“Cultural preservation is practiced by all peoples, and the responsibility to protect our shared story belongs to all of us. In the face of erasure, the courage to safekeep collective memory and community legacy becomes all the more critical,” says Leticia Gomez Franco, executive director of Balboa Art Conservation Center. “At BACC we are proud to partner with memory keepers to carry out this important work.”
Half a Century of Art Conservation in Balboa Park
Tucked among the museums and gardens of San Diego’s Balboa Park is a science laboratory for art. Here, a team of art conservators and cultural heritage professionals preserve objects past and present. They examine, preserve, repair and prevent damage to art objects, such as paintings, textiles and sculptures, so that their cultural and historical significance endures.
Preserving Memory Across All Communities
Historically, the conservation field has focused its resources on fine art collections in traditional museums and institutions, often leaving out the legacies of communities and artists outside that narrow scope.
In 2020, BACC expanded its mission to ensure that all communities, collections, and memory-keeping work have access to its expertise and resources. This includes cultivating networks of cultural heritage first responders who were deployed during the historic San Diego floods of 2024 and partnered in Art Recovery Los Angeles (ARLA) clinics after the wildfires in LA. BACC also has Work Force Development Initiatives that share the conservation profession with students and delivers free statewide capacity-building training for collections caretakers. Its free monthly community clinics in Balboa Park are open to the public as well.
This expansion was supported with nearly $2 million in funding from the Mellon Foundation and Prebys Foundation, enabling the inclusive growth of BACC’s mission.
Understanding Our Past Through Science and Art
One of art conservation’s greatest strengths is bridging disciplines. While art and science are often taught separately, BACC takes a STEAM approach—combining science, technology, and the arts.
BACC conservators use state-of-the-art technology, including infrared reflectography and X-radiography, to uncover what can be hidden in plain sight. “We look at the structural elements to decipher what was original to how an artist conceived of a work, what changes happened over time,” says Morgan Wylder, BACC’s associate conservator of paintings. “We use these techniques to understand how artworks were made and functioned. They might reveal something that is not visible on the surface of a painting, and that can be really exciting.”
Scientific tools also enhance understanding of how to interpret and care for cultural collections. For example, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) can identify heavy metals and toxins in museum objects. “This is particularly important as part of repatriation processes, as pesticides that were used historically may be harmful to communities once cultural belongings return home” says Dr. Elizabeth Salmon, BACC’s inaugural preventive conservator. “Scientific tools are especially impactful when they help us go beyond learning about an object’s history and facilitate safer use, learning, and interaction with cultural heritage in the future.”
Preserving Our Futures Now
As museums and cultural institutions face pressure and budget cuts that impact whose history is preserved, BACC is advancing the study and preservation of cultural heritage for all communities. It recently opened the 53rd annual meeting of the American Institute for Conservation with a talk titled, “In Commitment to Community” and launched a 50th Birthday Campaign to sustain its award-winning educational programs for students and collections caretakers.
As the only nonprofit regional conservation center on the West Coast, BACC is safeguarding works of art for future generations. Learn more about BACC here.
Most homeowners want two things before they commit to a remodel: a realistic sense of cost and a clear picture of what the finished space will look like. Milan Design + Build helps deliver both through its online remodeling estimator and personalized design consultations, supported by a showroom experience and 3D renderings.
“The online estimate gives homeowners a starting number in about a minute, and the showroom and 3D renderings let them see materials and layouts before anything is built,” says David Noriani, CEO of Milan Design + Build. “Keeping design, permits, and construction with one team helps us manage expectations and keep everyone working toward the same vision.”
Courtesy of Milan Design
Modern design is a particular focus for Milan, with an emphasis on clean lines, natural light, functional layouts, and carefully selected materials. The team adapts each design to the homeowner’s lifestyle and the character of the property. Milan Design + Build combines thoughtful design with construction expertise, creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.
The online estimator covers kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, full-home remodels, and ADU construction. At Milan’s showroom on Carroll Road, visitors can review real materials, finishes, and design options, meet the design-build team, and discuss project scope, budget, and timing. Consultations can also be held virtually for homeowners who prefer to start remotely.
At Milan Design + Build, one integrated team works on the entire project. Design and construction aren’t divided between separate firms. The process begins with a consultation and feasibility review, followed by design, space planning, and 3D renderings developed from detailed measurements and digital scans. The team also coordinates architectural plans, structural engineering, city approvals, and material selection, with construction overseen by a dedicated project manager.
Homeowners can explore their remodeling options, get an initial estimate, or request a design consultation at MilanBuild.com.
At any given time, there are roughly 200 research investigations and clinical trials being conducted at Scripps Health in as many as 25 medical specialties. Research and patient care go hand-in-hand at Scripps. Those studies can be categorized as clinical trials of a medication or device that are conducted by Scripps physicians and studies designed by Scripps’ physicians and clinicians. Click here to learn about three exciting studies underway at Scripps and the benefits to patients.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Scripps has recently unveiled new features in the MyScripps patient portal and mobile app to help patients connect with their primary care team and simplify the payment process. Among the recent updates is the addition of primary care E-visits for minor conditions. Patients who have an established primary care physician can schedule an E-visit, complete an online questionnaire and, if needed, send a photo. Their doctor can then advise and prescribe medication, when appropriate. Autopay is also now available through MyScripps. Patients can enable or disable autopay, allowing them to more easily manage payments. Learn more about MyScripps and how it helps patients stay connected here.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Farrah Adams had a persistent dull ache in her lower back that her massage therapist suggested might be caused by the way she sat or drove. That explanation seemed reasonable, but when coupled with heavy, painful periods led the then 46-year-old to seek answers. When she looks back on it now, she’s beyond grateful she trusted her gut. She made an appointment with a Scripps OB-GYN, who determined she had Stage 3 cervical cancer that had spread to several lymph nodes. Farrah was overwhelmed, but immediately found a “champion” in Scripps Clinic gynecologic oncologist Jo Marie Tran Janco, MD. After undergoing successful treatment at Scripps Cancer Center, Farrah is now using her story to inspire other women to make time for care. Read more of her story here.
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In the last several years, there’s been a surge in FDA approvals for what’s known as oral oncolytics. Oral oncolytics are targeted cancer therapies that come in tablet, capsule or liquid form that patients can take at home, rather than in an infusion clinic. Scripps physicians have seen exponential growth using this approach, with patients citing convenience as a major quality-of-life enhancement in their cancer treatment. This approach also allows treatments to be customized based on specific genetic mutations and a patient’s unique disease biology. Find out more about oral oncolytics here.
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Meet San Diego’s leading healthcare professionals, delivering exceptional medical and dental care through innovation, expertise, and dedication to patients.
Unio Specialty Care is a multi-specialty practice specializing in urology, gastroenterology, and radiation oncology.
Unio’s Radiation Oncology team—Dr. Donald B. Fuller, Dr. Tahir Ijaz, Dr. Reza Shirazi, and Dr. Siavosh Vakilian—combines extensive clinical experience with a commitment to personalized cancer care. The RO team treats cancerous and non-cancerous conditions using precision therapies including SBRT, IGRT, and the CyberKnife® S7 System, the only system of its kind in Southern California. Their expertise spans prostate, breast, lung, gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and central nervous system cancers, as well as low-dose radiotherapy for osteoarthritis.
In 2026, Dr. Shirazi and Dr. Vakilian were recognized as San Diego Top Doctors, joining Dr. Fuller and Dr. Ijaz, who have previously received this distinction.
