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News Archive - School of Medicine

Two UC San Diego Scientists Honored for Schizophrenia Research

October 7, 2014

Two professors of psychiatry at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have been honored by the New York City-based Brain & Behavior Research Foundation for their work studying the genetics, dysfunction and treatment of schizophrenia, a chronic and severe brain disorder affecting roughly 1 percent of the general population or approximately 3 million people.

New At-Risk Group Identified for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

October 7, 2014

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have, for the first time, clearly defined the epidemiology of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), which occur primarily in the lining of the stomach and small intestine. One key finding: Patients of Asian descent, who have not previously been identified as an at-risk population, are 1.5 times more likely than other patient groups to be diagnosed with this type of tumor.

Live and Let-7: MicroRNA Plays Surprising Role in Cell Survival

October 7, 2014

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a microRNA molecule as a surprisingly crucial player in managing cell survival and growth. The findings underscore the emerging recognition that non-coding RNAs help regulate basic cellular processes and may be key to developing new drugs and therapies.

Scientists Discover Pain Receptor on T-Cells

October 5, 2014

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that T-cells – a type of white blood cell that learns to recognize and attack microbial pathogens – are activated by a pain receptor.

Diabetes in a Dish

October 1, 2014

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine are co-recipients of a $4.1-million grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance treatments for type 1 diabetes. Using human stem cells, the team plans to culture bits of human pancreas in a dish and, using microfluidics, mimic blood flow through the islet.

Health Care and Construction Workers Create Pink Ribbon For Breast Cancer Awareness

September 30, 2014

More than 600 health care and construction workers donned pink hard hats while forming a giant human ribbon at the UC San Diego Jacobs Medical Center construction site today in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Phase III Clinical Trial to Evaluate Calcium Channel Blocker for Parkinson’s

September 30, 2014

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have launched a Phase III clinical trial to evaluate the drug isradipine, a calcium channel blocker often used to treat high blood pressure, as a potential new treatment for Parkinson disease. The goal of the study is to determine whether the drug can slow the progression of the disease by keeping the brain’s dopamine-producing cells healthier for a longer period of time.

Four UC San Diego Teams Win NIH Grants from Obama’s BRAIN Initiative

September 30, 2014

Four teams of scientists at UC San Diego will receive research grants from the National Institutes of Health that will help lay the groundwork for visualizing the circuits of the brain and how they work, the agency announced at a White House ceremony today.

A “Frenemy” in Parkinson’s Disease Takes to Crowdsourcing

September 29, 2014

Researchers have found that a key neuronal protein called alpha-synuclein normally gathers in synapses, where aggregates of it help regulate neurotransmissions. In overabundance, though, a-synuclein can choke off communication altogether, leading to neuronal death and related diseases.

Disease Without Borders

September 26, 2014

In a paper published this week online in Global Society, researchers with University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Urban Studies and Planning Program, also at UC San Diego, present a bioregional guide that merges place-based (territorial) city planning and ecosystem management along the United States-Mexico border as way to improve human and environmental health.
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