News Archive - Mario Aguilera

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.

What Happens When We Pass Out? Researchers ID New Brain and Heart Connections

UC San Diego researchers have for the first time identified the genetic pathway between the heart and brain tied to fainting. In a new study published in the journal Nature, they found that vagal sensory neurons trigger fainting, laying a foundation for addressing fainting-related disorders.

How Do We Teach Science? UC San Diego Launches STEM Education Research Program

UC San Diego has launched one of the only programs aimed at training students in the emerging field of STEM research education. The new program gives undergraduate students coveted research experience while also asking them to think critically about how science is taught and to whom.