News Archive - Biological Sciences

Innovative Bioelectronic Device Offers New Hope in the Fight Against Bacterial Infections

Researchers have developed a bioelectronic device that taps into the natural electrical activity of certain bacteria found on our skin, paving the way for a drug-free approach to managing infections. The advancement reduces the harmful effects of a bacterium known for antibiotic resistance.

Neurobiologist Yishi Jin Elected to the National Academy of Medicine

Biological Sciences Professor Yishi Jin, who investigates the roots of the nervous system, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in health and medicine.

UC San Diego Receives National Designation as a Bee Campus

There’s a big buzz on campus: UC San Diego has been named a Bee Campus USA member, part of a national program created to support all types of pollinators, including birds, bats, bees and multiple insect pollinators, such as butterflies and moths.

As Temperatures Rise, Researchers Identify Mechanisms Behind Plant Response to Warming

Plants widen microscopic pores on their leaves in response to heat. But scientists lacked an understanding of the mechanisms behind this “sweating” function. Now, biologists have unlocked the details behind these processes and identified two paths that plants use to handle rising temperatures.

Cognitive Deficits from Meth and PCP Use Are Generated By a Common Neurotransmitter Switch

The effects of sustained drug abuse can manifest in many ways. Loss of memory and reduced cognitive functions are some of the effects that can persist for years. Scientists in Neurobiology have now identified a mechanism in the brain that generates drug-induced cognitive impairments.

$21 Million from NIH to Study Sensory Input and Resulting Movement

University of California San Diego Distinguished Professor of Physics and Neurobiology David Kleinfeld is a leading expert in sensory processing and mouth-face-head movements. Through a highly competitive process, a new $21 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will allow him and a team of researchers to continue studying the coordination of multiple sensory inputs and head movements using laboratory mice and rats.

Chancellor’s Interdisciplinary Team Catalyst Fund Announces Five Inaugural Awardees

UC San Diego announced recipients of its inaugural Chancellor’s Interdisciplinary Team Catalyst Fund, recognizing five groundbreaking research teams for their exceptional projects.

Unique Technology Hub Set to Revolutionize Science, Education and Innovation

UC San Diego and its partners officially opened the Goeddel Family Technology Sandbox, a hub that brings together cutting-edge instruments for science and education. The facility is one of the world’s most pioneering centers for technology across the biological, physical and health sciences.

UC San Diego Receives $10 Million for Center on Neurobiology in Changing Environments

The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group has selected UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography to receive a four-year, $10 million grant to establish the Allen Discovery Center for Neurobiology in Changing Environments. The center’s goal will be to understand how climate change may impact the nervous systems and behavior of marine animals.

Autism Spectrum Disorders Linked to Neurotransmitter Switching in the Brain

Neurobiologists studying the emergence of autism spectrum disorders have found evidence of altered early development of the nervous system. They linked environmentally induced forms of ASD to changes in neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that allow neurons to communicate with each other.