On December 3rd, 2019 a Portrait Unveiling Ceremony was held in recognition of The Dr. Igor and JoAnn Grant Chair in Psychiatry. The ceremony included remarks from Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, Interim Psychiatry Chair Robert Anthenelli, MD, and Vice Chancellor - Health Sciences, School of Medicine Dean, David Brenner, MD.

Dr. Grant celebrates with Stella (Xiang) Chen, graduating medical student from UC San Diego’s School of Medicine, on occasion of her receipt of the Award for Academic Excellence and Biomedical Research on June 1, 2019. In addition to excelling in her academic and clinical work Dr. Chen completed a basic science Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellowship with Dr. Richard Gallo, Chair of Dermatology, studying the innate immune function of dermal adipocytes. Her work with her mentors showed that differentiating dermal adipocytes produce antimicrobial peptides necessary for cutaneous defense against S. aureus, and declines during aging. Dr. Chen will be headed to the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix for a preliminary medicine year and then to Harvard/MGH for dermatology residency. The Igor Grant MD Endowed Award for Academic Excellence and Biomedical Research was established by JoAnn Grant, RN, in honor of Dr. Igor Grant to recognize graduating medical students who rank at the top of their class academically, and who also sought opportunities to conduct biomedical research. Congratulations Dr. Chen!

In honor of the department’s milestone anniversary, the Grants have established the Dr. Igor and JoAnn Grant Chair in Psychiatry, with additional funds to be raised and a match from the UC San Diego Chancellor’s Chair and Faculty Fellowship Challenge. The endowed administrative chair will be held by future chairs of the Department of Psychiatry, who will succeed Dr. Grant. Endowed chairs play an important role in recruiting and retaining top physician-scientists. The administrative endowed chair will allow for the chair holder to utilize the annual funding for the greatest needs of the department. The Grants’ gift contributes to the $2 billion goal of the university’s comprehensive fundraising effort, the Campaign for UC San Diego. Read the full article here.

Dr. Obermeit’s dissertation is entitled "The Impact of Methamphetamine Dependence, HIV, and Frontal Systems Dysfunctions on the Relationship Between Sexual Risk Intentions and Behaviors”. Her work sought to understand how intentions to behave safely translated to actual safer behavior, to reduce risk of HIV infection. She observed that use of methamphetamine weakened the likelihood that intentions would be put into action. Impaired executive functions and disinhibition also contributed to this weakening. Her work points to opportunities for interventions to improve the likelihood that intentions actually result in safer practices in specific HIV risk populations. Dr. Obermeit’s Dissertation Committee included Professors Steven Woods and Erin Morgan from UCSD and Paul Gilbert and Scott Roesch from SDSU. Dr. Obermeit is continuing her postdoctoral work at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Congratulations Dr. Obermeit!