News Archive - Jacobs School of Engineering

New Wearable Ring Tracks Glucose, Ketone and Other Biomarkers in Sweat Simultaneously

Engineers created a smart ring that simultaneously and continuously monitors up to four different chemical biomarkers — a combination of glucose, ketones, vitamin C, uric acid, lactate or alcohol — from finger sweat. The technology could aid in diabetes management, nutrition tracking and more.

Bioengineering Alumnus Launches Venture Capital Fund Focused on San Diego MedTech Startups

Alumnus Garrett Smith is bringing these decades of experience across the innovation ecosystem back to San Diego, as founding managing partner of recently launched ReefHaven Ventures. The San Diego-focused venture capital fund is dedicated to early-stage medical technology startups.

Drug Candidate Could Help L-Dopa Work Better for Patients with Parkinson’s

For Parkinson's patients, the drug that restores movement can stop working reliably and cause involuntary movements of its own. A new candidate from UC San Diego-born biotech Sinopia Biosciences may fix both — boosting L-dopa's benefits while easing dyskinesia.

New XPS Instrument at UC San Diego Gives Researchers a Closer Look at Material Surfaces

A new XPS machine at the UC San Diego Qualcomm Institute is helping researchers advance work in battery technology, surface coatings and medical devices.

Open-Access Genetic Map Provides Reference for What Almost Every Stem Cell Gene Does

Bioengineers have developed a genome-scale reference map that details how individual genes control the functions and identities of human stem cells. This open-access resource could help researchers build virtual cell models for complex diseases and design patient-specific treatments for them.

Immune Cells Get Transformed into Fungus-Fighting Nanoparticles

Tiny particles made from the membranes of human immune cells could offer a promising new way to fight fungal infections that are becoming harder to treat. The antifungal nanoparticles target Candida albicans, a fungus responsible for oral and vaginal yeast infections and bloodstream infections.

Faculty Symposium Highlights AI’s Strengths in Higher Ed Teaching

At the Faculty AI Symposium in late May 2026, Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla highlighted the power of UC San Diego’s faculty and the cutting-edge solutions they have built to integrate AI tools into their teaching and expand student learning rather than limit it.