Paul Viviano will start June 1.

Paul Viviano

Paul S. Viviano has accepted the position as the new CEO of UC San Diego Health System and associate vice chancellor for health sciences. His appointment was approved by the UC Board of Regents, and will commence June 1.

“Mr. Viviano has a solid track record of strategic leadership and entrepreneurism that drives results,” said David Brenner, M.D., vice chancellor for health sciences and dean of the School of Medicine at UC San Diego. “He has a hands-on philosophy of working with clinicians and researchers to insure outstanding patient care – exactly the kind of skills needed to elevate levels of innovation and quality as UC San Diego Health System grows.”

Viviano is currently chairman of the board and CEO of Alliance Healthcare Services – the nation’s largest provider of advanced outpatient diagnostic imaging services and a national leader in delivery of radiation oncology services – where he has served since 2003.  During his tenure, he defined the strategic path, expanded the company’s technology platform, and optimized the investment value of the organization.

His prior positions include president and CEO of USC University Hospital and USC/Norris Cancer Hospital, a private research and teaching hospital staffed by faculty from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. USC/Norris is an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center with more than 200 basic scientists, physicians and other Keck School of Medicine faculty members.

Prior to his work at USC, Viviano served in various positions, including executive vice president and CEO of  the St. Joseph Health System in Orange, comprised of 14 acute hospitals, six medical practice foundations, three home-health agencies and multiple ambulatory clinics.

From 1985 to 1987, he was president and CEO of the 300-bed nonprofit acute care facility Long Beach Community Hospital and, from 1980 to 1985, served as CEO of Los Alamitos Medical Center.

A Los Angeles native and UC alum, Viviano earned his master’s degree in public administration-public health at UCLA. He is a member of the board of trustees at Loyola Marymount University, where he also serves as chair of the governance committee, a member of the finance committee and chair of the Bioethics Institute.  He is also a board member and former chairman of the National Association for Quality Imaging, and will continue to serve as a member of the board of directors for Alliance HealthCare Services.

Susan Desmond-Hellmann gives “Last Lecture.”

UC San Francisco Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, M.D., M.P.H., received a standing ovation on April 19 after sharing a heartfelt story about her life and lessons learned to students, faculty, staff and alumni gathered to hear what was billed as UCSF’s inaugural “Last Lecture.”

“I think the most important thing for me, and I suspect for many others — at least the people who I respect and admire have in common — make a decision to be happy and healthy,” she said toward the end of her hourlong speech. “Make a decision that you will be. Then do everything in your power to be happy and healthy.”

And by all accounts, Desmond-Hellmann has achieved just that.

Now in her third year at the helm of UCSF, Desmond-Hellmann was selected for the honor of delivering the inaugural “last lecture” by UCSF students who were emailed a voting ballot consisting of faculty members from across the four professional schools in January.

Hundreds of students voted for Desmond-Hellmann, who admitted that she was a little anxious about what to say if this was truly her last lecture. She said she drew inspiration from great speeches delivered by the late Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon professor and alumnus, and Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computers, both of whom died of different types of prostate cancer. She appreciated hearing their stories about childhood dreams and the meaning of life.

Born in Napa, Desmond-Hellmann reflected on her life as a self-described “nerdy kid,” one of seven children raised in Reno, Nevada. During her talk, she said she realized her childhood dreams of becoming a doctor, a profession influenced in part by her father, Frank Desmond, who was a retail pharmacist, and their family physician, Noah Smirnoff, MD. She fondly recalled Smirnoff making a morning house call to their home to check in on her father one rare day when he called in sick with the flu.

Desmond-Hellmann talked about her parents, both role models in her journey to become UCSF’s ninth chancellor and the first woman appointed to the post.

“Mom, like my dad, was the first in her family to go to college,” she told the audience in a nearly full Cole Hall Auditorium. “But not only the first in her family to go to college; my mom is truly a coalminer’s daughter. Her dad died in the coalmines in Wyoming when my mom was 14. My mom went to school not speaking English. She spoke Slovenian, being the first in her family born in the United States, and later became an English teacher, which I’ve always thought is really remarkable.

