Frontiers of Medicine is the Department of Medicine's newsletter for our friends and supporters. Read about our latest breakthroughs, our outstanding physician-scientists, and ways that you can help support the Department's mission.
Issue 24, Spring 2017
Cover Story, Cancer Immunotherapy - Unleashing the Army Within:
What if the human body possessed a powerful weapon against cancer, honed by millions of years of evolution? That’s the idea behind immunotherapy, one of the most promising new approaches to fighting cancer. Instead of... » Read More
Issue 23, Fall 2016
Cover Story, Pursuing a Cure — Bending the Arc of the AIDS Epidemic:
July 1, 1981: On Paul Volberding, MD’s first day as chief of oncology at San Francisco General Hospital (now Zuckerberg San Francisco General, ZSFG), he saw a young man with Kaposi’s sarcoma, a rare cancer. "It just... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Leading the AIDS Response |
| Alumni | Dr. Julie Gerberding: Grace Under Pressure |
| Master Clinicians | Master Clinicians: Recognizing Clinical Excellence |
| In Memoriam | In Memoriam: Richard Havel, MD, and Hibbard “Hib” Williams, MD |
| Faculty | Dr. Robert Wachter Named Department Chair |
| Faculty | Faculty Awards |
Issue 22, Spring 2016
Cover Story, The Digital Health Revolution:
UCSF has long been a trailblazer in life sciences innovation – for example, faculty members founded Genentech, Chiron, and many other biotechnology companies. Now the UCSF Department of Medicine is poised to lead the... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Leading the Digital Transformation of Medicine |
| Giving | A Legacy of Discovery: Robert L. Kroc |
| Faculty | Dr. J. Ben Davoren Technology Ambassador |
| Faculty | Dr. Mitchell Lunn: Improving LGBT Health |
| Faculty | Dr. Alvin Rajkomar: Teaching Computers to Learn |
| Alumni | Dr. Roni Zeiger: Technology + Care |
| In Memoriam | In Memoriam: Dr. Ephraim P. Engleman |
Issue 21, Fall 2015
Cover Story, Geriatric Prisoners: Health Unbound:
Brie Williams, MD, (left) and Cyrus Ahalt, MPP, at the San Francisco County Jail. They conduct novel research and champion public policy innovations to improve health care for older prisoners, who make up a growing... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Breadth of Excellence |
| Faculty | Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD: Dean of School of Medicine |
| Mater Clinicians | Master Clinician – Solving Puzzles, Big and Small |
| Division Highlight | Going the Distance Together |
| Faculty | Dr. Elise Riley: The Health of Homeless Women |
| Faculty | Dr. Margot Kushel: Getting Seniors off the Street |
| Giving | Thomas Perkins Distinguished Professorship |
Issue 20, Spring 2015
Cover Story, Healing the World: Training Global Health Experts:
Sriram Shamasunder (pronounced “SHREE-ram shah-mah-SOON-der”), MD, DTM&H, and Phuoc Le (pronounced “fook lay”), MD, MPH, DTM&H, met in Haiti in 2010 while volunteering after the devastating earthquake. “We were... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Improving Health Locally – and Globally |
| Faculty | Dr. Michael Peterson: Coaching for Excellence |
| Alumni | You Will Become Well |
| Patient Care | Dr. William Grossman: Preventing Heart Disease |
| Division Highlight | Cardiology 2020: New Frontiers in Cardiology |
| Quality & Safety | QI Portfolio Recognizes Excellence |
Issue 19, Fall 2014
Cover Story, Prevention is the Best Cure:
"We have to start thinking about moving prevention outside traditional places where doctors work, and into places where our patients feel the most comfortable. Food pantries are a great place to do that...." — Dr.... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Preventing Disease |
| Master Clinicians | Master Clinicians: Recognizing Clinical Excellence |
| Quality & Safety | Celebrating Efforts to Improve Patient Care |
| Giving | Recruiting Top Talent for Tough Problems |
| Alumni | Dr. Susan Desmond-Hellmann: Bringing Her ‘A-Game’ |
Issue 18, Spring 2014
Cover Story, Caring for an Aging Population: Innovations in Geriatrics:
