UCI Malaria Research Gets Funding; a Look at Venture Capital
The Learning Channel, the cable network owned by Discovery Communications Inc., is known for its documentaries examining various aspects of life, including human development, sexuality and paramedics. Starting this week, TLC’s documentary lineup is getting some Orange County participation, thanks to Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Orange.
TLC’s “Children’s Hospital of Orange County” documentary makes its national prime-time debut Aug. 14 at 9 p.m. with “First Breath.” First Breath documents the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, including physicians, nurses, parents and infants who are in the unit.
A baby also plays a role in “Broken Hearts,” the episode that follows at 10 p.m. “Broken Hearts” looks at CHOC’s critical cardiac-care team as it performs open-heart surgery, patches holes without surgery via bi-plane catheterization and performs radical emergency procedures on patients.
The final two episodes of “Children’s Hospital of Orange County” are scheduled to run Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. respectively. “A Kind of Magic,” the third segment, spotlights Drs. Mike Muhonen and Joe Downey, two pediatric surgeons affiliated with the hospital. The show’s title is also a reference to Muhonen’s performance of magic tricks to entertain his young patients.
“Kids vs. Cancer” is the final program, looking at CHOC’s oncology department. “Bone marrow transplants, summer luaus, tumors, ice hockey star visits, chemotherapy, I.V. pole races, cutting-edge stem cell transfusions, puppet shows, spinal taps, the recreation room, radiation, singing nurses. When it’s ‘Kids vs. Cancer,’ anything goes,” a preview sheet says.
CHOC unveiled the documentary last week, prior to its TLC debut, at a party for its associates, patients and their families. Paul Buller, the series’ producer, director and writer, also attended.
UCI Gets Malaria Money
Anthony James, a professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at the University of California, Irvine, is one of eight researchers getting a grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund in emerging infectious diseases. James will receive $200,000 over two years from the fund.
James plans to use the grant money to support research on genetic controls to block the transmission of malaria. He is working on developing genetic alternatives to control transmission of mosquito-borne diseases by introducing immune bodies into the insects that would block their ability to transmit parasitic diseases.
“The fund considers research on emerging infectious diseases to be an undervalued area in science, and it is choosing to make an impact by funding the creative efforts of scientists making a difference in this field,” James said in a news release.
James, a UCI alumnus, was an assistant professor at the Harvard School of Public Health before coming back here in 1990.
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund is providing $5.1 million to James and 19 other U.S. and Canadian scientists who are studying molecular parasitology, molecular pathogenic mycology and malaria. The fund says parasitic diseases annually afflict more than 850 million people worldwide and kill 2 million to 3 million.
Venture Capital to Be Examined
Ken Wood, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Blue Shield of California, will discuss “Venture Capital Infusion for Health Care: Magic Potion or Evil Poison” at a Sept. 14 membership breakfast meeting of the Orange County Employee Benefit Council. The meeting is at the Irvine Marriott, 18000 Von Karman Ave. Coffee begins at 7:30 a.m., with breakfast at 7:50 a.m. and the presentation at 8:30 a.m. Wood’s talk will cover the positives and negatives of venture capital infusion, new distributions and health plan entrants.
Bits and Pieces:
PacifiCare of Colorado, a subsidiary of PacifiCare Health Systems Inc., Santa Ana, started a relationship with North Hollywood-based IPC The Hospitalist Company. Under the deal, doctors who belong to PacifiCare’s commercial and Medicare HMO networks can voluntarily refer to IPC hospitalist physicians to admit patients, handle emergency department backup and provide full-time, inpatient care to plan members … Beckman Coulter Inc., Fullerton, signed a contract to provide hematology instrument systems and supplies to Premier Inc., a healthcare alliance enterprise. The agreement is valued at $35 million. Separately, Beckman Coulter said its Hybritech free PSA test was used in a study on prostate cancer follow-up tests. The study’s results are being published in the August issue of Urology, a professional journal … Maxicare Health Plans Inc. signed a letter of intent with TriZetto Group, Newport Beach, for information systems components. Covered items include core transaction systems, connectivity infrastructure, information access and reporting and e-business … New York-Presbyterian Hospital signed an agreement with VitalCom Inc., Tustin, to use the latter’s PatientNet wireless network, along with a software and support agreement … Dentalxchange.com, Irvine, signed an agreement with the Marquette School of Dentistry in Milwaukee. Under the deal, Dentalxchange.com is converting the dental school’s courses to interactive ones that can be taken over the Internet … Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, Laguna Hills, expanded its “bedrest buddies” program to patients who are restricted to bed confinement during the final weeks of their pregnancies.
