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News Archive - Biological Sciences

AI Accelerates the Search for New Tuberculosis Drug Targets

As one of the largest tuberculosis outbreaks in the U.S. unfolds in Kansas, UC San Diego researchers and their colleagues have published research describing the use of artificial intelligence tools to screen for new antimicrobial candidates to treat the disease.

New Insights on the Dynamics of Harmful Algal Blooms under Climate Warming

In freshwater environments, toxic harmful algal blooms threaten drinking water and wildlife. While most efforts on mitigating such events focus on reducing nutrients, researchers have found that there’s more to the story, especially when considering climate warming that could amplify such events.

Effects of Declining Diversity Documented in the World of Microbes

Scientists in UC San Diego’s School of Biological Sciences recently investigated how declining biodiversity in tiny ecological systems unseen to the naked eye can carry significant consequences for the health of organisms and ecosystems.

New Research Reveals How Location Influences How Our Immune System Fights Disease

A new study led by a team of scientists reveals how cells known as tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells play unique and specialized roles based on where they are located. The discovery sheds light on how such cells adapt to their location and could lead to improved immunotherapy and vaccines.

Epilepsy Patient Samples Offer Unprecedented Insights on Brain ‘Brakes’ Linked to Disorders

Specific protein receptors in the brain play a vital role in how neurons slow down or stop firing, making them targets for many disorders. Researchers have now constructed a detailed structural map of these receptors in the human brain, revealing how they assemble and how drugs bind to them.

Five UC San Diego Researchers Receive Presidential Early Career Awards

President Joseph R. Biden announced this week the recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), including five faculty members from the University of California San Diego. The PECASE is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government to scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers.

Scientists Unveil Surprising Human vs Mouse Differences in a Major Cancer Immunotherapy Target

Much of our knowledge of the protein PD-1, a leading cancer treatment target, comes from studies in mice. In a comprehensive assessment of PD-1, researchers have found that PD-1 in mice is significantly weaker than the human version, providing new information on how cancer treatments are developed.

Enzyme Promoting Tumor Growth and Spread in Pancreatic Cancer Identified

An enzyme called MICAL2 promotes tumor growth and metastasis in the most common form of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study by UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers.

Staphylococcus Aureus Thwarts Vaccines by Turning on a Protein That Halts Immune Response

After dozens of clinical trials, there are still no effective vaccines against Staphylococcus aureus. In two new studies, scientists report that the pathogen turns on the protein interleukin 10, shutting down the protective vaccine response. But blocking the protein restores vaccine efficacy in an animal model.

Kimberly Cooper and Elizabeth Villa Named Pew Innovation Fund Investigators

UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences Professors Kimberly Cooper and Elizabeth Villa have been selected by the Pew Charitable Trusts as members of its 2024 class of Innovation Fund Investigators.

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