July 21, 2023
July 21, 2023 —
Researchers have created a resource for analyzing how viruses infect human cells. The fruit fly-based toolkit provides a shortcut for assessing SARS-CoV-2 genes and understanding how they interact with human proteins, offering researchers a resource for new COVID-related drug therapies.
July 5, 2023
July 5, 2023 —
Using CRISPR technology, UC San Diego scientists have engineered a new way to genetically suppress populations of Anopheles gambiae, the mosquitoes that primarily spread malaria in Africa and contribute to economic poverty in affected regions.
June 28, 2023
June 28, 2023 —
In a first-of-its-kind comparison, UC San Diego scientists have shown that pollination by honey bees, which are not native to the Americas, produces offspring of considerably inferior quality (lower fitness) than offspring resulting from native pollinators.
June 8, 2023
June 8, 2023 —
Biologists have identified a previously unknown way that our immune system detects viruses. The immune protein CARD8 acts as a trip wire to detect a range of viruses, including the virus that causes COVID. They also found that CARD8 functions differently among species and varies between humans.
May 24, 2023
May 24, 2023 —
Applying imaging technology to plant roots, researchers have developed a new understanding of chemicals that are responsible for plant growth. The chemical “roadmap” identifies where key molecules are distributed along corn roots and how their placement factors into the plant’s maturation.
May 23, 2023
May 23, 2023 —
A $2.5 million initiative supported by philanthropists Irwin and Joan Jacobs has created the Stuart and Barbara L. Brody Endowed Chair in Circadian Biology and Medicine, along with a supporting research fund, to target largely unexplored areas related to circadian biology and patient health.
May 18, 2023
May 18, 2023 —
Biologists have used machine learning, a type of AI, to identify “synthetic extreme” DNA sequences with specifically designed functions in gene activation. They tested 50 million DNA sequences and found synthetic DNA sequences with activities that could be useful in biotechnology and medicine.
May 9, 2023
May 9, 2023 —
Assistant Professor Sonya Neal has been named by HHMI as an inaugural Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. She joins an initial cohort of outstanding early career faculty in science who have potential to become leaders in their research fields and to create diverse and inclusive lab environments.
May 1, 2023
May 1, 2023 —
Biological sciences professor Nick Spitzer reflects on 50 years of teaching, and an innovation award is launched in his name to support original scientific research by undergraduate students.
April 27, 2023
April 27, 2023 —
Researchers have developed a biosynthetic “clock” that keeps cells from reaching normal levels of deterioration related to aging. They engineered a gene oscillator that switches between the two normal paths of aging, slowing cell degeneration and setting a record for life extension.