Computational Health

For UC Noyce Initiative researchers Brittany Dugger, Ph.D. and Chen-Nee Chuah, Ph.D., their passion for Alzheimer’s research is deeply personal. 

In her late teens, Dugger watched as both her grandmothers— Grandma Morenski and Grandma Dugger—suffered from the devastating effects of the disease. Despite sharing the same diagnosis, their symptoms were strikingly different. That inconsistency left her with lingering questions: 

How could two people experience the same disease in such different ways? 

The dim glow of the hospital room cast flickering shadows as Soheil Ghiasi, Ph.D., gripped his wife’s hand. The rhythmic beeping of the fetal monitor filled the air, punctuated by the quiet murmur of nurses and the occasional contraction-induced groan. He had spent his career solving complex engineering problems, but none of that prepared him for this moment—the birth of his first child.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize healthcare, assisting doctors in diagnosing diseases, analyzing test results and predicting health risks. However, most AI systems focus on just one type of data at a time, limiting their ability to provide a comprehensive medical assessment. Unlike AI, doctors consider multiple factors—symptoms, medical history, lab results, and imaging scans—when making a diagnosis, leading to more accurate and informed decisions. 

UC Noyce Initiative researcher Chen-Nee Chuah was recently (April 18) selected to be a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society. The prestigious honor is a lifetime achievement and is reserved for researchers who have made significant advancements to science or its applications.

Much of Emily Jacobs’ research focuses on how sex hormones — estrogen, progesterone, testosterone — affect the brain. Where are they acting? On what circuits? And over what time span?

She studies these changes in both men and women, but Jacobs, a neuroscientist and a professor of psychological and brain sciences, is keenly aware that the female brain has, historically, been overlooked.

A few years ago, UC Noyce Initiative researcher and UC Berkeley public health scholar Ziad Obermeyer found that an algorithm that affected health care for millions of patients routinely gave wealthier, white patients better access to care for chronic conditions compared to sicker, less affluent Black patients. 

David Brockman, a retired CalFire captain and avid outdoorsman, built a deck in the backyard of his home last year, without the use of his dominant right hand, which he lost in an accident. The prosthetic hand he used instead was a crude but functional steel hook-and-harness device.

Brockman has tried other artificial limbs, including a high-tech prosthesis called a myoelectric. It looks like a hand and works by using electrical signals from muscles in the forearm. But that one just didn’t work for him.

In February 2024, National Geographic prominently featured the work of UC Noyce Initiative researcher and neuroscientist from UC Santa Barbara, Emily Jacobs, in an article that focuses on how the brain changes throughout the menstrual cycle. 

Congratulations to UC Noyce Initiative researcher Brittany Dugger, Ph.D. for being named one of the 2024 Chancellor's Fellows for UC Davis. Dugger was one of nine early career academics who were given this title in recognition of doing exemplary work.

“These outstanding faculty members are some of our brightest and most promising scholars,” UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May said. “I know they will continue to impress and shine a light on the groundbreaking work happening here at UC Davis. I expect this recognition and support will help propel them to even greater heights.”

UC Noyce Initiative researcher Yoshimi Fukuoka, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N, was recently (Jan 26) named one of UC San Francisco's "24 People to Watch in 2024."