“Grandpa was a San Francisco police detective, and grandma was a maid and then worked at JC Penney’s and lived down in the Sunset.”

“So this was a terrific childhood,” Desmond-Hellmann said pausing to show family photographs in her PowerPoint presentation. “And I cannot explain on the surface how this crazy kid — that’s me again; this is at age 10 — decided my childhood dream was to be a doctor. That’s what I was going to be. Now, my sister Teresa, who’s seen this picture more often than she’d like, is convinced that — I think this picture shows how early I wanted to be a doctor. She thinks it shows how early I was bossing everyone around. And she’s probably right.”

Throughout her life as a medical student, chief resident, clinical scientist, visiting faculty member in Uganda, biotech leader and now chancellor, Desmond-Hellmann has learned what it takes to succeed. “The most important lesson I learned overall was the power of aiming big and establishing a culture that brings out the best in everyone.”

Related links:
Read “Last Lecture” transcript

UCSF chancellor announces Health Sciences Education Initiative

UCSF ushers in 2012 commencement season

In focus: UCSF 2012 commencement season

Steve Jobs Stanford commencement speech
2005

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture
Sept. 18, 2007

UCSF seeks to raise $100M to support students, teaching.

UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann talks with a graduating student after announcing the launch of a $100 million health sciences education initiative.

UC San Francisco Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, M.D., M.P.H., announced a four-year $100 million fundraising initiative during her April 24 speech marking the beginning of commencement season at the university.

Last year, the chancellor and her husband, Nicholas Hellmann, M.D., had jump-started the initiative, the first of its kind at UCSF, with a $1 million gift for professional student scholarships to be divided four ways among the schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy. That money has doubled, thanks to matching donations from alumni.

“With that kind of generosity, I’m very confident we’ll reach our $100 million goal,” said Desmond-Hellmann, who explained that she and her husband — who met as residents at UCSF — were embarrassed to make their gift public but did so to encourage matching gifts.

The initiative, aimed at offsetting diminished state funding, is designed to support students and teaching. It includes $80 million in new scholarships and $20 million for curriculum innovation, interprofessional education and teaching facilities.

During her speech that was webcast live from the Parnassus campus, Desmond-Hellmann spoke passionately about the importance of UCSF’s public mission.

“We are deeply proud of everything we do to give back to the community, the state, the nation and the world,” she said. “Educational access and affordability are an essential part of that public commitment, and we need to continue to attract the best, the brightest and the most diverse students regardless of their financial circumstances. And we must make it possible for every student to realize their dreams.”

She wants students to fulfill those dreams not only during their time at UCSF, but also after commencement, no matter where they choose to work.

“A student should be able to pursue a dream of treating patients at San Francisco General Hospital, or one of the community clinics in the city and county of San Francisco, or in a sub-Saharan African village, or anywhere in the world where patient care or research brings them,” she said. “… It’s all good and it shouldn’t be encumbered by debt or thoughts of paying back large student loans.”

‘You can stay forever’ at UCSF

Noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the start of her residency in internal medicine at UCSF, Desmond-Hellmann said she learned a new acronym from students during a recent breakfast gathering. “I thought I knew them all,” she said, smiling. “So, what does UCSF stand for? You can stay forever.”

After the audience laughter subsided, she mentioned three examples of outstanding alumni working at UCSF: world-renowned AIDS researcher and pioneer Paul Volberding, M.D.; public health advocate Kevin Grumbach, M.D.; and neurosurgeon Mitchell Berger, M.D. Others on the list on the long-time faculty include Mary Anne Koda-Kimble, Pharm.D., dean of the UCSF School of Pharmacy; Renee Navarro, M.D., Pharm.D., UCSF vice chancellor of diversity and outreach; and Donna Ferriero, M.D., chair of the Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

Desmond-Hellmann, UCSF’s first female chancellor, said she distinctly remembers that women were in the minority when she graduated from medical school at the University of Nevada in 1982 and that she had few female role models throughout her career.

“The happy news is that it has definitely changed since I’ve been back at UCSF,” said the chancellor, who returned in 2009. “There are many wonderful women leaders at our institution.”

