Mission Statement

Niños Sanos, Familia Sana

U.S. Department of Agriculture

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Childhood Obesity rates in the U.S. have tripled over the last 30 years. Latino children have a higher risk of becoming overweight compared to non-Latino white children.

Niños Sanos, Familia Sana is a multifaceted intervention that integrates nutrition, physical activity, economic, and community based art interventions focused on empowering families, schools and communities to respond to this growing health problem and create healthier communities.

Niños Sanos, Familia Sana targets Mexican-origin children ages 3-8 and their families from Firebaugh and San Joaquin, two rural communities located in California's Central Valley. Creating a Community Campus Partnership (CCP) between UC Davis and these rural towns will allow our team to generate new knowledge regarding behavioral factors that influence childhood overweight/obesity and develop culturally appropriate strategies that will meet the needs of the residents. Over the next five years Niños Sanos, Familia Sana has identified four goals: (1) slow the rate of growth of weight gain among children between the ages of 3-4 in the intervention site of Firebaugh as compared to the control site San Joaquin; (2) identify mediating factors influencing the effect of economic (market) and educational interventions on child weight gain;(3) culturally refine and implement science-based nutrition and physical activity curriculum; (4) increase the number of culturally sensitive undergraduate, graduate and professional degree students in nutrition, agricultural economics, education and allied health so as to better serve California's growing Mexican origin population.

Too often, research findings that identify solutions to childhood obesity do not include input from those communities most affected by this problem. The Niños Sanos, Familia Sana project will create and implement interventions that will use community input and participation to ensure engagement and ownership of these interventions and in the long run create community sustainability for a healthier community. We believe that the quality and usefulness of research data from these types of projects occur only when we have community engagement throughout the research process.

San Joaquin
Mural Unveiling

San Joaquin Community Center
Sunday, September 16, 2012
1:00 PM

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Mural Unveiling Event Flyer

Join us! Celebrate Mexican Independence Day in San Joaquin with the unveiling of the Community Center mural! More details are specified in the flyer linked above.

Addiction Research
& Investigation for
Science Educators

National Institutes of Health
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Adela de la Torre, PI
9/1/2008-8/31/2012

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Addiction Research and Investigation for Science Educators (ARISE) aims to improve the content knowledge of science teachers (grades 7-12) in the area of biology, biochemistry, and neurobiology, using drug abuse and addiction as an interest approach in understanding scientific concepts. Project focus is on teachers who have large numbers of English Language Learners in their science classes. These teachers must improve both their pedagogical skills in teaching EL students, and their ability to teach science standards effectively to both English Proficient and English Language Learner students.

Bioterrism Response
Planning Partnership

California Department of
Public Health
Adela de la Torre, PI
9/1/2008-8/31/2012

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This grant assures the continuation of the data elements for the Public Health Department, compiling the California Reportable Disease Information. This statewide data center acquires necessary information from our Public Health Laboratories, covering 88 current bioterrorism and epidemic diseases, hopefully controlling the spread should we have an outbreak. The CTH focus in this multi-site partnerships with the CDPH is to analyze current epidemiological data reported by public health labs and local departments of public health to assess California’s emergency response capacity, with an emphasis in vulnerable communities as a result of disease such as influenza, swine flu and other infectious diseases.

LabAspire

UC Davis,UC Berkeley, UCLA, California Department of Public
Health, California Association of Public Health Lab Directors

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LabAspire is designed to provide information about the exciting career opportunities in California’s public health laboratories. These labs serve the general public by screening newborns for various genetic and congenital disorders; watching for disease-producing agents in food, humans, and animals; and testing for new threats like West Nile virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), avian influenza, and bioterrorism.

California is recruiting the next generation of lab directors and lab personnel, courageous people who love science, believe in community service, and want to pursue a career that combines both. LabAspire was created with students, graduates, counselors, parents, and laboratory professionals in mind.

Are you up for the challenge? If so, this site will help you learn more about the education and qualifications required to prepare you for success in the field of public health microbiology.

Everything you need is just a click away. LabAspire.org offers videos of lab directors and microbiologists who share their passion and vision. LabAspire’s career ladder will give you an overview of the educational and professional requirements. The job descriptions will help you see the various roles and responsibilities in the lab. And of course, the jobs section lists the opportunities currently available. Questions? Visit FAQ or Contact Us.

Program Overview

Fall 2012 (Sept.- Dec.)

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This specialized program allows undergraduate students to intern in hospitals and clinics in Oaxaca through a unique partnership with CFHI (Child Family Health International) in Mexico. Students also enroll in UCD courses on transnational (US-Mexico) health issues, which are designed to provide students with improving their cultural awareness and knowledge on factors that impact the health of one of California's largest ethnic groups. In addition, students increase their Spanish fluency since many of the courses are taught in Spanish.

This program is in high demand as it is the only UC Quarter Abroad program that offers an in-depth clinical experience with specialized academic content targeted to aspiring health professionals. If you are ready for a challenge, are willing to be flexible, and aspire to prepare yourself to better understand California's future health challenges this program may be a perfect match for your interests. Enrollment is limited and specific requirements must be met in order to enroll in this unique international opportunity.