Year 5. March 30. Community Impact is in Our DNA
As I witness our faculty in action, I continue to be struck by your unflinching commitment to our community. It is also gratifying to see the community’s response to our department’s work, which continues to crystallize the core of our strategic goals to Lead in Innovation, Transform Care and Advance Health for All. Join me in celebrating a few examples of our impact.
Robert A. Reiss, MD Wins Modell Award for Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Volunteer Work
Our faculty all-stars often go beyond their duties as physicians to give back to their communities and support causes they are passionate about. Recently, Palos Verdes-based internal medicine specialist Robert Reiss, MD was honored with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation’s Modell Award for his exceptional fundraising work, which he has been doing since 1995.
Dr. Reiss said he was very touched when he was told of the award. His reason for working with the foundation is to fund research that will lead to a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — a motive that is close to his heart, as two of his three children suffer from Crohn’s disease. Dr. Reiss has raised more than a million dollars in total funds since he launched “Team Reiss” through the organization’s Take Steps walk and is on track to raise $2 million; they raised $137,000 in 2025 and hope to beat that figure this year.
“My secret is just hard work. I send personalized emails to all my donors. I personally thank every one of them. I don't send canned solicitations that can easily be ignored,” Dr. Reiss said. He also never misses an opportunity to find a new donor.
“Whenever I do something of note for a person and they want to reward me, I tell them I would prefer they make a tax-deductible donation to the foundation instead,” he explained.
Dr. Reiss feels that the most rewarding part of his work is sharing his family’s journey with other patients and caregivers. Doing so makes the challenging diagnosis of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis easier for everyone.
“My wife and I like to be able to show people that there is light at the end of what seems like a very dark tunnel,” Dr. Reiss said. He noted that both of his children who have Crohn’s disease were diagnosed at age 11, one in the early 1990s and the other in the early 2000s. Today, his son is a software engineer who is married and has three sons, while his daughter lives in Madrid and works as the executive assistant to the Irish ambassador to Spain.
Dr. Reiss encourages everyone who feels called to do so to join Team Reiss or another Take Steps walk team. UCLA Health was one of the sponsors for the Los Angeles Take Steps Walk last year, at which Dr. Reiss was recognized for his volunteer efforts as the event’s 2025 Honored Hero. You can learn more about volunteering at the Team Reiss website.
I had the opportunity to share some remarks about Dr. Reiss’ work on behalf of the UCLA Department of Medicine (DoM) in a special video, which is shared below. We are so proud of our colleague!
I am also pleased to underscore the increasing commitment here at UCLA to provide holistic care for patients with IBD and the leadership by faculty in our department’s Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases in expanding programs to support these patients.
UCLA South Asian Heart Program Hosts Lunch & Learn on Women’s Cardiovascular Health in South Asian Communities
Earlier this month I had the pleasure of making remarks at a special event hosted at the Luskin Conference Center by the UCLA South Asian Heart Program. The program, titled “Lunch & Learn: Strong Hearts, Strong Women,” brought together a vibrant and engaged community focused on advancing women’s cardiovascular health within the South Asian population, and I was honored to witness the lineup of truly exceptional experts from our department who shared perspectives with the hundreds of attendees.
Eve Glazier, MD, an internist and host of the “Medically Speaking with Dr. Eve Glazier” podcast, welcomed guests to the event and expressed her strong support for the UCLA South Asian Heart Program. She highlighted the importance of advancing culturally tailored health education and praised the program’s vision of integrating clinical care, research and community engagement. She also noted her commitment to amplifying this mission through her show, helping extend the program’s reach and impact to broader audiences.
Next, wellness expert Amy Shah, MD shared practical, evidence-based strategies on lifestyle optimization, preventive care and sustainable wellness practices tailored to women’s health. She was followed by UCLA Division of Cardiology Chief Priscilla Y. Hsue, MD, who provided a compelling overview of the disproportionately high cardiovascular risk among South Asians while emphasizing the urgent need to address the significant underrepresentation of this population in clinical research. Her remarks reinforced the importance of inclusive science and community-engaged research initiatives. Dr. Hsue was introduced by Calabasas-based UCLA cardiologist Janki B. Shah, MD, who contributed additional perspectives that resonated strongly with the audience.