Women, in fact, constitute 68 percent of the 806 students in the Class of 2012, said the chancellor, who took enormous pride in the diversity of those about to graduate. Nineteen percent are underrepresented minorities, and the class as a whole includes people from 49 states, 51 countries and six continents. Those born in California account for 43 percent of the graduates.

During a question-and-answer session after her speech, Desmond-Hellmann was asked how her UCSF residency prepared her for the future.

As a resident, the chancellor said, she thought she was learning technical skills, such as how to put in a central line or how to intubate a patient. Later, she realized UCSF had given her so much more.

“I think the most important thing I learned at UCSF is values,” she said. “And I learned that absolutely from the faculty. … I saw how they spoke to patients and their families. I saw how they cared for patients. I saw, particularly even more in my fellowship than my residency, how you have end-of-life discussions with a cancer patient or their family.”

Just as importantly, she took away a sense of excellence and how much it really mattered to leave no stone unturned in figuring out what was best for a patient.

“Once you have people who are really talented and technically very well trained, what separates the ones you want to work around are the values,” Desmond-Hellmann said. “I definitely learned that here.”

Community leaders, former patient honored for contributions to healing.

(From left) Ralph Clayman, Michael Drake and Terry Belmont, UC Irvine.

More than 425 local leaders representing UC Irvine, its nationally recognized medical center and the Orange County community attended the 2012 UC Irvine Health Gala, “Healing Under the Stars,” on Saturday, April 14, at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim.

The third annual event generated more than $700,000. Proceeds will support patient care programs and technologies at UC Irvine Medical Center, consistently identified by U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals.”

“We are fortunate to be part of a caring community that embraces our mission to discover, teach and heal,” said medical center CEO Terry Belmont. “Their response to this gala demonstrates that more and more people are realizing UC Irvine Medical Center offers a level of care that’s only attainable at a world-class academic medical center.”

Three individuals were recognized for significant contributions to healing. Longtime Orange County residents Thomas and Elizabeth Tierney were presented the inaugural CEO Leadership Award for co-chairing a record-setting fundraising campaign to build UC Irvine Douglas Hospital. They pursued every avenue to reach the goal, from hosting events to making their own substantial lead gift, eventually securing $50 million in philanthropic support for the 482,000-square-foot facility.

Their contributions to the university extend beyond the medical center. Elizabeth Tierney served as a UC Irvine Foundation trustee for 14 years. Thomas Tierney, who is president of Vita-Tech International Inc., has been a trustee since 1986 and chaired the foundation from 1998 to 2001. The couple also provided the lead gift for the UC Irvine chancellor’s private residence, the Tierney University House; endowed the campus’s first lifetime chair in peace studies; and funded a host of scholarships.

Former UC Irvine Medical Center patient Jon Wilhite was honored as the first “Hero of Healing” for demonstrating a strength of spirit and determination to recover that have made him a role model to others. Wilhite was rushed to Orange County’s only Level I trauma center with multiple life-threatening injuries after a car crash in April 2009 that killed three friends, including Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart. Today Wilhite works full time at a Southern California logistics company and speaks to local school groups about the dangers of drinking and driving – recalling how a drunk driver at the wheel of a second vehicle caused the fateful crash three years ago.

UC Irvine alumni and benefactors David Tsoong, M.D., and his wife, Betty Tu, M.D., served as honorary co-chairs of this year’s event alongside Richard and Susan Bridgford, who took center stage as the gala’s masters of ceremonies. Richard Bridgford, a partner at the law firm Bridgford & Gleason, and David Tsoong, chairman and president of Pinnacle Resources International Inc., are both UC Irvine Foundation trustees.

Guests closed the evening by dancing to the music of JT & California Dreamin’ – the band formed by UC Irvine philanthropist and drummer John Tu, co-founder of Kingston Technology. The event was underwritten by Abbott Medical Optics Inc., David Tsoong and Betty Tu, Kingston Technology and John Tu.

About UC Irvine Medical Center: Orange County’s only university hospital, UC Irvine Medical Center offers acute- and general-care services at its new, 482,000-square-foot UC Irvine Douglas Hospital and is home to the county’s only Level I trauma center, American College of Surgeons-verified regional burn center and National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. U.S. News & World Report has included UC Irvine for 11 consecutive years on its list of “America’s Best Hospitals,” giving special recognition to its urology, gynecology, kidney disorders and cancer programs.

