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News from USC
Discover how we’re making a difference
Sitting down with the new L.A. Police Commission president, USC’s Erroll Southers
The USC Price professor will now set the agenda for the civilian panel, which functions much like a board of governors for the police department.
Scott Fraser: An explorer through invention
Scientific polymath Scott Fraser has a special talent for live imaging of microscopic organisms — among a multitude of skills.
Dance festival sends a kinetic love letter to hip-hop
The “Hip Hop 50” series — presented by the USC Kaufman School of Dance and USC Visions and Voices — will mark hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with a three-part
‘Unity, Prosperity & Culture’ celebrated with food, fellowship during USC Latinx/e Heritage Month kickoff
Trojans share personal stories and pay tribute to those who support their academic dreams.
How AI will affect the future of medicine
“It’s not that AI will replace the physician,” says Dean Carolyn Meltzer of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “It’s that the physician who uses AI will replace the
USC’s digital archive provides insight into Hollywood’s past
Billy Crystal, Edie Falco, Jon Hamm, and Allison Janney are among the Hollywood A-listers who have shown up on picket lines this summer during Hollywood’s first dual actor and writer strike since
AI meets policing: USC leads LAPD body cam study
New research using artificial intelligence aims to improve officer interactions with the public.
Could a simple blood test detect cancer?
USC Dornsife physicist Peter Kuhn discusses his breakthrough breast cancer detection test, which could potentially upend how we diagnose many types of cancer.
Proposed building offers a blueprint for improving community health
The Discovery and Translational Hub, a seven-story building proposed for the USC Health Sciences Campus, seeks to unite interdisciplinary research teams to fast-track discoveries and address the
Large amounts of sedentary time linked with higher risk of dementia in older adults
Researchers at USC used machine learning to explore the links between sedentary behavior and dementia, finding that the total time spent sedentary matters for brain aging.
USC awarded grant for transdisciplinary workforce development program
The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the USC Institute for Addiction Science will provide students from underrepresented communities with stipend and internship opportunities in
Celebrating the newly named Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
The naming gift is part of the university’s ambitious Frontiers of Computing initiative, the largest and most comprehensive academic initiative in USC history.
Is green hydrogen the fuel of the future?
GREEN WEEK: As demand for low-cost hydrogen fuel rises, USC scientists developed a prototype “hydrogen on-demand” reactor to make the vital resource more affordable and accessible.
USC neuroimaging unit receives new funding to study small vessel disease in Asian Americans
USC Mary and Mark Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute expands its suite of health disparities research with an award to examine vascular causes of dementia.
Historic venue points the way to a sustainable future
GREEN WEEK: The L.A. Memorial Coliseum’s zero waste program, one of the most acclaimed in the country, is diverting tons of recyclable and compostable waste away from landfills.
Why isn’t crowdfunding of social impact initiatives more effective?
Research from USC Marshall’s Jill Kickul identifies key strategies to leverage contributor dollars for systematic change.
USC celebrates new Sustainability Hub in the heart of the University Park Campus
GREEN WEEK: The 1,500-square-foot hub is a collaborative, inclusive and multiuse gathering space for advancing sustainability at USC.
Eco-grief is real — here’s what you can do about it
GREEN WEEK: USC experts discuss the profound effects of the climate crisis on human health and well-being.
Fixing palliative care’s image problem could boost its use
Often confused with hospice, palliative care has a champion in USC gerontologist Susan Enguídanos, who has dedicated herself to expanding access to this beneficial resource.
USC Mann study unlocks the potential of neurosteroids
Findings published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry reveal how the brain produces pregnenolone, the “mother hormone” that is the progenitor of all neurosteroids.
Chris Allen named chief financial officer of Keck Medicine of USC
Allen, an experienced health care executive. previously served as interim CFO.
USC’s first Sustainability Solutions postdocs help shape a greener future
GREEN WEEK: Early career researchers are ready to tackle challenging environmental problems through interdisciplinary work.