About 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day, and the number of seniors is expected to top 70 million by 2030. To help meet the needs of an aging population, the UCSF Division of Geriatrics is pioneering ways to... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Pioneering Models of Better Care |
| Alumni | Dr. Erwin Tan Mobilizing Senior Volunteers |
| Education | Rebooting Medical Education |
| Faculty | Honoring Dr. Ephraim Engleman |
| Patient Care | Palliative Care Program: 8 Improving Quality of Life |
| Giving | Hellman Foundation In Tune with Patients’ Deepest Values |
| Faculty | Dr. Stephen Tomlanovich Broadening the Circle of Care |
| Quality & Safety | Philanthropy Powers Innovation |
| Giving | Bechtel Foundation: Supporting the Program for the Aging Century |
Issue 17, Fall 2013
Cover Story, Health eHeart Study: Using Big Data to Treat Heart Disease:
Heart disease affects one in three Americans, and is the number one killer in the country – claiming more lives than all types of cancer combined. Now the UCSF Division of Cardiology is harnessing the power... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Clinical Care: The Heart of Our Work |
| Alumni | Alumni Profile: Ambassador Eric P. Goosby, MD |
| Quality & Safety | Celebrating & Cultivating Physician-Leaders |
| Master Clinicians | 2013-2014 Master Clinicians: Recognizing Clinical Excellence |
| Appointments | Recent Appointments & Recognition |
| Giving | All in the Family: Sharing Information, Saving Lives |
Issue 16, Spring 2013
Cover Story, Physician-Scientists: Translating Discoveries to Patients:
Physician-scientists – individuals who devote most of their effort to seeking new knowledge about health and disease through research – play a unique and critical role in translating discoveries into new treatments that... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Physician-Scientists at UCSF |
| Faculty | Dr. Diane Havlir: Beginning to End the AIDS Epidemic |
| Research | Connecting the Lab and Clinic: Challenges and Innovations |
| Alumni | Alumni Profile: Dr. Charles Sawyers |
| Quality & Safety | Quality & Safety Corner: Improving Health Care Delivery |
| Giving | Stephen J. McPhee, MD - Endowed Chair Created |
Issue 15, Fall 2012
Cover Story, Nina Ireland: Transforming Lung Health:
Nina Ireland suffered from emphysema for decades. But with excellent selfcare and the help of her longtime doctor, UCSF pulmonologist Jeffrey Golden, MD, she lived an active life, tending her beautiful gardens and walking... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | The Power of Philanthropy |
| Masters Clinicians | Recognizing Clinical Excellence |
| Quality & Safety | Innovations in Outpatient Care |
| Alumni | Dr. Mark D. Smith |
| Appointments | Distinguished Professorships and Endowed Chairs |
Issue 14, Spring 2012
Cover Story, UCSF Heart Failure Program: Improving Outcomes:
Heart failure program coordinators Maureen Carroll, RN, CHFN (center), and Eileen Brinker, RN, MSN, with UCSF Medical Center patient Alethea Travis. Carroll and Brinker are part of a new team effort to reduce preventable... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | "Choosing Wisely" |
| Patient Care | UCSF Heart Failure Program: Improving Outcomes |
| Quality & Safety | Raising Cost Awareness |
| Research | When Less Is More: Balancing Harms, Benefits of Mammography |
| Patient Care | Colorectal Cancer: Screening More Patients at Lower Cost |
| Alumni | Dr. Steve Harr: Investing in Success |
| Faculty | Dr. Yuet Wai Kan: Pioneer in Molecular Genetics |
| Giving | Great Loss Inspires Search for IPF Cure |
| Patient Care | Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Care and Research at UCSF |
| In Memoriam | Dr. John D. Baxter |
Issue 13, Fall 2011
Cover Story, Writing for Change:
"When you come face to face with patients who have a stroke because they couldn't afford to pay for their blood pressure medicines, it can be very demoralizing," says Alice Chen, MD, MPH, medical director of the... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Training Exceptional Doctors |