Susan Desmond-Hellmann honored for role in biotech and as leader of UCSF.

(From left) UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, Chief of Protocol for the state of California Charlotte Shultz and Presidio Trust chairman Nancy Hellman Bechtle.

In an event that celebrated the energy, creativity and innovation of the Bay Area, UC San Francisco Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, M.D., M.P.H., and three other Bay Area leaders were honored on April 18, each receiving the Commonwealth Club of California’s 2012 Distinguished Citizen Award.

The other honorees were Nancy Hellman Bechtle, chairman of the Presidio Trust, who received the William K. Bowes, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award; Steven Chu, Ph.D., U.S. secretary of energy, distinguished scientist and co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997; and Ron Conway, a Silicon Valley “angel” investor who is on the chancellor’s advisory board of UCSF and a major fundraiser for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

These “rainmakers have made a significant impact on our region by creating business and economic opportunities, or, through their philanthropy and fundraising dedication, have improved the fabric of our social and cultural organizations here in the Bay Area,” wrote the Commonwealth Club in the invitation to the event.

A clinical scientist, Desmond-Hellmann was honored for the critical role she has played in biotechnology, shepherding the first targeted cancer therapies to clinical trial as president of product development at Genentech, and for her current role as the leader of UCSF, where she is supporting the basic and clinical research community and working to create an infrastructure that drives discoveries into new therapies for patients.

She used her brief remarks at the event to extol the passion, commitment and drive of the UCSF community. Being chancellor of UCSF during a time of great financial challenge “is tough,” she volunteered, but, she continued, “All I need to do is get around our trainees … they are going to change the world. … Their core values are giving back to humanity.”

The Commonwealth Club event, which took place at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, was teeming with civic participants, including Charlotte and George Shultz, who served as U.S. secretary of state, secretary of treasury and secretary of labor, and renowned chef Thomas Keller. The event, emceed by KGO Channel 7 news anchor Dan Ashley, is the Commonwealth Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

One of the world’s most powerful innovators

In November 2009, Forbes magazine named Desmond-Hellmann one of the world’s seven most “powerful innovators,” calling her a “hero to legions of cancer patients.” A practicing oncologist early in her career, she was listed among Fortune magazine’s “top 50 most powerful women in business” for seven years, and, in 2010, was inducted in to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and elected to the Institute of Medicine.

Last year, Desmond-Hellmann co-chaired a National Academy of Sciences committee advocating for the creation of a “Google Maps”-like data network that could revolutionize medical research and treatment. The intent of the network would be to integrate emerging research on the molecular makeup of disease with clinical data from patients to drive the development of a more accurate classification, or taxonomy, of disease beyond classification by organs and symptoms. The goal would be to create more diagnostics and treatments tailored to the individual patient — what the committee’s report called “precision medicine,” meaning both “accurate” and “precise.”

Last week, Desmond-Hellmann advanced this effort, penning an editorial in the April 11 issue of Science Translational Medicine in which she called on patient advocates to work with policy makers in the U.S. Congress and elsewhere to develop regulations that would more efficiently link patient information between research and clinical care settings, while continuing to protect patient privacy. The information is a key component of the proposed data network and could accelerate medical advances, she and her academy co-authors say.

That mission is never out of sight for Desmond-Hellmann. As she prepared to move from the reception to the dinner, she was introduced to a man whose wife has stage-4 colon cancer and is being treated with Avastin, a drug that Desmond-Hellmann helped advance through development and the approval process at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration while at Genentech.

They proceeded to discuss his wife’s treatment in some detail, with Desmond-Hellmann explaining aspects of the way the drug works in the body.

“Speaking with you has made my night,” he said.

UC San Diego Jacobs Medical Center to transform world-class research into top-quality clinical care.

