- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The online symposium, to focus primarily on vaccines, is the third in a series organized and moderated by UC Davis distinguished professor Walter Leal. It will take place from 5 to 7 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, on Zoom and YouTube. A pre-program, with interviews and questions, begins at 4:30.
Panelists will discuss:
- Is the polio vaccine a solution?
- Are the front-runner vaccines safe and effective? If so, when might they be available?
Gallo, who co-discovered that HIV causes AIDS, is the Homer and Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine; co-founder and director of the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Institute of Human Virology; and co-founder of the Global Virus Network. He will be joined by Dr. Dean Blumberg, professor and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, UC Davis Health; and Dr. Allison Brashear, dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine, among others.UC Davis Chancellor Gary May will deliver the welcoming address.
Also interviewed will be Dr. Atul Malhotra, professor of Medicine, Pulmonology, Critical Care, UC San Diego Health, and Dr. Stuart H. Cohen, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and director of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, UC Davis School of Medicine. (See program at https://bit.ly/2AgVbxY)
Renowned honey bee geneticist Robert E. Page Jr. former professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, will comment on bee therapy, a possible treatment for COVID-19 treatments (suggested by researchers in China but not yet investigated.) (See https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041010120302245)
Retired UC Davis Medical Center nurse Carolyn Wyler of Sacramento, a passenger on the ill-fated Grand Princess cruise ship, will talk about her COVID-19 outbreak experiences from ship to shore. She and her husband were quarantined in their room for six days. They then spent 13 days in quarantine at Travis Air Force Base before being released. (Both tested negative.) A 71-year-old passenger on the same Grand Princess ship, but on a different cruise, was the first in California to succumb from the disease. Overall, two passengers and one crew member on the Grand Princess died, and 103 tested positive.
Among those asking questions will be Jennifer Cash, newest faculty member of the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences; Fred Gould, National Academy of Sciences member; UC Cooperative Extension advisor Surendra Dara; and University of Brasilia graduate student Raquel Silva.
Leal, a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, a member of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology faculty and a former chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, is hosting the symposiums as a public service.
The first symposium is online at https://bit.ly/2VurK3Z. "You are our heroes," one viewer wrote.
The second symposium can be accessed at https://bit.ly/3b8TAau. "It was a great symposium--the personal story of the frontline physician was incredible,” one viewer wrote.
Added another viewer: "Well, what an amazing finale and yes, we are taking it seriously, especially those of us older office workers. What a story of your life and death experience. Amazing presentation!"
"Congratulations on today's new webinar," another viewer commented. "It was excellent again. I look forward to the next one."
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The free public awareness event will take place from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Viewers can register and post advance questions on Zoom at https://bit.ly/2SUJ7t5. For YouTube Live, the link is https://bit.ly/3b8TAau.
UC Systemwide President Janet Napolitano, a former secretary of Homeland Security, will deliver the welcoming address. She will be introduced by UC Davis Chancellor Gary May, who delivered the welcoming address at the first COVID-19 Symposium.
Panelists are Dr. Allison Brashear, dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine; Dr. Atul Malhotra, professor of medicine, pulmonology, critical care, UC San Diego Health; Dr. Emanuel Maverakis, professor of dermatology and immunology, UC Davis School of Medicine; and Dr. David Lubarsky, vice chancellor of Human Health Sciences and chief executive officer, UC Davis Health.
Among others participating will be Dr. Jane Sykes, professor of small animal internal medicine (infectious diseases emphasis) and chief veterinary medical officer, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine; and Dr. James M. Hotaling, associate professor, Department of Urology, School of Medicine, University of Utah; and several other guests.
Viewers are invited to ask advance questions as well as questions live. Former NASA astronaut Steve Robinson, now a UC Davis professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, will be among those asking questions. Professor Robinson, who graduated from UC Davis in 1978 with dual degrees in mechanical and aeronautical engineering, saw Earth from outer space four times during NASA shuttle missions, including the 2005 Space Shuttle Discovery.
Questions will include:
- Can our pets place us at risk for contracting the coronavirus?
- Can we get the virus through sexual transmission?
- Can COVID-19 survivors get secondary infections?
- What research is underway on COVID-19 therapies, management and testing?
Professor Leal, a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, a member of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology faculty and a former chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, Leal co-chaired the 2016 International Congress of Entomology. He is donating his organizational skills and his cutting-edge technology and video-conferencing expertise to host the symposium. The first symposium drew some 4000 views from 10 countries.
“It is a pleasure to create these platforms to raise awareness and address COVID-19-related questions from the public,” Leal said.
The first symposium, with a welcoming address by UC Davis Chancellor Gary May, spotlighted the cutting-edge expertise of physicians, researchers, and a recovering COVID-19 patient. It is online at https://bit.ly/2VurK3Z. It drew comment “I just wanted to thank you! You are my heroes.”
“This give me a sense of hope and calmed my anxiety like nothing else,” letter writer Kim Allen continued. “To hear people, real doctors and scientists who are so knowledgeable talk about what is going on and why, is so appreciated. We need to know what we are contending with to fight it and be safe. You are all so much appreciated!”
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Robinson, who graduated from UC Davis in 1978 with dual degrees in mechanical and aeronautical engineering, saw Earth from outer space four times during NASA shuttle missions, including the 2005 Space Shuttle Discovery.
“Our Aggienaut (alumni-turned-astronaut) will be asking questions, and we're encouraging others to follow suit and ask questions, too,” said Leal, a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and a member of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology faculty. He is a former chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology.
“We've assembled another panel of experts for viewers to address their questions and concerns,” said Leal, whose peers have honored him for his research, teaching and public service.
The COVID-19 Symposium, https://bit.ly/2A2Qd8a, will be streamed via ZOOM and YouTube on Thursday, May 14 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Registration is free.
Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California system, will deliver the welcoming address.
Among the panelists: Dr. David Lubarsky, vice chancellor of Human Health Sciences and chief executive officer, UC Davis Health, Dr. Allison Brashear, dean of the School of Medicine, UC Davis, Dr. Emanuel Maverakis, professor of dermatology and Immunology, UC Davis School of Medicine, and Dr. Atul Malhotra, professor of medicine, Pulmonology and Critical Care, UC San Diego Health.
The questions will include:
- Can our pets place us at risk for contracting the coronavirus?
- Can we get the virus through sexual transmission?
- Can COVID-19 survivors get secondary infections?
- What research is underway on COVID-19 therapies, management and testing?
For registration, access https://bit.ly/2A2Qd8a. Registrants can post advance questions and also ask questions online during the symposium.
The first symposium, with a welcoming address by UC Davis Chancellor Gary May, spotlighted the cutting-edge expertise of physicians, researchers, and a recovering COVID-19 patient. It is online at https://bit.ly/2VurK3Z. It drew viewers from 10 countries and the comment “I just wanted to thank you! You are my heroes.”
“This give me a sense of hope and calmed my anxiety like nothing else,” letter writer Kim Allen continued. “To hear people, real doctors and scientists who are so knowledgeable talk about what is going on and why, is so appreciated. We need to know what we are contending with to fight it and be safe. You are all so much appreciated!”
(Editor's Note: At the first UC Davis-based COVID-19 virtual seminar, UC Davis distinguished professor James R. Carey of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology delivered a presentation on “Actuarial Perspectives on the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The updated presentation is at https://youtu.be/aid69khJftU.)