| Patient Care | Improving Clinics and Patient Care |
| Master Clinicians | Recognizing Clinical Excellence |
| Alumni | Patient-Centered Discovery |
| Quality & Safety | Highlighting Innovation |
Issue 12, Spring 2011
Cover Story, PISCES: Better Teaching and Care:
When Chris Krajewski was hospitalized last summer, she met third-year medical student Jenny Cohen, who was on an inpatient rotation. "From the time she introduced herself, I've been really closely in touch with Jenny," says... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Leading Medical Education Reform |
| Quality & Safety | Innovation Challenge |
| Giving | Nina Ireland Bequests $48 Million to UCSF |
| Education | Pathways to Discovery |
| Volunteer Profiles | Clinical Faculty Honor Volunteer Dr. Howard J. Kline |
| Education | Reforming Medical Education |
| Division Highlight | Cardiovascular Care and Prevention Center Opens |
| Alumni | Steering the Wheels of Change |
| Giving | Dr. James W. Ostroff Named to Rainin Professorship |
Issue 11, Fall 2010
Cover Story, The Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education:
Each year, a terrible epidemic kills more than 400,000 Americans: the epidemic is tobacco addiction, and it continues to be the nation's leading preventable cause of death. UCSF's Center for Tobacco Control Research and... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Shaping Health and Health Care |
| Research | Discovering Secrets of Autoimmune Disease |
| Alumni | Dr. Carol Mangione, Long-Lasting Connections |
| Division Highlight | Personalizing Medicine |
| Faculty | Dr. Maxine Papadakis Receives Hubbard Award |
| Giving | Ralph Hewett Fellowship Established |
Issue 10, Spring 2010
Cover Story, Shaping Public Policy to Advance Health:
The Department of Medicine brings together a diverse community of innovators. We aim to transform the way that medicine is practiced — through discovering new therapies and technologies, applying these discoveries to... » Read More
| Features: | |
| From the Chair | Expanding Our Mission |
| Giving | Rotasa Foundation Supports Center for Vulnerable Populations |
| Division Highlight | Rosalind Russell Research Center Celebrates 30th Anniversary |
| Research | Helping Patients Breathe Easier |
| Milestones | New Hospital Breaks Ground |
| Master Clinicians | Recognizing Clinical Excellence |
| Alumni | Dr. J. Gregory Fitz |
| Division Highlight | DGIM Celebrates 30th Anniversary |
Issue 9, Fall 2009
Cover Story, Working to Prevent HIV:
Through its combined expertise in the biomedical, behavioral and social sciences, UCSF's Department of Medicine continues to be a global leader in preventing and treating HIV/AIDS, and working towards a cure. The Department... » Read More
Issue 8, Spring 2009
Cover Story, eReferral: Connecting Primary and Specialty Care:
Hal Yee, MD, PhD, chief of gastroenterology at San Francisco General Hospital reviews an eReferral received by the UCSF gastroenterology clinic. According to evaluation research conducted by Margot Kushel, MD, eReferral... » Read More
Issue 7, Fall 2008
Cover Story, First, Do No Harm — Improving Patient Safety:
Until 10 years ago, we were taught in the health professions to believe that errors were manifestations of bad, careless people," says Robert Wachter, MD, chief of the Division of Hospital Medicine. "We now know that most... » Read More
Issue 6, Spring 2008
Cover Story, Planting the Seeds of Discovery — Rheumatoid Arthritis Observational Cohort Study:
Imagine you had a state-of-the-art kitchen, a passion for cooking, and a number of friends you would love to have over. The only holdup to wonderful dinner parties is an unfortunate lack of stores nearby, requiring you to... » Read More
Issue 5, Fall 2007
Cover Story, Jane Koehler — Zoonoses Sleuth:
As a child, Jane Koehler, MD, first wanted to become a veterinarian. She loved animals, particularly the family cat, a Siamese named Winkie. But she developed such terrible allergies to anything with fur – cats, dogs,... » Read More