News Archive - Scott LaFee

In Mice, Alcohol Dependence Results in Brain-Wide Remodeling of Functional Architecture

Using novel imaging technologies, researchers produce first whole-brain atlas at single-cell resolution, revealing how alcohol addiction and abstinence remodel neural physiology and function in mice.

Objective Subtle Cognitive Difficulties Predict Amyloid Accumulation and Neurodegeneration

Researchers report that accumulating amyloid protein occurred faster among persons deemed to have "objectively-defined subtle cognitive difficulties" (Obj-SCD) than among persons considered to be "cognitively normal," offering a potential new early biomarker for Alzheimer's disease.

Injection of Virus-Delivered Gene Silencer Blocks ALS Degeneration, Saves Motor Function

Novel spinal therapy/delivery approach prevented disease onset in neurodegenerative ALS disease model in adult mice and blocked progression in animals already showing disease symptoms.

Measuring Mutations in Sperm May Reveal Risk for Autism in Future Children

Spontaneous mutations in male sperm are linked to development of autism spectrum disorder. Researchers have created a way to measure mutations and estimate risk of ASD in future children. If developed into a clinical test, the method could be a useful predictive tool in genetic counseling.

Two UC San Diego Researchers Elected AAAS Fellows

Two researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine—Pamela L. Mellon and Aleem Siddiqui—have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest general science organization in the world and publisher of the journal Science.

Vicious Circles: Ring-shaped DNA Provides Cancer Cells with a Malignant Twist

UC San Diego researchers describe how circular extrachromosomal DNA in cancer cells boosts aggressiveness and resistance to therapies.

UC San Diego’s Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research Awards Grants for Five Novel Studies

The Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at University of California San Diego School of Medicine announces $3 million in research grants to explore new applications of cannabis for a number of novel medical applications.

Perturbed Genes Regulating White Blood Cells Linked to Autism Genetics and Severity

Researchers at UC San Diego say they are getting closer to identifying the mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder, revealing a critical gene network that is disrupted and which helps predict severity of symptoms.

How the Eyes Might Be Windows to the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

UC San Diego researchers say that measuring how quickly a person’s pupil dilates while they are taking cognitive tests may be a low-cost, low-invasive method to aid in screening individuals at increased genetic risk for AD before cognitive decline begins.

Multimillion-Dollar Grant Funds New Vaccine Effort to Prevent Strep Throat Infections

CARB-X, an international funder of efforts to fight antimicrobial resistance, is awarding up to $15 million to develop a strep throat vaccine based on original research at UC San Diego.