Photos: William Short Photography
On November 3, 2015, the UCLA Health System Board meeting convened at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Hosted by Dr. John C. Mazziotta (RES '81, FEL '83), vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences and CEO of UCLA Health, and Henry Gluck, chairman of the UCLA Health System Board, the program featured a presentation by Dr. Antoni Ribas (FEL '98, '01), professor of medicine and director of the Tumor Immunology Program at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Ribas, a leader in the field of immunology, shared the progress UCLA investigators have made in treating cancer by igniting the patients' own immune system. Dr. Ribas recently led the largest Phase 1 clinical trial in the history of oncology, which resulted in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approving the "breakthrough" drug Keytruda to treat advanced melanoma. While his research is focused on understanding and treating melanoma, Dr. Ribas stated that cancer is only the beginning of the immunology story. Immunotherapies have the potential to affect all facets of human health, from infectious diseases and allergies to arthritis, autism and more.
Dr. Benjamin J. Ansell (MD '92, RES '95), director of the UCLA Comprehensive Health Program and co-director of UCLA's Cholesterol, Hypertension and Atherosclerosis Management Program, talked about how a person can take control of his or her health. Listed among U.S.News & World Report's "America's Top Doctors," Dr. Ansell champions early disease detection and prevention and focuses his research on cholesterol-treatment strategies in preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases.
Volunteers from UCLA's People-Animal Connection greeted guests at the reception.
For more information, contact Nora Bok at: (310) 267-0050
