Skip to main content

News Archive

News Archive - Research Alerts

How Healthy Stem Cells Turn Into Oral Cancer

UC San Diego researchers have identified the molecular and cellular mechanisms that transform healthy stem cells into oral cancer at the earliest stages of the disease.

Nearly 500 Species of Deep-Sea Dwellers Documented at Costa Rican Methane Seeps

An international team of marine biologists has documented the highest known count of deep-sea species living in methane seeps off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. A new study led by UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography catalogues 488 distinct species found in these deep-sea ecosystems.

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.

Using Infrared Heat Transfer to Modify Chemical Reactions

In a joint experimental-theoretical work, a team of researchers, including theorists from UC San Diego, have shown for the first time that heat transfer in the form of infrared radiation can influence chemical reactions more strongly than traditional convection and conduction methods.

Uncovering Clues to a Natural Gene-Editing Technique

Diversity-generating retroelements are found in the genomes of microorganisms across the globe — from the arctic permafrost to Yellowstone’s hot springs and the human gut. DGRs are able to accelerate the evolution of proteins to help microorganisms adapt to changing environments. Using cryogenic electron microscopy, Partho Ghosh’s lab at UC San Diego has figured out the first steps of this accelerated evolution by visualizing the relevant proteins and RNA.

Ketamine Use on the Rise in U.S. Adults; New Trends Emerge

According to a new study from researchers at UC San Diego, ketamine use has risen significantly since 2015. The results highlight the need for closer monitoring of recreational ketamine use.

Visualizing a Key Step in How an NRPS Enzyme Produces an Antibiotic

Nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) enzymes are essential in creating important medications, such as penicillin and cyclosporine. Because of their large size, complex design and changing shapes, NRPS enzymes are difficult to study. In recent years, the lab of UC San Diego Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Michael Burkart has developed crosslinking tools to trap the enzyme at specific steps, freezing them in place, making them easier to visualize.

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.

New Software Unlocks Secrets of Cell Signaling

SMART, a new software package developed by researchers at UC San Diego, can make studying signaling processes significantly easier. Results could accelerate research in fields across the life sciences, such as systems biology, pharmacology and biomedical engineering.

Evolution of Deep-Sea Anglerfish Illuminated in New Study

A multi-institutional team of biologists has produced new insights into the evolution of anglerfish, deep-sea dwellers known for their extraordinary adaptations.

Search UC San Diego Today