Irwin and Joan Jacobs at the Jacobs Medical Center groundbreaking

Philanthropists, community leaders, health care visionaries, architects and contractors, along with faculty and staff of UC San Diego, gathered April 9 to celebrate the official start of construction for the Jacobs Medical Center, a 10-story, multispecialty medical center that will open in La Jolla in 2016. The new medical center will transform the delivery of health care by ensuring that medical research discoveries are quickly translated into enhanced patient care.

Almost exactly two years after announcing a pledge of $75 million from Joan and Irwin Jacobs to name the new facility, Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences David A. Brenner and the Jacobs were among those putting ceremonial shovels to dirt at the future site of Jacobs Medical Center, directly adjacent to Thornton Hospital. The new facility will house the Hospital for Advanced Surgery, Cancer Hospital and the Hospital for Women and Infants.

The visionary gift from the Jacobs will help fund a state-of-the art medical center that will be the largest component of the university’s East Campus in La Jolla, and allow the UC San Diego Health System to become one of the premier destination academic medical centers in the country. In addition to increasing the speed at which medical breakthroughs are translated into clinical practice, the Jacobs Medical Center will serve as an educational space for the next generation of physicians, pharmacists and scientists.

Changing the landscape of health care

As Chancellor Fox pointed out in her opening remarks at Monday’s celebration, “as long as you have the word ‘Jacobs’ in the sentence, you know a groundbreaking event will be a huge success.”

This isn’t the Jacobs’ first UC San Diego groundbreaking ceremony. Irwin Jacobs attended the groundbreaking for the Basic Science Building on campus in September 1966, when the School of Medicine and Health System were still plans on the drawing board. Jacobs added that he never dreamed his family would one day be in the position to help build a new state-of-the-art medical center on campus.

“When we heard what could be accomplished here – for this city, the campus, nation and the world – and how we could attract the very best doctors who would come to UC San Diego to train new physicians, we thought this project would be very important to support,” he said.  Joan and Irwin also introduced Carol Vassiliadis, to acknowledge her recent pledge to help fund the medical surgery floor at the Jacobs Medical Center Hospital for Cancer Care.

“The support of our vision by the Jacobs and other generous donors will literally change the landscape of health care in San Diego, and strengthen our ability to serve patients from the region and beyond,” said David A. Brenner, vice chancellor for health sciences and dean of the UCSD School of Medicine.”As the region’s only academic medical center, UC San Diego Health System is known for the synergy between our clinical and research mission.  We are committed to integrating into these beautiful new facilities the most advanced approaches to personalized medicine, high-risk pregnancies, imaging, surgery and the treatment of cancer.”

Irwin Jacobs, co-founder, former chairman and CEO of Qualcomm Inc., a San Diego-based Fortune 500 company, was also a founding faculty member of UC San Diego, serving as a professor of electrical and computer engineering from 1966 to 1972.  Both he and his wife, Joan, have been dedicated advisors as well as donors to the university, and each has served as board members of the UC San Diego Foundation.  Joan was a cofounder of the Friends of the International Center and the Friends of the Stuart Collection, as well as a long-term board member of the La Jolla Playhouse.  She currently chairs the UC San Diego Health System Advisory Board.

A transformative facility

The 509,500-square-foot facility will add 245 private patient rooms and include four hospitals in one location: the existing Thornton Hospital and the future Hospital for Advanced Surgery, Cancer Hospital and the Hospital for Women and Infants. Architecturally, this timeless and transformative building will center on the individual patient experience of those seeking a variety of specialized care. The architectural vision is to create a facility that is responsive to their unique needs, while incorporating input from medical faculty, staff and community members.

One of the most important features of the new medical center is its garden-based design, which includes numerous outdoor areas. Both interior and exterior spaces have been included to maximize natural light. Patients exposed to sunlight and fresh air recover faster, both physically and mentally. In terms of operations, the design incorporates the findings of work flow and efficiency studies, addressing areas where efficiency can be increased for the benefit of the patient. For example, in order to simplify the patient experience, there will be a “Patient Intake Center” that allows for the consolidation of many hospital services into one location at the front door of the hospital. Additional provisions for families of patients have been planned throughout the tower, including dedicated family areas and “living rooms” on each bed floor. There will also be a Helistop (helicopter pad) on the roof with direct access to all floors.

