School of Medicine

The Latest

Corrected Protein Structure Reveals Drug Targets for Cancer, Neurodegenerative Diseases

Protein Kinase C is a family of enzymes that controls the activity of other proteins in a cell by attaching chemical tags. That simple act helps determine cell survival or death. When it goes awry, a number of diseases may result. In a study, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine reveal a more accurate structure of PKC, providing new targets for fine-tuning the enzyme’s activity as needed to improve human health.

Newly Discovered Cells Regenerate Liver Tissue Without Forming Tumors

The mechanisms that allow the liver to repair and regenerate itself have long been a matter of debate. Now researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered a population of liver cells that are better at regenerating liver tissue than ordinary liver cells, or hepatocytes. The study is the first to identify these so-called “hybrid hepatocytes,” and show that they are able to regenerate liver tissue without giving rise to cancer.

Novel Therapeutic Agent for Pediatric Cancer Developed at UC San Diego in Clinical Trials

Donald L. Durden, MD, PhD, pediatric researcher at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center has identified and developed a novel therapeutic target for neuroblastoma, the second most common solid-tumor childhood cancer. The agent, named SF1126, acts by inhibiting the part of the cancer cell engine that promotes tumor angiogenesis and growth.

Radiation Costs Vary Among Medicare Patients with Cancer

Cost of radiation therapy among Medicare patients varied most widely because of factors unrelated to a patient or that person’s cancer, report University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers in the Journal of Oncology Practice.

UC San Diego Undergraduate Awarded National Barry Goldwater Scholarship

University of California, San Diego undergraduate Angela Zou has been awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most competitive and prestigious awards in the nation. From a field of 1,206 applicants, Zou was one of 260 students to receive the scholarship, and the only recipient from UC San Diego.

RIFFA Framework Seamlessly Connects Computer Processors with FPGAs

Students at the University of California, San Diego have created RIFFA, a simple framework for communicating data from a computer processor to a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The open-source technology, which can be used with any FPGA vendor on Windows or Linux, could lead to faster design times and higher profit margins for a wide range of industries.