May 4, 2020
May 4, 2020 —
Comparing the brains of mice that exercised with those that did not, UC San Diego researchers found that specific neurons switched their chemical signals, called neurotransmitters, following exercise, leading to improved learning for motor-skill acquisition.
April 27, 2020
April 27, 2020 —
Biologists studying bacterial communities have discovered that these simple organisms feature a robust memory capacity. Using light, they were able to encode memory patterns and visualize cells with memory. The discovery reveals parallels between low-level organisms and sophisticated neurons.
April 8, 2020
April 8, 2020 —
Scientists studying bacteria have identified the roots of a behavior that is regulated by the circadian clock. The research provides a striking example of the importance of keeping the internal biological clock aligned with the external environment so that processes occur at the right time of day.
February 12, 2020
February 12, 2020 —
Six UC San Diego researchers have been named to receive prestigious 2020 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowships. Considered among the most promising researchers working today, the new UC San Diego Sloan fellows are part of a cohort of 126 early career scientists selected in the U.S. and Canada.
February 5, 2020
February 5, 2020 —
Clostridium difficile, a bacterium known to cause symptoms from diarrhea to life-threatening colon damage, is part of a growing epidemic for the elderly and hospitalized patients. Biologists have now developed models of the common fruit fly to help develop novel therapies to fight the pathogen.
February 4, 2020
February 4, 2020 —
An advanced imaging technology developed at UC San Diego is allowing scientists unprecedented access into brain activities during intricate behaviors. The “Flyception2” has produced the first-ever picture of what happens in the brain during mating in any organism.
January 27, 2020
January 27, 2020 —
UC San Diego scientists have completed the first study in humans demonstrating that a common algae improves gastrointestinal issues related to irritable bowel syndrome. The green, single-celled organism called Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was found to help with diarrhea, gas and bloating.
January 23, 2020
January 23, 2020 —
Four hours east of Medellín in northern Colombia’s Puerto Triunfo municipality, the sprawling hacienda constructed by infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar of “Narcos” fame has become a tourist attraction. When Escobar’s empire crashed, the exotic animals housed at his family’s zoo, including rhinos, giraffes and zebras, were safely relocated to new homes… except for the hippopotamuses.
January 16, 2020
January 16, 2020 —
An international team of scientists has synthetically engineered mosquitoes that halt the transmission of the dengue virus. The development marks the first engineered approach in mosquitoes that targets the four known types of dengue, improving upon previous designs that addressed single strains.
December 16, 2019
December 16, 2019 —
Scientists have developed a CRISPR-based gene-drive system that inactivates a gene rendering bacteria antibiotic-resistant. The new system leverages technology developed by UC San Diego biologists in insects and mammals that biases genetic inheritance of preferred traits called “active genetics.”