For more information about the Jacobs Medical Center and how you can support it, go to For more information about the Jacobs Medical Center and how you can support it go to http://health.ucsd.edu/jacobs.

UC Davis’ Heather Young to serve on future of nursing strategic advisory committee.

Heather Young, UC Davis

Heather M. Young, associate vice chancellor for nursing and dean of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, was selected to serve on the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action Strategic Advisory Committee to guide the national Campaign for Action, an initiative to ensure all Americans have access to high-quality, person-centered health care, with nurses contributing to the full extent of their capabilities.

Young joins 11 other nationally recognized leaders in business, health care, education, organized labor and consumer advocacy. The mission of the Strategic Advisory Committee is to guide the Campaign for Action and to help attract, engage and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders and policymakers who will support the integration of the recommendations into all components of society.

The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action was established by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the AARP Center to Champion Nursing in America in 2010 to implement the recommendations of the landmark Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.”

[Related: Dean Heather Young honored with mentorship award by Western Institute of Nursing]

The campaign seeks active participation from states, national organizations and individuals from health care, business, education, government and philanthropic sectors to ensure the IOM recommendations are translated into actions that result in improved person-centered care. Specifically, the Campaign for Action is working to implement the recommendations of the IOM report with an emphasis on:

• Strengthening nurse education and training;
• Enabling nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and training;
• Advancing interprofessional collaboration among health-care professionals to ensure coordinated and improved care;
• Expanding leadership ranks to ensure nurses have a voice on management teams, in boardrooms and during policy debates; and
• Improving health-care workforce data collection to better assess and project workforce requirements.

Young was involved with the Campaign for Action activities since the IOM report announcement in October 2010. She was appointed by the Robert Wood Johnson foundation to the California Action Coalition Executive Committee to lead implementation efforts in this state. California was one of five initial pilot coalitions. Now, coalitions are established in 48 states.

As founding dean of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, Young leads the launch of the school at UC Davis, development of a thriving graduate program and the recruitment of the founding team of faculty and staff. She also serves as member of the UC Davis Health System Executive Leadership Team.

About the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis
For 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matters to California and to transform the world. The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis was established in March 2009, UC Davis’ first major initiative to address society’s most pressing health care problems in its second century of service. The school was launched through a $100 million commitment from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the nation’s largest grant for nursing education. The vision of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing is to transform health care through nursing education and research. Through nursing leadership, the school will discover knowledge to advance health, improve quality of care and health outcomes, and inform health policy. The school’s first programs, a doctoral and a master’s degree program, opened in fall 2010. Additional students and programs will be phased in over the next decade. The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing is part of the UC Davis Health System, an integrated, academic health system encompassing UC Davis School of Medicine, the 645-bed-acute-care hospital and clinical services of UC Davis Medical Center and the 800-member physician group known as the UC Davis Medical Group. For more information, visit nursing.ucdavis.edu.

Scott Lippman will join UC San Diego from University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Scott Lippman

Scott M. Lippman, M.D., chair of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology at The University of Texas (UT) MD Anderson Cancer Center, has accepted the position of director of Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego, beginning May 1.

UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, home to nearly 350 medical and radiation oncologists, cancer surgeons, and researchers, is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country.  It is part of UC San Diego Health System, the San Diego region’s only academic health system.

“As the new director, Lippman will implement strong initiatives for ramping up the research-driven cancer therapy and prevention programs and clinical trials of the Moores Cancer Center,” said David A. Brenner, M.D., vice chancellor for health sciences and dean of the School of Medicine at UC San Diego. “His ultimate goal, and ours, is to facilitate the translation of novel discoveries from our world-class laboratories into personalized therapies. I am confident that under Dr. Lippman’s leadership, research at Moores Cancer Center will benefit our patients and change standards of care for decades to come.”

Lippman currently holds the Charles A. LeMaistre Distinguished Chair in Thoracic Oncology and is professor of Cancer Medicine and Cancer Prevention at MD Anderson. Lippman graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, did his internship and residency training at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and had hematology/medical oncology training at Stanford University and the University of Arizona. He is triple board-certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology.