After Dr. Hsue’s talk, we enjoyed a dynamic and interactive panel discussion led by internist Anuradha G. Seshadri, MD, MS an internist based at UCLA Century City Primary & Specialty Care; Fatima Hayat, MD, an alumna of the UCLA Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program; Vijaya Surampudi, MD, associate director of the UCLA Medical Weight Management Clinic and the co-creator of the UCLA Adult Nutrition Support Services for Enteral, TPN Management, and Nutrition Oncology clinics; and Tannaz Moin, MD, MBA, MSHS, an associate professor of medicine in the UCLA Division of Endocrinology and a core investigator at the Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation & Policy at VA Greater Los Angeles. They addressed a wide range of audience questions on cardiometabolic disease, nutrition, exercise, hormonal health, and navigating credible health information. The panel created an empowering environment that encouraged open dialogue and meaningful engagement from attendees.
We then heard from UCLA South Asian Heart Program Director Ravi H. Dave, MD, who also serves as director of interventional cardiology at UCLA Health and of the interventional cardiology fellowship program. He is also the inaugural holder of the Jivrajka Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Cardiology.
Dr. Dave provided an update on the vision, growth, and research initiatives of the UCLA South Asian Heart Program, highlighting ongoing efforts to build a comprehensive, community-centered model that integrates clinical care, research, education, and outreach.
The program also featured Bela Bajaria, chief content officer at Netflix, who spoke in strong support of the South Asian community and applauded UCLA’s leadership in advancing culturally tailored cardiovascular care and awareness. Her presence and remarks reinforced the importance of cross-sector collaboration in amplifying health education and community impact.
In my opening remarks I highlighted the growing burden of cardiometabolic disease and the critical need to deepen scientific understanding, particularly in high-risk populations such as South Asians. I am grateful to the UCLA South Asian Heart Program for this wonderful opportunity to engage with our community on these issues, and I am confident that the audience left with many valuable insights.
I am grateful to all of those who made this such an outstanding event, including our co-hosts Renu Jivrajka, MD and Hemali Dave — their energy, warmth and thoughtful facilitation fostered an inclusive and engaging atmosphere throughout the program. I would also like to express my appreciation to the program's audience diverse group of South Asian women who actively participated in discussions and shared their perspectives. The strong turnout and enthusiastic engagement reflected both the importance and the impact of culturally tailored cardiovascular disease prevention, education and care.
“This event represents a continued commitment by UCLA to advance equitable cardiovascular care, empower women through knowledge and build lasting partnerships with the South Asian community,” Dr. Dave said. “Future programs will expand on this momentum through multidisciplinary collaboration, research innovation and community-driven initiatives.”
Inaugural CKM Symposium Engages Faculty Across Disciplines
Our patients’ outcomes depend not only on the skill of individuals, but on our ability to work closely together across disciplines to optimize their care. On March 21, our faculty set out to facilitate that essential collaboration at the inaugural UCLA Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Symposium. This fantastic event brought together 18 distinguished group of expert LEADERS from endocrinology, cardiology, nephrology, medical nutrition, hepatology, internal medicin, and obstetrics and gynecology to present emerging science, clinical innovations and integrated care models across the CKM spectrum. Ninety-eight people RSPV’d and 7.2 continuing medical education credits were earned.
"The CKM Symposium was a tremendous success,” said symposium organizer Niloofar Nobakht, MD, a nephrologist based in Westwood who is also the director of the beloved Music & Kidney Program. “The level of engagement and participation exceeded our expectations and reflected a strong interest in advancing care for patients with CKM syndrome.”
This symposium was designed to be a dynamic, multidisciplinary forum that fostered meaningful cross-disciplinary collaboration and highlighted practical, evidence-based strategies to advance equitable, patient-centered care across the life course. There were engaging discussions, expert panels and interactive sessions that bridged gaps between specialties and accelerate the translation of cutting-edge research into clinical practice. I was honored to give the day’s keynote speech, which highlighted the metabolic and mitochondrial mechanisms that underlie cardiometabolic disease.
“This event was particularly important because CKM represents an evolving and interconnected area of medicine that requires a multidisciplinary approach. The symposium helped bridge gaps between specialties, fostered meaningful dialogue and emphasized the need for integrated care models,” Dr. Nobakht said. “It also served as a platform to raise awareness, promote education and advocate for more structured approaches — potentially including the development of a Center of Excellence in CKM care at UCLA.”
Dr. Nobakht added that attendees came away from the conference with a deeper appreciation of the interconnected pathophysiology of CKM, the importance of early identification and prevention strategies, and the value of lifestyle interventions alongside pharmacologic therapies. She said that many participants highlighted how impactful it was to hear perspectives across specialties, and several expressed strong interest in ongoing collaboration and future educational initiatives.
“Overall, the enthusiasm, engagement and collaborative spirit of both speakers and attendees were incredibly encouraging,” Dr. Nobakht said. “This symposium not only met its goals but also laid the groundwork for future programs, research collaborations and continued momentum in improving CKM care.”
