other amphibians.
Happy 10th birthday, iPhone: You’ve changed the world in addictive ways
Our love of smartphones shows no sign of stopping a decade after Apple released its first one.
Researchers discover what may be earliest stage of Alzheimer’s
Clusters of a sticky protein — amyloid plaque — found in the brain signal mental decline years before symptoms appear, a new study finds.
Overweight children are excluded from friendships and disliked by peers, USC study finds
Negative social interactions can increase the kids’ risk of loneliness, depression, poor eating habits and illness.
Every 66 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s
Marking Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, USC researchers analyze big data, help caregivers and create preventive medication to discover factors that protect us as we age.
Science without borders is needed to solve the mystery of Alzheimer’s disease
Renowned scientists share recent findings at the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute in a collaborative effort to streamline unpublished research findings toward possible solutions.
Opioid epidemic may be driving illicit drug users to use needles sooner, USC study finds
Injection comes more quickly to those born in the ’80s and ’90s, increasing their risk of HIV, mental health disorders, overdose and early death.
With Earth Day, USC experts consider climate change and pro-EPA protests
Environmentalists, scientists and citizens concerned about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will take to the streets in the #MarchForScience.
The close-to-home reason this USC brain scientist is trying to figure out Alzheimer’s
Arthur Toga saw the disease ravage his family, so he’s worked to transform what scientists know and think about the memory-erasing illness that affects 1 in 3 seniors.
Cracking the brain’s genetic code to prevent neurological and psychiatric diseases
Through crowdsourcing, researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have aggregated some of the largest brain scan data sets for certain neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Childhood head injuries appear to cause structural changes in brain
The speed of information traveling within a child’s brain may signal who needs the most help after a head injury.
Newfound primate teeth fill a gap in the evolutionary tree of life
The species of primate from India is distantly related to the lemurs of Madagascar.
From mother to baby: ‘Secondhand sugars’ can pass through breast milk
Even a small amount of fructose in breast milk is associated with increases in a baby’s body weight.
Air pollution linked to heightened risk of Type 2 diabetes in obese Latino children
High levels of pollution may make insulin-creating cells become less efficient, increasing the risk for Type 2 diabetes, USC researchers say.
Air pollution may lead to dementia in older women
USC-led study suggests that tiny, dirty airborne particles known as PM2.5 invade the brain.
A glitch in ‘gatekeeper cells’ slowly suffocates the brain
Breakdown of unique cells that wrap around blood vessels in the brain leads to neuron deterioration, possibly influencing the development of Alzheimer’s.
E-cigarette retailers use Pokémon Go to peddle their products
The practice takes place years after FTC ruled cartoon characters should not be used to sell tobacco.
Children with asthma are more likely to become obese, USC study finds
Even after accounting for exercise, asthmatic children may be more at risk of obesity.
Big data could be the new hope for the future of health
The curation and analysis of health data may lead to new ways of treating diseases, USC researchers say in public awareness film.
Year in review: From labs to papers to rehab units, science and research range from weird to wonderful
USC 2016 | A stem cell miracle and a fish with arthritis, fake news and ‘the ultimate Pokémon’ — you won’t believe what USC experts are discovering.
Antihistamines prevent ‘Asian flush’ — alcohol-induced facial redness — but pose risks
Off-label use of Zantac, Pepcid and Tagamet can crank up drinking habits and increase cancer risk in the long run, USC experts say.