Lippman’s major fields of research are translational/molecular studies of cancer risk, molecular-targeted drug development and personalized therapy, with a long-standing record of funding from the NCI in these research areas, including recently as principal investigator of two program project (P01) grants and a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE). He is also leader of the Lung Cancer Program of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Support Grant and is co-investigator on the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) project involving molecular studies of lung cancer.

Lippman will bring to UC San Diego Health Sciences more than 25 years of experience as principal investigator of translational research involving investigator-initiated clinical trials. He has participated in the national leadership of clinical/translational research planning and development within the NCI Cooperative Group setting and currently sits on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Trials/Translational Research Advisory Committee. He has served on several cancer center external advisory boards and major-trial steering committees, and has played a leadership role in major AACR and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) committees and programs.

In addition to extensive research and academic administrative responsibilities, Lippman plans to maintain an active clinical practice, including the accrual of new patients to clinical research protocols.  As a clinician, he is well-respected by his peers, with recognition in every major “Top Doctor” listing including recently in the U.S. News Top Doctors.

Author of more than 300 publications in high-impact journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, PNAS, and The Lancet, and chapters in major medical textbooks, Lippman has received many awards, among them the ASCO-American Cancer Society Award, AACR Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation Award, and the ASCO Statesman Award, and he is an elected member of the prestigious Association of American Physicians.

His extensive record of extramural service includes serving on the Food and Drug Administration Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee, NIH Clinical Oncology Study Section, and NIH Chemo/Dietary Prevention study section, which he currently chairs. He has served on the editorial boards of several top-tier, peer-reviewed journals, including Cancer Research, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, and Journal of Clinical Oncology, and is editor-in-chief of the AACR journal Cancer Prevention Research. He also has chaired major scientific meetings including AACR and Keystone meetings and has given keynote lectures at major international scientific meetings.

Bart Weimer, Hao Zhang will co-direct world’s largest genome sequencing organization.

Bart Weimer, UC Davis

Bart Weimer, a professor in the Department of Population Health and Reproduction in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and Hao Zhang, chief operating officer of BGI Americas, have been appointed co-directors of BGI@UCDavis, a partnership between UC Davis and BGI, the world’s largest genome sequencing organization.

Weimer and Zhang will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the center, to be located on UC Davis’ Sacramento campus.

“Professor Weimer brings a wide range of experience both in genomic science and industry partnerships to this role. This exciting joint venture will benefit greatly from his leadership,” said Harris Lewin, vice chancellor for research at UC Davis.

The center will be managed by a steering committee, of which Weimer and Zhang will be members, and a governance committee. The two committees will include both UC Davis and BGI personnel, consistent with the closely collaborative nature of this partnership.

The co-directors will also act as liaisons to their respective institutions to develop projects and look for opportunities to bring BGI’s capabilities to bear on scientific problems and challenges in areas including human and animal health, agriculture and the environment.

Weimer joined the faculty at UC Davis in 2008 from Utah State University, where he was director of the Center for Integrated BioSystems, which provided core biotechnology services to the campus and conducted genomic science research. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and his Ph.D. from Utah State, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He has worked in both academia and the private sector, including three startup companies based on technology developed in his lab.

In his research, Weimer uses functional genomic techniques to study microbial systems biology, especially of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.

Zhang was born and educated in China. After he received his bachelor’s degree from Peking University, he moved to the U.S., where he earned his Ph.D. degree from The Ohio State University in 2007. He joined Cambridge, Mass.-based BGI Americas in 2010 as an application biologist before becoming the organization’s chief operating officer. As co-director of BGI, he will be based in Sacramento.

Through BGI, campus researchers will have access to the capabilities and expertise of one of the world’s premier genomics and bioinformatics institutes, while BGI researchers will have the ability to collaborate with UC Davis researchers, thereby benefiting from the university’s diverse resources and expertise, especially in biology, medical sciences, agriculture, the environment and education.

An interim facility with three DNA sequencing machines began operations in renovated space on the Sacramento campus at the end of 2011. The eventual facility, once completed, will house up to 20 such machines. Renovation and construction of the new facility should be complete by end 2012.

