Health Sciences News

UC San Diego Health Sciences schools, institutes and centers are at the forefront of discovery and transformation.

The Latest

Young Adults Drive Historic Decline in Smoking

Cigarette smoking continues to decline across the United States, largely driven by young adults.

New UC San Diego Bachelor of Science Program Proposed in South County

If funded by the State of California, a collaborative public health degree with Southwestern College would make higher education more accessible in the South Bay.

Even Light Exercise Could Help Slow Cognitive Decline in People at Risk of Alzheimer’s

In a landmark clinical trial, coordinated by the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study at UC San Diego, people at risk for Alzheimer's who exercised at low or moderate-high intensity showed less cognitive decline when compared to those receiving usual care.

Childhood Exposure to Bacterial Toxin May Be Triggering Colorectal Cancer Epidemic Among the Young

Researchers have identified a potential culprit behind the alarming rise in early-onset colorectal cancer: a bacterial toxin called colibactin. Exposure to colibactin in early childhood imprints distinct patterns of DNA mutations that were significantly more common in early-onset cases.

Illustration of a colon and intestines, with a part highlighted in red.

6 Ways UC San Diego Research is Future-Proofing the Planet

Our planet is under growing pressure—whether it’s the safety of the food we eat, the quality of the air we breathe or the stability of the systems we rely on—and UC San Diego researchers are stepping up with science-driven solutions.

Amina Schartup holds a vial while standing in front of a mass spectrometer

Key Enzyme in Lipid Metabolism Linked to Immune System Aging

New research suggests that decreased activity of ELOVL2, a key enzyme in lipid metabolism, speeds up white blood cell aging and changes genes associated with the onset of blood cancers.