Health Sciences News

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

The Latest

New Online Tool Detects Drug Exposure Directly from Patient Samples

A new online library analyzes biological samples from patients to directly detect what drugs they have been exposed to beyond what is listed in their medical record.

Two female researchers in white lab coats analyzing samples with a mass spectrometer

Old Molecules Show Promise for Fighting Resistant Strains of COVID-19 Virus

Previously-discovered compounds to fight Chagas disease could get now life in the fight against strains of the COVID-19 virus that have become less responsive to treatment.

A graphic image of a cell infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles

UC San Diego Researchers Uncover the Earliest Stages of Human Placenta Formation

A gene that turns on very early in embryonic development could be key to the formation of the placenta, which provides the developing fetus with all of the nutrients it needs to thrive during gestation.

African American mother laying on couch with daughter smiling and placing hand over mother's stomach.

5 Ways UC San Diego Is Transforming Alzheimer’s Research and Care

UC San Diego’s Alzheimer’s program integrates early detection, breakthrough therapies, long‑term studies, a one‑stop multidisciplinary clinic, and a workforce‑training pipeline, advancing research, care, and community outreach to confront the growing dementia crisis.

Three images overlay in front of Alzheimer molecule.

Genetic Study Links Impulsive Decision Making to a Wide Range of Health and Psychiatric Risks

University of California San Diego has identified 11 genetic regions linked to delay discounting — the tendency to prefer smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed ones — shedding new light on how impulsive decision-making relates to both mental and physical health.

Woman in white lab coat on the computer viewing DNA strands

UC San Diego Researchers Develop New Tool to Predict How Bacteria Influence Health

UC San Diego researchers have developed a new computational tool to predict how bacteria influence health by creating fast and powerful models of complex genetic and metabolic interactions. The tool could pave the way to personalized therapies for diseases that affect the microbiome.