In The Media

"Professor Geoff Abbott is a botanical Indiana Jones. He leads expeditions into Earth’s wild places to find medicinal treasures – herbal remedies used by indigenous peoples that may contain life-saving chemicals that will revolutionise treatments for serious disorders." (Geoffrey W. Abbott, PhD)

"Regular sesame oil is produced by pressing raw sesame seeds, says Jessica Vanroo, CCMP, NBC-HWC, executive chef for UC Irvine’s Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. Toasted sesame oil is made by pressing toasted sesame seeds. Today, we’ll break down what you need to know about sesame oil’s nutritional benefits." (Jessica VanRoo, CCMP, NBC-HWC)

"Jaclyn Leong, DO, internal and obesity medicine clinician at SSIHI, talks to MDLinx about why salt intake should be personalized for each patient. It turns out, your salt intake can be one of the reasons you aren't getting good quality sleep." (Jaclyn Leong, DO)

"Women have unique nutritional needs that vary across their lifespan — from early adult years, through and after pregnancy, to menopause and beyond. Ensuring a balanced, nutrient-dense diet throughout each of these stages is vital to maintain physical and mental health and reduce the risk of illness and injury. Protein, a long-overlooked macronutrient for women’s health, does not get the attention paid to carbohydrates and fats with respect to weight management or acknowledged for its crucial role in ensuring good health across their lifespan, according to several recent scientific studies." (Karen Lindsay, PhD, RDN)

"The Mediterranean diet has demonstrated not only reduction in cardiovascular risk factors such as lipids but also a reduction in death.... The main components of vegan eating and the Mediterranean diet are the same: a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and low — or no, in the case of vegan — intake of animal fat." (Ailin Barseghian El-Farra, MD)

"Henry and Susan Samueli
The philanthropists and Anaheim Ducks owners gave $50 million to UCI’s engineering school to help launch three research and education institutes for health, society and the environment. Susan Samueli also launched the Ending Human Trafficking Collaborative to inform the public and combat the practice of forcing people into sexual or manual labor for the financial benefit of others.

Jennifer Friend
Friend knows firsthand what it is like to be homeless as a child in Orange County. This catapulted her into her leadership role at Project Hope Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of homelessness and ensuring that children continue to have access to the basic needs and resources they need to succeed." (Susan Samueli, PhD and Jennifer Friend, JD)

"What inspires my creativity is the universal need for humans to eat to survive. The awareness that every person relies on nourishment for survival fuels my creativity to explore the world’s cultures and innovate approaches to provide people with the most nutritious and delightful journeys with food." (Jessica VanRoo, Executive Chef)

"Low muscle mass has consequence beyond strength, especially for individuals living with diabetes. Low muscle mass affects the body’s ability to regulate insulin sensitivity which can contribute to obesity and cardiovascular disease." (Efrain Cerrato, MBA, ACSM-EP)

"People talk about psychedelics reshaping the nervous system. Acupuncture kind of does the same thing." (Richard Harris, PhD)

"The UCI Samueli Institute is committed to making whole-person care the standard for all individuals. We recognize the vital importance of treating each patient as an individual and therefore consider each patient’s unique circumstances through whole-person care." (Shaista Malik, MD, PhD, MPH)