The Mission of Giving
Improving outcome after brain and spinal cord trauma is a target that will help millions of Americans. This silent epidemic strikes more people each year than AIDS, breast cancer, and multiple sclerosis combined. Support is needed for basic and clinical investigations as well as for moving research findings in the lab and clinic into the community.
Private support can accelerate research to better understand the consequences of injuries to the nervous system and to address therapeutic targets to reduce the spread of damage into surviving tissue. Training is key to providing improved clinical care by developing the next generation of clinicians and scientists who understand the critical issues presented by injured individuals.
Your gift can accelerate the pace of scientific discovery and facilitate innovative application of treatments for those with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries during both the acute and chronic phases of recovery from injury.
How to Donate
Donations can be made to the Brain and Spinal Injury Center - 154 Brain Trauma Program Fund at www.sfghf.org/donate
or via mail at: PO Box 410836, San Francisco, CA 94141-0836
How to Volunteer
The Brain and Spinal Injury Center (BASIC) has a formal volunteer program that accepts a limited number of volunteers for basic scientific (laboratory) research, clinical research and translational (bench-to-bedside) research in neurotrauma and related fields. The goals of the volunteering program are to:
1) Provide hands-on pre-baccalaureate student training in translational neurotrauma research
2) Provide public outreach and dissemination of knowledge from experts within the BASIC team
3) Cultivate an interest in and recruit talent into neurotrauma-related research fields
Principal Investigators in BASIC have active, well-funded research programs from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Veterans Administration (VA), and a range of private foundations. These funds support a full-time professional staff of technicians, graduate students, postdocs, medical residents and UCSF faculty. Volunteers are primarily brought in as observers for their own educational benefit and it is important to understand that their contribution is somewhat limited.
Eligibility and Commitment Requirements
All volunteers must be a minimum of 18 years of age and a US Citizen or hold an Immigrant Visa. UCSF does not accept volunteers with Non-Immigrant Visa status. All volunteer assignments require a minimum commitment of three consecutive months.
Health Screening Requirements
Volunteers must provide proof of the following health and immunization records:
Negative Tuberculin (TB) Tests — Two negative TB skin tests are required, one within the past year and another within the past three months, or a negative QuantiFeron blood test. If you have a positive TB skin test, you must have a negative chest X-ray report within the past year.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) — Two vaccinations or positive blood titer. A titer is a test that measures your immune system's ability to protect against a disease or infection.
Chicken Pox (Varicella) — Proof of two vaccinations or positive blood titer.
Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis or Whooping Cough (Tdap) — Must document that this vaccination was administered after 2005, when pertussis or whooping cough was added.
Flu Vaccine — Required during flu season.
Hepatitis B Series — Required for volunteers in the Emergency Department.
Application Process
Volunteer applications are accepted year round. A completed Volunteer Application Form, resume and current class schedule must be submitted electronically to BasicVolunteerCoordinator.Neurosurgery@ucsf.edu at least three months prior to the requested start date.
-To apply for a volunteer position in BASIC, please complete an application.
-For inquiries about paid employment opportunities in BASIC, please visit the UCSF Job Posting site.
To volunteer at the San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, please contact Volunteer Services.