News Archive - Judith Myers

Fighting COVID-19 With a Cancer Drug

Researchers at University of California San Diego show that a molecule which shuttles damaging inflammatory cells into cancer tumors also shuttles inflammatory cells into lung tissue infected with COVID-19 — and that the molecule can be suppressed with a repurposed cancer drug. The work represents a new approach to preventing irreversible organ damage in infectious diseases.

New Findings May Fix the Replicability Crisis in Microbiome Research

UC San Diego researchers have discovered another factor that affects the composition of the gut microbiome: time of day.

As Restrictions on Cannabis and Psychedelics Ease, Americans Dabble with ‘Microdosing’

Loosening local, state and federal regulations on cannabis and psychedelics has increased Americans' interest in microdosing, according to a study from researchers at the University of California San Diego. Published in JAMA Health Forum, the study found that the rate of microdosing-related Google searches grew by 1250% from 2015 to 2023, with over three million searches in 2023 alone.

Unregulated Sales of a Toxic and Hallucinogenic Mushroom Endanger Public Health

Americans' interest in the potentially harmful "magic mushroom" Amanita muscaria is soaring, according to a new study. UC San Diego researchers suggest the market growth may be driven by clinical research on psilocybin's safety and efficacy in treating depression.

Closing the U.S./Mexico Border During COVID-19 Increased HIV Transmission

Rates of HIV transmission increased when the U.S./Mexico border was closed for COVID-19, according to a new study from University of California San Diego and Irvine.

Scientists Discover a New Signaling Pathway and Design a Novel Drug for Liver Fibrosis

Scientists from the University of California San Diego discovered a novel signaling pathway in liver cells, leading to a treatment for fibrosis.

Liquid Droplets Shape How Cells Respond to Change

New research by scientists at University of California San Diego has shown that cells regulate cAMP/PKA signaling by forming liquid droplets that segregate excess PKA catalytic subunits where they can do no harm. Some cancers may block the formation of liquid droplets, leading to hyperactive signaling and tumor formation.