UC Riverside School of Medicine

Communities around the Salton Sea have a high rate of asthma, possibly due to high-aerosol dust levels. Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences Dr. David Lo of the UCR School of Medicine and a team of researchers has shown that the sea may also play an additional role in pulmonary health of the community. The study is published in the journal "Science of the Total Environment." The study, performed on mice, found Salton Sea aerosol turns on non-allergic inflammation ge...nes and may also promote lung inflammation. Our work strongly suggests that soluble components in Salton Sea water promote a unique inflammation-associated response, Lo said. What relationship this response may have to asthma is not yet understood.

"Yesterday, President Biden declared a federal holiday for Juneteenth, the day that celebrates and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. This is an historic moment for our nation 156 years in the making. Celebrated on the 19th of June, Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day, Liberation Day and Freedom Day, marks the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas learned they were free. This news was delivered two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipati...on Proclamation became law. UCR will observe this holiday on Monday, June 28th. Starting in 2022, we will celebrate the Juneteenth holiday according to the federal calendar." As we move towards June 19, the UC takes a step in recognizing the history of our nation. As UC President Drake says, "Let us resolve to build a future representing and lifted up by our ideals, our values, and our best selves."

Several members of the UCR School of Medicine's Class of 2021 share their thoughts about what being at UC Riverside meant to them. Thanks to University Communications for creating and sharing the video.

What happens when a researcher dies unexpectedly before their work is completed? Associate Professor Brandon Brown of the Department of Social Medicine, Population, and Public Health and Annie Nguyen of the USC Keck School of Medicine write about the need to plan ahead and have uncomfortable discussions on the AAAS Science website. https://www.sciencemag.org//case-death-researchers-should-

For #pridemonth, we reached out to our #UCRSOM community and asked LGBTQIA+ members to share their thoughts and insights. Branden Barger, a second-year medical student, answered the question "what does pride mean to you?" "Pride is a revolutionary act of love and liberation. It is just as much a celebration of individual difference as it is a recognition of community strength and solidarity. Pride will forever be a protest for the visibility and respect of those who have been marginalized or live on the fringes of our society, and an opportunity to honor and reflect on their stories and our collective, radical history of social progress."

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE UC RIVERSIDE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CLASS OF 2021! Watch the full graduation ceremony. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyipR3I8ArQ