Resources for Journalists

If you would like to cover a story involving UCSF experts, patients, research or clinical programs, please see the team’s beats and contact information as well as guidelines. You can also contact us directly at [email protected].

Interviews at UCSF

If you are interested in arranging phone or on-site interviews (including photo or video shoots) with UCSF faculty or staff, please contact the Public Affairs representative who covers the topic you are interested in.

The Public Affairs team will work with you to obtain necessary clearance for on-site visits. Stories involving UCSF Health patients require advance HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) consent, as required by federal law, as well as clearance for entering patient care areas. We can provide you with background information and recommend additional sources for your stories.

A member of the Public Affairs team must accompany all reporters on campus.

Patient Consent/Condition

UCSF Public Affairs is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients. Under HIPAA (the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), we are required to obtain written authorization from a patient or a patient’s parent/guardian before media interviews are arranged. If written consent is not available, we will not disclose a patient’s medical status.

Entering Patient Care Areas

As a specialty hospital, we care for critically ill patients. In some situations, reporters may be required to present documentation of flu- or other inoculations prior to entering certain clinical areas, or to wear a medical mask. As with other visitors, members of the media with active flu symptoms or other infectious disease will not be allowed into patient areas. Reporters who will be on campus more than two weeks will need to comply with the long-term visitor policy, which requires the same proof of inoculations required of all UCSF staff and contractors, to protect both patients and visitors.

Each member of the UCSF Public Affairs team oversees a wide array of beats, serving as the first point of contact for reporters seeking experts and faculty and staff seeking public relations advice. For areas outside of these beats, please email or call the News Assistant at [email protected] or 415-502-6397.

UCSF Public Affairs

Kristen Bole  |  Executive Director, Public Affairs  |  Profile
[email protected], 415-476-2743

Research and Education Team

Beats are listed alphabetically. For areas outside of these beats, please email or call the News Assistant at [email protected] or 415-502-6397.

Aging
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

AIDS and HIV
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Arthritis
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Asthma
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Biomedical Engineering
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Biomedical Imaging
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Biotechnology
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Campus Planning, Construction and Facilities
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Cancer (Clinical)
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Cancer (Research)
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Community Involvement
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Dentistry and Oral Health
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Dermatology
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Diabetes (Clinical)
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Diabetes (Research)
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Digital Health
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Diversity
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Drugs and Alcohol
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Environmental Sciences
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Epidemiology
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Family Medicine
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Gene Editing and CRISPR
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Genetics and Genomics
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Global Health
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Head, Neck, and Spinal Care
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Health Informatics
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Hearing
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Heart and Vascular
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Hematology
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Hospital Medicine
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Immunology (Clinical)
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Immunology (Research)
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Infectious Disease
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Integrative Medicine
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Labor Relations
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Leukemia
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

LGBT
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Lung and Pulmonary
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Marijuana and Cannabis
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Mental Health (Adult)
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Mental Health (Pediatric)
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Microbiome
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Multiple Sclerosis (Clinical)
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Multiple Sclerosis (Research)
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Neurology
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Neurosciences
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Nursing
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Nutrition
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Obesity
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Orthopedics, Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy
Lorna Fernandes  |  [email protected], 510-410-0389

Osteoporosis and Bone Health
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Pain
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Palliative Care
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Partnerships and Alliances
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Pathology
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Pediatrics & Children’s Health
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Pharmacy and Pharmacology
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Precision Medicine and Personalized Medicine
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Primary Care
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Psychiatry (Clinical)
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Psychiatry (Research)
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Public Health
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Public Policy and Government
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Radiology
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Reproductive Health
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Sleep
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Smoking and Tobacco
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Stem Cells
Robin Marks  |  [email protected], 628-399-0370

Stress-Related Conditions
Lorna Fernandes  |  [email protected], 510-410-0389

Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Surgery
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

Toxicology
Laura Kurtzman  |  [email protected], 415-476-3163

Transplants
Suzanne Leigh  |  [email protected], 415-476-2993

UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals
Lorna Fernandes  |  [email protected], 510-410-0389

UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland
Lorna Fernandes  |  [email protected], 510-410-0389

UCSF Health
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Urology
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Vision
Jess Berthold  |  [email protected], 628-399-0432

Wellness
Lorna Fernandes  |  [email protected], 510-410-0389

Women’s Health
Elizabeth Fernandez  |  [email protected], 415-514-1592

Fact Sheets

• About UCSF
• About UCSF Health

Press Kits

• Press Kit: 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Press Kit: COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Press Kit: Chancellor Sam Hawgood
• Press Kit: UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals
• Press Kit: 2015 Opening of UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay
• Press Kit: 2016 Launch of UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences