SSIHI Pilot Studies Program

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By: Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute

The Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI) Pilot Studies Awards are designed to support exceptionally innovative research projects that provide an understanding of the mechanistic basis or clinical outcomes related to integrative health therapies. This program encourages early exploration of research ideas from UCI and UCI-affiliated faculty members which have the potential to create or contribute to the evidence base of integrative health. We had a large number of applications for this award and appreciate the partnership with ICTS in the application review process.

Congratulations to the following pilot award recipients:

  • Yama Akbari, MD, PhD (lead PI)
  • Robert Wilson, PhD (co-PI)

The Role Of Ketones In Protecting The Brain And Heart During Ultra-Short Caloric Restriction

550,000 people in the U.S. suffer from cardiac arrest (CA) each year. Only ~175,000 survive CA and only ~17,500 of survivors have good outcomes because survivors often develop severe neurological deficits. While coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of sudden CA, a multitude of other factors also may cause and/or contribute to such circulatory failure. Non- CAD mechanisms of CA include respiratory failure, hemorrhagic shock, inherited and acquired cardiomyopathies, toxic-metabolic insults, drug overdose, and other causes. Only ~175,000 survive CA and only ~17,500 of survivors have good outcomes because survivors often develop severe neurological deficits. Thus, there is a strong need for development of novel treatments to improve survival and outcome for CA patients, including both cardioprotection and neuroprotection.

For almost a century, caloric restriction (CR) has been shown to have numerous health benefits in humans and animals. CR, defined as reduction in calorie intake, can involve daily, lifelong adherence to strict diet or intermittent fasting. Most CR research has focused on long-term (chronic) CR, adherence to which can be challenging. Thus, there is significant clinical interest in short-term CR, which can last from days to months and has also been shown to have numerous neuroprotective and cardioprotective benefits.

Read the full article on the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute website.