News Archive - Mario Aguilera

How Fear Unfolds inside Our Brains

The stress-induced mechanisms that cause our brain to produce feelings of fear in the absence of threats — such as in PTSD — mostly have been a mystery. Now, neurobiologists have identified the changes in brain biochemistry and mapped the neural circuitry that cause generalized fear experiences.

Biological Sciences Professor Terrence Sejnowski Wins Brain Prize

Terrence Sejnowski has been selected to receive the 2024 Brain Prize, the world’s largest neuroscience prize, for his pioneering work in computational and theoretical neuroscience, contributions to our understanding of the brain and paving the way for the development of brain-inspired AI.

Three Early Career Faculty Members Selected to Receive Sloan Research Fellowships

UC San Diego Assistant Professors Vineet Augustine, Abdoulaye Ndao and Monique Smith have been selected to receive 2024 Sloan Research Fellowships. They are among 126 scientists chosen by the Sloan Foundation to receive one of the most prestigious awards for early career scientists.

Researchers Uncover Mechanisms behind Enigmatic Shapes of Nuclei

White blood cells known as neutrophils feature a nucleus that is structured strikingly different than most nuclei. These unique shapes permit neutrophils to travel all over the body to combat invading pathogens. Scientists have now deciphered the shapeshifting puzzle of the neutrophil nucleus.

Faulty DNA Disposal System Causes Inflammation

Each cell features mtDNA, instructions that mitochondria use to create energy. When mtDNA remains where it belongs, cells remain healthy. But when it goes where it doesn’t belong, mtDNA can initiate an immune response and inflammation. Scientists have discovered the pathways behind this process.

Extra Fingers and Hearts: Pinpointing Changes to Our Genetic Instructions That Disrupt Development

UC San Diego scientists have shown that they can now predict which single-letter changes to the DNA within our genomes will alter genetic instructions and disrupt development, leading to changes such as the growth of extra digits and hearts.

UC San Diego Is Now a Bee Campus. Here’s What that Means…

UC San Diego recently became a Bee Campus USA member, part of a national program created to support pollinating organisms, boost the abundance of native plant species and reduce pesticide use. Professor James Nieh explains what the designation means for UC San Diego and the San Diego region.

Inside the Matrix: Nanoscale Patterns Revealed Within Model Research Organism

Following years of research and the power of a technologically advanced instrument, UC San Diego scientists have detailed the complex nanoscale exoskeleton patterns of the roundworm, a model laboratory organism, revealing clues about how skin layers are bound together.

Wildfires Also Impact Aquatic Ecosystems

Researchers have shown that the effects of wildfires are not limited to terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems are also undergoing rapid changes. The study found that fire debris transforms lakes and other aquatic ecosystems, with implications for fisheries and water quality.

Bacteria-Virus Arms Race Provides Rare Window into Rapid and Complex Evolution

Rather than a slow, gradual process as Darwin envisioned, biologists can now see how evolutionary changes unfold on accelerated timescales. Using an arms race between bacteria and viruses, researchers are documenting complex evolutionary processes in simple laboratory flasks in only three weeks.