Padilla visits UC Irvine to spotlight research and innovation
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla visited UC Irvine on Sept. 8 to learn how university research is improving health, driving innovation and advancing the search for new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Padilla met with campus leaders for presentations on UC Irvine’s research portfolio, UCI Health, Beall Applied Innovation and UCI MIND before touring a UCI MIND laboratory. UCI MIND is UC Irvine’s interdisciplinary research center dedicated to understanding, diagnosing, treating and ultimately preventing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Aileen Anderson, vice chancellor for research, discussed the importance of sustained federal investment in university research. She noted that uncertainty in the funding pipeline can make it difficult to maintain laboratories, research programs and opportunities for students. Academic research centers also play an essential role in moving discoveries from basic research through clinical trials and ultimately to patients.
Dr. Michael Stamos, interim vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, discussed UCI Health’s expanding network of hospitals and clinics and UC Irvine’s four health sciences schools – medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health. He also detailed how robust translational and clinical research in these areas is leading to discoveries, products, treatments and cures, and preparing tomorrow’s healthcare workforce.
Errol Arkilic, UC Irvine’s chief innovation officer, highlighted the university’s infrastructure for turning research discoveries into products and services. He described efforts to help move innovations from the laboratory to the marketplace in areas including medical devices, artificial intelligence, aerospace and national security, and cited several examples of UC Irvine technologies advancing toward commercialization.
Joshua Grill, director of UCI MIND, highlighted advances in Alzheimer’s research, including PET imaging, blood-based testing and new treatments, as well as efforts to increase Latino participation in clinical trials.
Overall, the visit provided an opportunity for UC Irvine to show how research at public universities can improve Americans’ health and quality of life.
“We appreciated the opportunity to welcome Senator Padilla to UC Irvine and share how university research is making a difference in people’s everyday lives,” Anderson said. “We are grateful for the senator’s interest in hearing directly from our researchers about this work and the role public research universities play in improving the health and quality of life of all Americans.”