YourCompanyListing.com

UCSF launches Internet campaign to encourage early diagnosis of dementia
                   and participation in clinical trials.
 Silicon Valley's Conway, Campbell Help Scientists Harness the Power of the
     Internet to Transform Medical Research and Philanthropic Outreach

    SAN FRANCISCO, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- YouTube and The University of
California, San Francisco (UCSF) today launched a comprehensive Internet
video channel dedicated to the improved understanding of incurable
neurodegenerative brain diseases. The UCSF Memory and Aging Center YouTube
channel can be found at http://www.youtube.com/UCSFMemoryandAging. The
multimedia offering represents the latest step by one of the world's
leading neuroscience research teams to engage the public and the medical
community in an aggressive search for the causes and cures of debilitating
brain conditions known as "dementias."

    The YouTube channel is part of an overall Internet campaign that will
help UCSF's researchers and clinicians reach out to a global audience in
the fight against these devastating diseases. With this novel use of
technology, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center stands at the forefront of a
vitally important, and potentially groundbreaking, new paradigm for
addressing serious public health issues, patient advocacy, and medical
research and fundraising.

    "Science flourishes in an environment that fosters communication, and
one of the great things about the YouTube channel is that it gives us a
rapid mechanism for communicating with physicians and caregivers who
suspect that their patients or loved ones may suffer from one of these
illnesses," says Bruce Miller, MD, director of the UCSF Memory and Aging
Center. "All of the dementias -- including Alzheimer's disease,
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD),
Huntington's disease and others -- share common features. Our goal is to
increase awareness of the earliest signs of these diseases, so they can be
accurately diagnosed, and patients can get into clinical trials sooner. We
believe that early intervention with novel therapies will be key to
stalling and halting these diseases."

    The YouTube collaboration was inspired by the "Fight for Mike," an
initiative by Silicon Valley leaders to save the life of former
Apple/Netscape marketing ace Mike Homer, who was diagnosed last spring with
CJD and is being treated at UCSF. Homer's close friends, Silicon Valley
investor, Ron Conway, and Intuit Chairman William V. Campbell lead the
initiative.

    "Mike Homer is one of the great people who helped build Silicon
Valley," says Ron Conway. "His extraordinary energy, creativity and passion
helped drive the success of major companies and start-ups. The Fight for
Mike is intended to honor his spirit and drive the medical research
underway at UCSF to cure CJD and related diseases. We're hoping the YouTube
channel will support this effort."

    The YouTube channel features UCSF's renowned clinical-researchers
discussing disease characteristics -- which are often subtle and not well
known, even among members of the medical community. Personal stories of
patients and family members are also featured, together with practical
advice and coping strategies from health care professionals.

    To further support the initiative, UCSF's Internet campaign is
comprised of these other elements:


    --  UCSF Memory and Aging Center CJD Web site
        http://memory.ucsf.edu/cjd
        First in a series of comprehensive informational sites offering
        disease-specific informational resources on dementias, the CJD site
        features physician-researchers and nurses discussing CJD, caregiver
        information and testimonials, advice for physicians, and resources for
        basic and translational scientists.  Videos on CJD and related topics
        are featured as well.

    --  "Defeat Dementia-Know More Now" Widget
        http://www.clearspring.com/widgets/4845b6ad5d5f1484
        The widget facilitates viral information sharing and an immediate
        call-to-action for patients, families, friends, caregivers and health
        professionals.  It links to educational videos; clinical trial
        information; donation opportunities; the YouTube channel, and Facebook
        group.  It is promoted to advocacy groups, and caregiver and
        professional healthcare organizations for emailing and posting on
        blogs, Web sites and ad networks.

    --  "Defeat Dementia" Facebook Group
        http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=15060128066
        To galvanize the younger generation in the fight against degenerative
        brain disease, UCSF has created a "Defeat Dementia" Facebook group
        providing a place to interact, share information, and find or offer
        support.

    --  Veodia Partnership
        http://www.veodia.com/index.html
        Veodia's live, real time video broadcasting technology will be used to
        expand outreach nationally and reinforce relationships with
        caregivers, patients and healthcare professionals. Important
        announcements and caregiver conferences featuring UCSF's leading
        clinicians, physicians and nurses will facilitate remote
        participation.

    UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide
through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life
sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.