September 25, 2017
September 25, 2017 —
Freshwater planarians, found around the world and commonly known as “flatworms,” are famous for their regenerative prowess. Through a process called “fission,” planarians can reproduce asexually by simply tearing themselves into two pieces— a head and a tail—which then go on to form two new worms within about a week.
September 21, 2017
September 21, 2017 —
Scientists have found that ignored pieces of DNA play a critical role in the development of immune cells called T cells. These areas activate a change in the 3D structure of DNA that brings together crucial elements necessary for T cell formation. This “big bang” discovery may be unfolding throughout the animal and plant kingdoms as well as aid in combating diseases such as lymphoma and leukemia.
August 7, 2017
August 7, 2017 —
Scientists at UC San Diego have provided the first evidence that lysosomes, specialized structures found in nearly every cell in your body, can travel to distant parts of neurons to branch-like areas known as dendrites. Lysosomes help keep balance in the brain by removing material that is no longer needed, a key function that could be associated with disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
July 19, 2017
July 19, 2017 —
DARPA has selected a team that includes UC San Diego scientists to study an innovative genetic research technique as a way to control disease-causing mosquitoes. The project, which will receive up to $14.9 million, will focus on a technique known as gene drive, which can spread desirable genes in wild populations and suppress harmful organisms.
July 17, 2017
July 17, 2017 —
Scientists have linked specific wiring in the brain to distinct behavioral symptoms of depression. In a study published in Cell, researchers at UC San Diego found brain circuits tied to feelings of despair and helplessness and were able to alleviate and even reverse such symptoms in mice studies.
May 4, 2017
May 4, 2017 —
Scientists have successfully completed the first outdoor field trial sanctioned by the EPA for genetically engineered algae. Algae tested under real-world conditions in outdoor ponds demonstrated that genetically engineered strains can be successfully cultivated outdoors without adversely impacting native algae populations.
April 26, 2017
April 26, 2017 —
Biologists at UC San Diego have provided the first evidence that a widely used pesticide can significantly impair the ability of otherwise healthy honey bees to fly. The study, which employed a specially constructed bee “flight mill,” raises concerns about how pesticides affect the honey bees’ capacity to pollinate and long-term effects on the health of honey bee colonies.
April 6, 2017
April 6, 2017 —
Biologists at UC San Diego have discovered that communities of bacteria have been employing a social timesharing strategy for millions of years. The team found that bacteria faced with limited nutrients will enter an elegant timesharing strategy--a concept used in computer science, vacation homes and social applications--in which communities alternate feeding periods to maximize efficiency in consumption.
November 21, 2016
November 21, 2016 —
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has awarded the distinction of fellow to 391 members, including five from the University of California San Diego. The new UC San Diego fellows, who will be recognized on Feb. 18 during the 2017 AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston, are Richard Carson, Konstantine Georgakakos, David Gough, Larry Smarr, and Lynne Talley.
November 10, 2016
November 10, 2016 —
Peter and Rosemary Grant of Princeton University will discuss discoveries related to Galapagos finches—birds made famous by Charles Darwin—at the 2016 Rosenblatt Lectureship in Evolutionary Biology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. The free lecture is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Nov. 21, 2016, at the Robert Paine Scripps Forum for Science, Society and the Environment (Scripps Seaside Forum), 8610 Kennel Way in La Jolla, Calif.
