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From Butterfly Research to High-Sugar Diet Research
What does butterfly metamorphosis have to do with high-sugar diet research? Well, you never know where research will take you. UC Davis distinguished professor Bruce Hammock, who holds a joint appointment with the Department of Entomology and Nematology and the UC Davis Comprehensive...
UC Davis distinguished professor Bruce Hammock (seated) with Jun-Yan Liu, professor at Chongqing Medical University, China, and a former research scientist (7.5 years) in the Hammock lab.
This 2010 image of Jun-Yan Liu shows him as a postdoctoral fellow working in the Bruce Hammock lab. He is now a professor at Chongqing Medical University, China. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This archived image (2018) shows UC Davis distinguished professor Bruce Hammock (seated) with Hammock lab researcher Sung Hee Hwang (center) and former Hammock lab researcher Guodong Zhang, now on the UC Davis Department of Nutrition faculty. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
It All Began with Bruce Hammock's Curiosity
What an incredible story! It all began with insects and an entomology graduate student's curiosity of how caterpillars turn into butterflies. Bruce Hammock, now a UC Davis distinguished professor who holds a joint appointment with the Department of Entomology and Nematology and the UC...
A monarch caterpillar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A newly eclosed male monarch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Water discussion on Sept. 29 flows from LA art exhibit
Communities in Los Angeles and around California face a variety of water challenges ranging from access to clean, affordable water to water supplies threatened by a changing climate.
The public is invited to a free event featuring a panel discussion of the past, present and future of Los Angeles water. The water discussion will be part of the closing reception for the art exhibit “What's On Tap: LA's Water Story…Source to Spigot” at El Tranquilo Gallery in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29.
“I hope that people come away understanding that our relationship to and stewardship of water in LA is not only a critical part of our past history, but essential to determining our region's future as well,” said Edith B. de Guzman, UC Cooperative Extension specialist for water equity and adaptation policy with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
The panel will be moderated by UCLA Public Policy Professor Megan Mullin. Panelists will include de Guzman; Amanda Begley, watershed senior program manager for TreePeople; Conner Everts, facilitator for the Environmental Water Caucus, executive director of the Southern California Watershed Alliance, and co-chair of the Desal Response Group; and Mark Gold, director of water scarcity solutions for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The discussion will be followed by a blind water tasting. Participants will be able to taste how the flavors of three brands of bottled water compare with each other and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power tap water.
“Thus far, many people have chosen LADWP tap as their favorite compared to the bottled brands,” de Guzman said. “So another hope I have is that people will come away with greater appreciation and trust of tap water.”
The art exhibit, curated by Edith and Jolly de Guzman, highlights five distinct water themes that affect Southern California communities – local water, imported water, tap trust, human right to water and affordability.
The Zanja Madre, a Spanish-era aqueduct that moved water from the Los Angeles River to the pueblo of Los Angeles between 1781 and 1904, once ran past the gallery location.
The “What's On Tap: LA's Water Story…Source to Spigot” exhibit will be open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Sept. 27-29, with the closing reception 3-6 p.m. on Sunday, at El Tranquilo Gallery, W-19 Olvera Street, Los Angeles 90012. The panel discussion will begin at 4 p.m. The reception will include live music by Shoshana Ben-Horin.
Entomologist Lynn Kimsey in Video Tribute Celebrating Newest UC Davis Emeriti
UC Davis distinguished professor emerita Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology for 34 years until her retirement on Feb. 1, 2024, is among the 17 emeriti featured in a newly released video tribute to emeriti, an annual public service project by UC Davis...
UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey is featured in the newest UC Davis video tribute to emeriti, a public service project of UC Davis distinguished professor Walter Leal.
UC seeks toddler volunteers for milk study
UC researchers will study effects of whole milk and low-fat milk on toddlers' health and development.
Researchers to study whether whole or low-fat milk is best for toddlers
San Francisco Bay Area toddlers who drink cow's milk are being sought to participate in a 12-month study by UC Nutrition Policy Institute, a part of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Milk will be provided for free to participants.
Milk provides children with calcium, protein and vitamin D, which are essential for health and brain development. In the U.S., the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children switch from whole milk to low-fat or nonfat milk after age 2 to reduce their intake of saturated fat and calories.
“The purpose of this UC study is to see how the type of milk toddlers drink affects their health, growth and development,” said Kassandra Bacon, NPI project policy analyst.
Researchers with the Nutrition Policy Institute are recruiting children ages 23 to 30 months old. The 625 toddlers will be randomly assigned to drink either whole fat or 1% fat milk starting at age 2. The scientists will assess diet, health and developmental outcomes.
“We will follow each participant for one year, collecting baseline and follow-up data,” said Ryan Williams, a NPI project policy analyst and registered dietitian who is involved in the research.
For 12 months, the scientists will measure each child's height, weight, waist and head circumference. At the beginning and end of the study, parents will be required to take their children to a local lab for a blood draw to assess lipids, cholesterol, insulin resistance and vitamin D status, as well collect a sample of their child's stool so the scientists may analyze the gut microbiome. During a home visit, researchers will also interview parents about their child's development.
Benefits to participants
The assigned milk type will be delivered to participants free of charge via a grocery delivery service. Participating parents will receive advice from a registered dietitian to support healthy milk consumption as part of a balanced diet. The Nutrition Policy Institute also will send the parents monthly newsletters with general health tips. Participants also may earn up to $275 in gift cards by completing the study.
Requirements to participate
Participants for the milk study must meet these requirements:
- Child must be 23 to 30 months old and have public or private medical insurance
- Child's parent/legal guardian must be 18 years or older
- Child must live with the participating parent/legal guardian in the San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Santa Clara, San Francisco or San Mateo counties)
- Child's parent or guardian must speak English
Children are ineligible for the study if they are:
- a WIC participant
- lactose intolerant
- allergic to milk protein
Lorrene Ritchie, NPI director and registered dietitian, and Anisha Patel, pediatrician at Stanford Medicine Children's Health and professor in the Division of General Pediatrics at Stanford University, are the principal investigators for the study.
For more information about the research and to sign up for the study, visit https://npi.ucanr.edu/milk.