About UC Davis

For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 32,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget that exceeds $684 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

Johnny Delashaw to help build national referral center for complex cases.

Johnny Delashaw, UC Irvine

Dr. Johnny Delashaw, who has earned international acclaim for his expertise in skull base, pituitary and cerebrovascular surgery, has joined UC Irvine‘s School of Medicine as chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery.

He will also serve as chief of neurological surgery for UC Irvine Health. Delashaw will play a key role in creating a major national surgical referral center for complicated cranial disease and a center of excellence for spine problems.

“Dr. Delashaw is one of the most clinically productive neurosurgeons in the country and an outstanding team builder,” said Dr. Ralph V. Clayman, dean of the School of Medicine. “He will bring a strong surgical presence to further advance our prominence in the neurosciences, which will benefit the people of Orange County and the region who are in need of complex neurosurgical procedures. I am delighted that he has chosen to come to UC Irvine.”

Delashaw leaves Oregon Health & Science University, where he has spent more than a decade establishing one of the largest neurosurgical practices in the U.S. He’s among only a few surgeons who perform complex procedures for pituitary disorders such as Cushing’s syndrome, for which he has built a national referral network. His cure rate for this ailment is one of the highest in the country.

“I’m thrilled to be joining a dedicated team of surgeons at UC Irvine,” Delashaw said. “Our mission is not only to provide patients with exemplary care, but also to inspire medical students and residents to discover the challenge and excitement of treating complex neurosurgical conditions. We also hope to nurture innovation and to recruit the finest physicians and students, all charged with the mission to improve the health of patients in Orange County and beyond.”

He received his medical degree from the University of Washington and was trained in neurosurgery at the University of Virginia under the direction of Dr. John Jane. After completing his residency in 1990, Delashaw joined the University of Florida’s Department of Neurosurgery as an associate professor.

In 1992, he was recruited to Oregon Health & Science University as an associate professor. Since 1998, Delashaw has been vice chair and professor of neurosurgery at OHSU, with joint appointments in otolaryngology and neurology.

About UC Irvine Medical Center: Orange County’s only university hospital, UC Irvine Medical Center offers acute- and general-care services at its new, 482,000-square-foot UC Irvine Douglas Hospital and is home to the county’s only Level I trauma center, American College of Surgeons-verified regional burn center and National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. U.S. News & World Report has included UC Irvine for 11 consecutive years on its list of America’s Best Hospitals, giving special recognition to its urology, gynecology, kidney disorders and cancer programs.

Molly Cooke appointed to fill new role at UCSF.

Molly Cooke, UC San Francisco

Molly Cooke, M.D., FACP, professor of medicine at UC San Francisco, has been appointed the first Global Health Sciences director of education.

Cooke, who will begin her transition to Global Health Sciences (GHS) in March, will officially step down from her role as the founding director of the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators in June.

A leading expert on medical education and educational research as well an acclaimed teacher, she has twice received the Kaiser Family Foundation Teaching Award as well as a UCSF Academic Senate Award for Distinction in Teaching. In 2006, she was awarded the AOA/Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC); in 2010, she received the Career Achievement Award in Education from the Society for General Internal Medicine.

“I am tremendously excited to be joining GHS,” said Cooke. “My very first medical experience, as a teenager, was in an isolated and completely underserved Inuit community in northern Labrador. I spent five months working in rural Guatemala before starting my medical internship. It will be a privilege to work with global health leaders on the UCSF campus and beyond, using education to address health inequities worldwide.”

“Dr. Cooke will make an excellent addition to the GHS team,” said GHS Executive Director Jaime Sepulveda in announcing the appointment on March 5. “We are very fortunate to be able to leverage her expertise and experience in medical education at UCSF. She will be an invaluable asset as we grow our global health education programs, building on the strong foundation already put in place by a small group of dedicated UCSF faculty.”

In the new GHS role, Cooke will bring a vision and direction to the development of innovative global health educational offerings, including degree and certificate programs, faculty development, distance education courses, and expansion of an inter-professional global health curriculum across UCSF’s schools. She will collaborate with Ziegler and Stewart as they continue directing their existing programs.

To read more about Cooke, go to the Global Health Sciences website.