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News Archive - Biological Sciences

U.S. News Names UC San Diego Graduate Programs Among Top 10 in Nation

March 29, 2022

U.S. News & World Report today released its 2023 Best Graduate Schools rankings, naming graduate programs and professional schools at the University of California San Diego among the best in the country. The rankings placed nine of the campus’s graduate programs among the top 10 in the nation.

Excess Neuropeptides Disrupt Lung Function in Infant Disease and COVID-19

March 17, 2022

UC San Diego study shows neuroendocrine cells in the lungs drive a developmental lung disease, and a similar brain-lung interaction may contribute to COVID-19 symptoms. The findings suggest neuropeptides may be a promising therapeutic target for conditions with excess lung fluid.

Researchers ID Sex Pheromone of Invasive Giant Hornet

March 14, 2022

UC San Diego scientists have developed a method for tracking the invasive Asian giant “murder” hornet’s presence and possibly accelerate its removal. The researchers identified the Asian giant hornet queen’s sex pheromone, an achievement that could be used as bait to trap and track the insects.

Recently Discovered Protein Turbocharges Gene Expression

March 9, 2022

Scientists at UC San Diego and Rutgers University have found intriguing new details about a previously missing critical factor in gene expression. An ancient protein called NDF found in all human tissues enhances gene activation and may be involved in diseases such as cancer.

UC San Diego Receives $12.4M NIH Grant to Map the Human Nervous System

February 23, 2022

The National Institutes of Health have awarded UC San Diego a grant totaling $12.4 million. This will support a new research center dedicated to studying the human brain and central nervous system (CNS), specifically the ways they’re affected by HIV and opioids.

Government Guidelines Across North America, Europe Fail to Protect Lakes from Salt Pollution

February 21, 2022

The salinity of freshwater ecosystems caused by road de-icing salts, agriculture fertilizers, mining operations and climate change is increasing worldwide and current water quality guidelines don’t do enough to address the issue, an international study with UC San Diego scientists has found.

Flies Possess More Sophisticated Cognitive Abilities than Previously Known

February 16, 2022

Common flies feature more advanced cognitive abilities than previously believed. Using a custom-built immersive virtual reality arena, neurogenetics and real-time brain activity imaging, researchers found attention, working memory and conscious awareness-like capabilities in fruit flies.

Hungry for Love: Gut Molecule Discovered that Flips the Feeding-to-Mating Switch

February 9, 2022

Scientists have identified a molecule released from the fruit fly gut after a protein-rich meal that switches their focus from eating to courtship. The discovery of Dh31, a type of chemical messenger, opens the door to unexplored areas of gut-to-brain communication.

A Map for the Sense of Smell

January 28, 2022

Our sensory systems provide us with immediate information about the world around us. Researchers have created the first sensory map for smell. The map details how the fruit fly’s olfactory receptor neurons, the components that sense smell, are organized within the insect’s sensory hairs.

New Tool Assesses Evolutionary Risks of Antibiotics

January 18, 2022

Countering a rising antibiotic resistance crisis, doctors now prescribe combinations of antibiotics. Yet many risks are involved with such multi-drug combinations. Scientists have developed a way to help doctors evaluate outcomes for different drug pairs and boost the odds of successful treatment.
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