San Francisco’s ‘KDFC Day’ today honors USC’s Bay Area radio station
The station — part of the USC-operated network that’s the most-listened-to group of classical music stations in the country — is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Lower-middle class Americans near retirement are worse off than 20 years ago
Study finds ‘forgotten middle’ Americans face poorer health, worse economic outcomes and lower homeownership rates, along with increased disability in old age.
USC Roski Eye Institute’s ‘Eye Care for All’ returns for second year
USC undergraduates get hand-on experience with ophthalmology and optometry during daylong program.
Liquid biopsies provide breakthrough in diagnosing retinoblastoma
The aggressive eye cancer, which affects babies and young children and can lead to loss of vision, had baffled oncologists. Now they can get a very specific map of each child’s disease from
USC launches innovative internal research funding program
The internal Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Planning Award works as a resource and support system to prepare faculty in their pursuit of competitive
Latest solar venture powers USC toward a greener future
The university is accelerating its transition to renewable energy and edging closer to its ambitious sustainability goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2025.
Entrepreneur turns to USC online health administration program to help launch startup
Ryan Nazar started Practical Healthcare to improve patient satisfaction, especially when it came to difficult disease and injury diagnoses.
What can Native American knowledge, and now AI, teach us about fire?
Outlawing controlled burns didn’t work. As demand for prescribed fire increases across California, experts explore traditional and modern methods for building wildfire resilience in a
Older adults with mild cognitive impairment may struggle with everyday decision-making
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC found that the condition, which can be a precursor to dementia, was linked to worse decision-making abilities.
COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines — what you need to know
Keck Medicine of USC experts discuss new recommendations for staying healthy and safe during the respiratory virus season.
Alzheimer’s gene associated with increased fertility in Amazonian women
Allele associated with increased risks for dementia and heart disease is linked to earlier age of first birth as well as shorter intervals between births in a Bolivian indigenous community.
Gift to expand understanding, clinical management of migraine, other debilitating neurological pain
Through their donation to USC Dornsife, Roberta and Arnold Mahler aim to break down research silos, accelerate treatment progress and bring hope to patients and families.
Exposure to air pollution early in pregnancy increases risk of gestational diabetes, study finds
The USC study also suggests that prenatal depression, with disrupted immune and hormonal functions, could make the case worse.
USC-supported startup receives major grant for clinical trial of a promising eye treatment
A $12.4 million award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine is the latest round of support for USC researcher Mark Humayun.
Can AI teach other AI? USC researchers say yes
People learn a lot by sharing and exchanging information. USC Viterbi experts say that computers can do the same with other computers.
Linked through mission, L.A. and USC bring medicine and housing to the homeless via Street Medicine
A “fireside chat” between USC President Carol L. Folt and Mayor Karen Bass reinforces the university’s collaborative work with the city in a united quest to care for the
Study: Changes in lipid metabolism affect how cells respond to stress
Research identifies a gene vital for balancing lipids and proteins within cells that may play a role in neurodegenerative disorders.
Progress? What progress? Inclusion in Hollywood is limited and lacking
A new report from USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative maps where there has been progress — and where there hasn’t — across the most popular films from the last year.
Annenberg scholarship recipient stays grounded by being unapologetically herself
Kaleef Starks became passionate about media and social change, and is inspired by actress Laverne Cox as well as writers Janet Mock and Raquel Willis.
USC School of Cinematic Arts alum Kaitlyn Yang encourages Trojans to constantly set new goals
Yang is set to address the newest class of Trojans at the fall new student convocation on Thursday.
People can’t recover the ability to hear — or maybe they can
USC Stem Cell scientists explain why sensory hearing cells of the inner ear don’t regenerate — and how we might be able to change that.
Social media’s addictive loop makes you mindlessly share things
Frequent and infrequent users of social media respond differently to social rewards. a USC Dornsife study reveals. That means that altering a platform’s structure may curb users’ bad
Helping older adults in times of extreme heat
Amid one of the hottest summers on record, USC caregiving expert Donna Benton shares how caregivers can help vulnerable older adults stay healthy.