Dr. Nobakht expressed her gratitude towards her colleagues Mohammad Kamgar, MD and Susanne B. Nicholas, MD, MPH, PhD and others in the nephrology division for their help with the event.
“This would not have been possible without the invaluable contributions of my colleagues Dr. Kamgar and Dr. Nicholas, whose dedication and collaboration were instrumental, along with the outstanding support of the administrative team of the nephrology division,” Dr. Nobakht said.
I appreciate the symposium organizers for inviting me to speak at this landmark event, which underscores UCLA and the DoM’s commitment to advancing comprehensive, integrated approaches to CKM health and improving outcomes for diverse patient populations. Thank you to all, and congratulations on making this event a resounding success!
Shapiro Symposium Highlights Health Services Research and Builds Community Within GIMHSR
Since 2017, the UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research (GIMHSR) has held the annual Martin F. Shapiro Health Services Research Symposium to provoke discussion and share new data that illuminates important topics around promoting health equity and advancing health policy that will increase the wellbeing of all members of our diverse communities. I am pleased to share that the eighth annual symposium, held Feb. 23 at the UCLA University Club, continued its tradition of being a major success. The event saw an excellent turnout from our dynamic DoM health services research community, both within and beyond the GIMHSR division.
Anchoring this year’s symposium was keynote speaker Seth A. Berkowitz, MD, MPH, who serves as vice chief of research in the division of general medicine and clinical epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Dr. Berkowitz’s talk focused on findings from his research on the relationship between food insecurity and health outcomes, one of the day’s central themes. Dr. Berkowitz was introduced by Melissa Wei, MD, MPH, MS, a physician and researcher within the GIMHSR division, at the UCLA HSR Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation and Policy and at the Greater Los Angeles VA.
Attendees also heard reflections from the symposium’s namesake Martin F. Shapiro, MD, PhD, a past chief of the division who is now faculty at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Shapiro is renowned throughout the field for his work to advance cultural diversity in medicine and health care justice for all. The symposium’s organizers graciously invited me to give opening remarks, which followed a wonderful introduction and overview from UCLA Division of GIMHSR Chief Carol M. Mangione, MD, MSPH.
“This symposium continues to be a wonderful opportunity to bring researchers from across all divisions in DoM to learn about each other’s research and to ignite future collaborations that cross both divisional and departmental lines,” Dr. Mangione said.
After Dr. Berkowitz’s keynote address, we met new faces in the department of medicine on a new HSR faculty panel that included Jaime La Charite, MD, MPH; Rebecca Tsevat, MD; Amanda C. Leiter, MD; and Elisabetta Patorno, MD, DrPH. Lunch was followed by rapid research talks focused on climate change and the 2025 L.A. fires, with presentations from David Eisenman, MD, MSHS; Savanna Carson, PhD; UCLA National Clinician Scholars Program scholar Kristen Obiakor, MD, MS and Mercedes Santoro, Ed.D., deputy director of the L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation; Faculty member Evan M. Shannon, MD; and Patrick Smith, RN, PhD, who is a scholar in the UCLA National Clinician Scholars Program.
The symposium also featured an exceptional roster of poster presentations on topics ranging from the impact of an undergraduate-focused diabetes prevention program to the factors that predict high-need, high-cost patients’ engagement with a national health plan’s care coordination intervention. Here are a few highlights from faculty and staff in the DoM:
- Lucinda Leung, MD and Jasmeen Santos, MPH presented health policy research in a poster titled “Perspectives of State Health Leaders on Medicaid Telemental Health Policy Implementation”
- Daniel M. Gonzalez, MD shared his work on the relationship between insurance coverage continuity and utilization in his poster “Associations Between Insurance Coverage Continuity and Utilization using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey”
- Arpan A. Patel, MD's poster, “Barriers and Facilitators to Advance Care Planning Among Latino Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis at Liver Transplant Centers,” reviewed his findings from his research on advance care planning among Latinx/o/a patients at liver transplant centers who are living with severe cirrhosis
There were many more excellent posters at the symposium. You can find a full list here.
Congratulations to our health services research community on an outstanding event and thank you for your ceaseless dedication to advancing health care for all! I already look forward to the next one.
Dale
P.S.
I hope that you enjoyed our baseball-themed UCLA Residency Match Day video. I am happy to autograph my baseball card if you want to add it to your collection.
The value will go up exponentially after I throw out the opening pitch at the LA Dodgers Game versus the New York Mets on April 15 during their Jackie Robinson celebration. Make sure to tune in or come and watch!
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