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News Archive - School of Medicine

UC San Diego Joins IBM World Community Grid’s Search for Zika Treatment

May 19, 2016

IBM's World Community Grid and scientists from Brazil, the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego, and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School have launched OpenZika, a project to find drug candidates to treat Zika, a fast spreading virus that the World Health Organization has declared a global public health emergency.

Blocking Known Cancer Driver Unexpectedly Reveals a New Tumor-Promoting Pathway

May 17, 2016

While investigating a potential therapeutic target for the ERK1 and 2 pathway, a widely expressed signaling molecule known to drive cancer growth in one third of patients with colorectal cancer, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers found that an alternative pathway immediately emerges when ERK1/2 is halted, thus allowing tumor cell proliferation to continue.

Immunization with Bacteria Promotes Stress Resilience, Coping Behaviors in Mice

May 16, 2016

Injections of the soil bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae promote stress resilience and improve coping behaviors in mice, according to a new study led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and University of Colorado Boulder. The researchers also found that

UC San Diego to Participate in White House’s National Microbiome Initiative

May 13, 2016

On May 13, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced a new National Microbiome Initiative, a coordinated effort to better understand microbiomes and to develop tools to protect and restore healthy microbiome function. OSTP is launching the initiative with a combined federal agency investment of more than $121 million. The University of California San Diego is a key participant in this effort, investing $12 million in its own microbiome research efforts.

Diabetes Drug Found No Better Than Placebo at Treating NAFLD

May 12, 2016

A diabetes medication described in some studies as an effective treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) works no better than a placebo, report researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, after conducting the first randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial of sitagliptin, an oral antihyperglycemic marketed by Merck & Co. under the name Januvia.

Study Arms Sheriff’s Deputies with Nasal Spray for Drug Overdose Victims

May 11, 2016

Drug-related overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States, surpassing motor vehicle accidents at 44,000 fatalities annually. In response, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have partnered with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department to implement and study a program that requires all deputies carry and be trained to use a life-saving drug in the event of a discovered overdose and then refer victims to a treatment center once they are revived.

Modern Family Planning in India

May 11, 2016

Family planning is a major health issue in India, the world’s second most populous country. Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine describe a novel program that involves increased male engagement and gender-equity counseling to measurably improve contraceptive practices and reduced marital sexual violence.

Brazilian Zika Virus Strain Causes Birth Defects in Experimental Models

May 11, 2016

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Brazil and Senegal, have described the first “direct experimental proof” that the Brazilian strain of Zika virus can actually cause severe birth defects. The findings are published in the May 11 online issue of Nature.

Genetic Variants May Put Some Soldiers at Higher Risk of PTSD

May 11, 2016

In a massive analysis of DNA samples from more than 13,000 U.S. soldiers, scientists have identified two statistically significant genetic variants that may be associated with an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an often serious mental illness linked to earlier exposure to a traumatic event, such as combat and an act of violence.

Genetic Variations that Boost PKC Enzyme Contribute to Alzheimer’s Disease

May 10, 2016

In Alzheimer’s disease, plaques of amyloid beta protein accumulate in the brain, damaging connections between neurons. Now, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School have found that the enzyme Protein Kinase C (PKC) alpha is necessary for amyloid beta to damage neuronal connections. They also identified genetic variations that enhance PKC alpha activity in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
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