Dr. Candice Taylor was honored with the prestigious 2019 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award during the UCI School of Medicine awards dinner. This esteemed accolade celebrates individuals who exhibit exceptional clinical prowess and unwavering compassion, reaffirming Dr. Taylor’s dedication to providing holistic care and embodying the core values of humanism in medicine.
The Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center in collaboration with the UCI Esports Arena completed a pilot study to evaluate the effect of a brief high intensity interval exercise on gaming performance of players in the Esports League
The Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center, in collaboration with the UCI Esports Arena, successfully conducted a pilot study assessing the impact of brief high-intensity interval exercise on the gaming performance of Esports League players. This innovative research initiative signifies a pioneering effort to explore the intersection of physical activity and gaming, shedding light on potential strategies to optimize performance and well-being in the esports community.
Dr. Nitsan Dror, Visiting Research Fellow, presented on the effect of cycling and running on bone health at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 2019 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
Dr. Nitsan Dror, Visiting Research Fellow, delivered a compelling presentation at the ACSM 2019 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, examining the impact of cycling and running on bone health. Through insightful analysis and research findings, Dr. Dror elucidated the nuanced effects of these activities, contributing valuable insights to the field of sports medicine.
PERC partnered with CHOC’s Breathmobile and Asthma Outreach Team at the annual Air Power Games, a track and field day for children ages 5-14 diagnosed with Asthma. Attendees participated in numerous physical challenges and were also educated about the benefits of exercise and better beverage choices at the Santa Ana College Stadium.
PERC joined forces with CHOC’s Breathmobile and Asthma Outreach Team at the annual Air Power Games, an empowering track and field event tailored for children aged 5-14 diagnosed with asthma. Against the backdrop of Santa Ana College Stadium, attendees engaged in a variety of exhilarating physical challenges while also receiving invaluable education on the merits of exercise and making healthier beverage choices.
PERC’s Bio 199 students and Undergraduate Outreach Program were both featured at the annual Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Symposium. Three PERC studies were selected to be displayed in Aldrich Hall.
PERC’s Bio 199 students and Undergraduate Outreach Program showcased their achievements at the prestigious Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Symposium. Highlighting the depth of PERC’s research endeavors, three impactful studies were prominently featured in Aldrich Hall, underscoring the program’s commitment to advancing scientific inquiry and fostering academic excellence.
PERC Faculty and Students participated at the Anaheim Ducks Captain’s Challenge for the second year in a row and educated 5th graders on sugary drinks in addition to their participation in the fitness testing challenges.
For the second consecutive year, PERC Faculty and Students enthusiastically engaged in the Anaheim Ducks Captain’s Challenge, combining fitness testing challenges with vital education on the risks of sugary drinks. Amidst the spirited atmosphere, 5th graders received invaluable insights into making healthier beverage choices while participating in exciting physical activities, furthering PERC’s commitment to promoting holistic wellness.
Olympian helps launch exercise-as-medicine initiative
Exercise: ‘It’s about winning in life’
Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee helps UCI’s Pediatric Exercise & Genomics Research Center launch its Exercise-as-Medicine Initiative.
Irvine, Calif., May 12, 2016 — Six-time Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee told more than 200 pediatricians, family physicians, medical students and children’s health researchers that exercise was her key to living.
“Exercise has given me a lifeline — a lifeline to continue exercising beyond my years of competing,” the retired track-and-field champion said at a celebration for “Exercise Is Medicine” month at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering.
The celebratory event, sponsored by the UCI Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center (PERC), was held to kick off an initiative aimed at training primary care professionals to prescribe exercise to children and to track health improvements related to their physical activity — both in the short-term and over a lifetime.
The motivational speaker and founder of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation described how she had learned to manage severe asthma while competing on the world stage, as well as the influence asthma and exercise have on her life today.
“It’s not about winning gold medals; it’s about winning in life,” Joyner-Kersee told the assembled physicians and scientists. “That’s what I’m faced with on a daily basis.”
PERC’s exercise-as-medicine initiative is intended to reshape how the next generation of children’s health professionals prescribes then monitors physical activity beginning in early childhood. PERC is working with global leaders in exercise medicine, clinical care, research and education to develop a curriculum for teaching others how to evaluate the effectiveness of specific, individualized physical activities for children.
The program’s development is supported by a $1.75-million gift from the Sunrider Corporation, which was inspired by the company’s vice president of business development, Dr. Reuben K. Chen, a UCI School of Medicine alumnus.
Pediatrician Dan Cooper, MD, associate vice chancellor for Clinical and Translational Science for UCI’s College of Health Sciences, recognized Chen, his family and Sunrider at the gathering for what their gift is making possible.
“It is that kind of proverbial gift that echoes and reverberates for years to come because it will enable coming generations of child healthcare professionals to set new standards in how we harness the biological benefit of exercise to improve the lives of children, all children — those who are healthy and those who suffer from chronic disease or disability.”
From left to right, Dan M. Cooper, MD, 2016 associate vice chancellor for Clinical and Translational Science; Sunrider International Vice President Reuben K. Chen, MD; Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the most decorated woman athlete in Olympic track-and-field history; Michael J. Stamos, MD, interim dean, UC Irvine School of Medicine, and Shlomit Aizik-Radom, PhD, executive director of PERC.