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News Archive - Biological Sciences

Six UC San Diego Professors Named 2017 AAAS Fellows

November 20, 2017

UC San Diego professors Michael Burkart, Catherine Constable, Richard Gallo, William Gerwick, Miroslav Krstic and Lorraine Pillus have been awarded the distinction of fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest general science organization in the United States and publisher of the journal Science.

A New Strategy for Prevention of Liver Cancer Development

November 14, 2017

Primary liver cancer is now the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and its incidences and mortality are increasing rapidly in the United Stated. In late stages of the malignancy, there are no effective treatments or drugs. However, an unexpected finding made by a team of University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers sheds light on the development of a new strategy for prevention of liver cancer.

Researchers Discover New Pathway for Handling Stress

November 6, 2017

Researchers at the University of California San Diego studying how animals respond to infections have found a new pathway that may help in tolerating stressors that damage proteins. Naming the pathway the Intracellular Pathogen Response, or “IPR,” the scientists say it is a newly discovered way for animals to cope with certain types of stress and attacks, including heat shock.

UC San Diego Researchers Solve Mystery of Oxygenation Connections in the Brain

October 26, 2017

Scientists have known that areas of the brain with similar functions—even those in different brain hemispheres—connect to share signals when the body rests, but they haven’t known how this “resting-state connectivity” occurs. Now, scientists in the Neurophysics Laboratory at the University of California San Diego may have the answer.

U.S. News and World Report Names UC San Diego the Globe’s 16th Best University

October 24, 2017

The University of California San Diego has been named the globe’s 16th best university by U.S. News and World Report. The campus was also recognized as the nation’s 5th best public university in the fourth annual rankings, which measure factors such as research, global and regional reputation; international collaboration; as well as the number of highly-cited papers and doctorates awarded.

Mutant Gene Found to Fuel Cancer-Promoting Effects of Inflammation

October 23, 2017

A study by UC San Diego biologists uncovered a new mechanism linking a human gene’s function to chronic inflammation and cancer. Through large-scale genomic analyses, they discovered that “mutant p53” amplifies the impact of inflammation, leading to increases in cancer. Thus, rather than fighting tumor growth, mutant forms of p53 appear to be tapping into the body’s immune response system to fuel pro-inflammatory responses that increase cancer growth.

Germs Are Your Friends, Top UC San Diego Scientist Shares the Dirt

October 17, 2017

A noted scholar and a world-leader in microbiome research, Rob Knight, Ph.D. will take guests inside the human body and share the dirt on the microbiome, the focus of his new book, published in June 2017. On Tuesday, October 24, Knight will discuss Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child’s Developing Immune System, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in Geisel Library’s Seuss Room. The UC San Diego Library talk is free to attend and open to the public. A reception and a book signing with Dr. Knight will follow. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event from the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Pair of Discoveries Illuminate New Paths to Flu and Anthrax Treatments

October 17, 2017

Two recent studies led by UC San Diego biologists have set the research groundwork for new avenues to treat influenza and anthrax poisoning. Published in PLOS Pathogens, the studies from Professor Ethan Bier’s laboratory used a series of experiments to identify key pathways and mechanisms previously unknown or overlooked in the body’s defenses, and possible treatments already developed.

Luring Hornets: Scientists Unlock Sex Pheromone of Notorious Honey Bee Predator

October 13, 2017

Biologists have developed a solution for controlling the invasive Asian hornet Vespa velutina based on the insect’s natural chemical mating instincts. They deciphered the Asian hornet’s sex pheromone and devised a method of luring males into traps baited with synthesized versions of the pheromones. Vespa velutina has recently spread its presence with invasions in Europe and Korea, posing risks to honey bees, humans and related economics.

Exploring Evolutionary Relationships through CIPRES

October 9, 2017

CIPRES, for CyberInfrastructure for Phylogenetic RESearch, is a web-based portal or “gateway” launched by the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego that allows researchers to explore evolutionary connections among species. Over 20,000 users from 86 countries have run one or more jobs using CIPRES, generating about 3,500 peer-reviewed publications in journals.
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