USC law experts see troubling trend in Supreme Court decisions
If a president overreaches, will the U.S. Supreme Court check their power? According to USC Gould Professors Rebecca Brown and Lee Epstein, that depends on whether the president shares the
Giving the gift of a law school education
USC Gould alumni see need-based scholarship donations as an opportunity to make law students’ dreams come true.
Researchers unlock mystery of cartilage regeneration in lizards
Scientists from the Keck School of Medicine of USC identify key cells involved in lizards’ regeneration, a discovery that could offer insights into novel approaches to treating osteoarthritis.
New processor could vastly improve AI computing efficiency
Study conducted by team including USC and MIT researchers shows a 100x improvement over previous technology.
What causes mudslides and floods after wildfires? It’s not what scientists thought
Researchers have found that burnt ground can absorb water, a discovery that can help them more accurately predict flooding and mudslides after a fire.
USC Gould alum honors her father’s legacy with scholarship
Terry Solís’ father, USC alum Francisco “Frank” Solís, was active in Los Angeles politics and an officer in the city’s Mexican American Bar Association.
Controversy brings opportunity: USC experts navigate tough questions about AI
New center and initiative position the university as a leading institution on artificial intelligence policy discussions, best practices and ethical decision-making.
What are Hollywood actors and writers afraid of? AI
A USC cinema scholar explains how AI is upending the movie and TV business.
All racial, ethnic minority groups underrepresented in Alzheimer’s neuroimaging research
In a comprehensive review of U.S.-based Alzheimer’s disease brain imaging studies, USC researchers found minority groups are underrepresented — but the gap is narrowing.
An ethical approach to power, water conservation that protects the poor
USC engineer Bhaskar Krishnamachari and economist Matthew Kahn have a sustainability plan that targets the biggest users.
Study finds new, unexpected mechanism of cancer cell spread
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC discovered that when cells are under stress, a key protein can travel to the nucleus and reprogram cells to migrate and become more invasive.
Gaming’s Unsung Heroes
USC Thornton has embraced and contributed to the growing industry of video game scoring.
Keck Hospital of USC receives highest rating in national quality report
Hospital earns five stars in the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services annual quality star rating report.
Q&A: Toxic algae, warming waters imperil marine life on U.S. coasts
In Southern California, toxic algae blooms are killing hundreds of dolphins and sea lions while record-high ocean temperatures threaten Florida’s coral reefs. USC experts weigh in.
Field trip introduces USC TRiO students to research opportunities in aging
High school students tour state-of-the-art laboratories at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and hear from undergraduates about their work.
To free ourselves from fossil fuels, USC scientists are letting nature be their guide
USC Dornsife researchers are looking to nature to inspire scientific solutions and provide green, reliable energy to meet global needs.
Researchers confront challenges of protecting space computers from radiation
Scientists at the USC Information Sciences Institute are developing software that will make future space computing more reliable by adapting to mission needs.
Why doctors who are using ChatGPT are unknowingly violating HIPAA
USC Price’s Genevieve Kanter explains the privacy risks that clinicians are taking when they use AI chatbots.
Historical objects come to life, thanks to virtual and augmented reality
USC Dornsife faculty are using VR and AR to provide unprecedented, close-up interaction with the past.
When it comes to climate change, what motivates us to act?
Individual attitudes toward renewable energy and climate change are based on myriad psychological factors that range from the straightforward to the obscure.
There’s an easy way to increase rates of COVID booster vaccinations
USC research finds that the answer to getting more shots into arms is just a text message or email away.
USC policy experts leave their mark on Washington
Testimony and research from experts at the USC Price School of Public Policy and the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics are informing decisions at the White House and in Congress.
Key federal agency recognizes streets as legitimate locale to deliver health care
The move will allow providers like USC’s Street Medicine team to be reimbursed for care they provide to people who are unhoused.
$2.9 million grant from Bezos Earth Fund boosts USC urban greenery work
USC Dornsife researchers aim to help increase urban tree canopies, lower city temperatures and address longstanding environmental inequities.
USC Dornsife scholar Peggy Kamuf elected to the British Academy
The Professor Emerita of French and Italian and Comparative Literature is recognized for distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.