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News Archive - Biological Sciences

UC San Diego Researchers Join $14.9 Million Fight Against Disease-transmitting Mosquitoes

July 19, 2017

DARPA has selected a team that includes UC San Diego scientists to study an innovative genetic research technique as a way to control disease-causing mosquitoes. The project, which will receive up to $14.9 million, will focus on a technique known as gene drive, which can spread desirable genes in wild populations and suppress harmful organisms.

New Study of Brain Circuits Finds Key Links to Symptoms of Depression

July 17, 2017

Scientists have linked specific wiring in the brain to distinct behavioral symptoms of depression. In a study published in Cell, researchers at UC San Diego found brain circuits tied to feelings of despair and helplessness and were able to alleviate and even reverse such symptoms in mice studies.

Novel Molecular Dynamics Captures Atomic-level Detail of CRISPR-Cas9 Activity

June 28, 2017

Using a novel molecular dynamics method capable of capturing the motion of gyrating proteins at time intervals up to one thousand times greater than previous efforts, a team led by UC San Diego researchers has identified, for the first time, the myriad structural changes that activate and drive CRISPR-Cas9, the innovative gene-splicing technology that’s transforming the field of genetic engineering. SDSC’s ‘Comet’ supercomputer was used to helps break the “millisecond barrier” for complex biological simulations.

UC San Diego Student Areian Eghbali Introduces Underserved Students to STEM Opportunities

June 5, 2017

Areian Eghbali, a junior at the University of California San Diego, has developed an outreach program to introduce local underserved high school students to learning and career paths in STEM. To help fund the project, he has been named a 2017 recipient of the Donald A. Strauss Public Service Scholarship, a $10,000 award to launch his program.

UC San Diego VC Partner Osage Invests in Antiva

May 18, 2017

Antiva Biosciences, a spinout of UC San Diego, closed a $22M Series C financing in March. Antiva is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, localized therapeutics for the treatment of diseases caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection. Osage University Partners, a venture capital firm partnered with UC San Diego that invests exclusively in startups that are commercializing university research, invested in this round.

Scientists Complete First EPA-Approved Outdoor Field Trial for Genetically Engineered Algae

May 4, 2017

Scientists have successfully completed the first outdoor field trial sanctioned by the EPA for genetically engineered algae. Algae tested under real-world conditions in outdoor ponds demonstrated that genetically engineered strains can be successfully cultivated outdoors without adversely impacting native algae populations.

SDSC to Double ‘Comet’ Supercomputer’s Graphic Processor Count

May 2, 2017

The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego has been granted a supplemental award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to double the number of graphic processing units, or GPUs, on its petascale-level Comet supercomputer in direct response to growing demand for GPU computing across a wide range of research domains.

An Evening with Serial Entrepreneur and Innovator Tina Nova

May 1, 2017

The next installment of the UC San Diego series, Evening with an Entrepreneur, will feature scientist, inventor, serial entrepreneur, innovator, and long-time UC San Diego supporter, Dr. Tina Nova. Nova will sit down with Biocom’s Joe Panetta for an interview to discuss her unique entrepreneurial background and success in molecular diagnostics.

Campuswide Proof-of-Concept Awards Move Innovations to Market

April 26, 2017

UC San Diego announced its first eight proof-of-concept awards to advance university inventions to commercial impact. Funded through the new “Accelerating Innovations to Market (AIM)” program, these milestone-driven projects are designed to de-risk early-stage technologies.

Common Pesticide Damages Honey Bee’s Ability to Fly

April 26, 2017

Biologists at UC San Diego have provided the first evidence that a widely used pesticide can significantly impair the ability of otherwise healthy honey bees to fly. The study, which employed a specially constructed bee “flight mill,” raises concerns about how pesticides affect the honey bees’ capacity to pollinate and long-term effects on the health of honey bee colonies.
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