Health Innovation

The latest news in Health Innovation research at UC San Diego. For more information about Health Innovation at UC San Diego, visit the Health Innovation webpage.

The Latest

Blood Pressure Readings at Your Fingertips

New method takes blood pressure readings using only a smartphone.

A close-up of a phone with one finger over the front-facing camera; another finger is pushing down on the first finger.

Itay Budin and Christopher Obara Named Allen Distinguished Investigators

UC San Diego Assistant Professors Itay Budin and Christopher Obara have been named Allen Distinguished Investigators by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. The pair will receive $1.5 million over three years to develop visualization and tracking techniques to observe key cellular functions in unprecedented detail.

Uncovering Clues to a Natural Gene-Editing Technique

Diversity-generating retroelements are found in the genomes of microorganisms across the globe — from the arctic permafrost to Yellowstone’s hot springs and the human gut. DGRs are able to accelerate the evolution of proteins to help microorganisms adapt to changing environments. Using cryogenic electron microscopy, Partho Ghosh’s lab at UC San Diego has figured out the first steps of this accelerated evolution by visualizing the relevant proteins and RNA.

Visualizing a Key Step in How an NRPS Enzyme Produces an Antibiotic

Nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) enzymes are essential in creating important medications, such as penicillin and cyclosporine. Because of their large size, complex design and changing shapes, NRPS enzymes are difficult to study. In recent years, the lab of UC San Diego Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Michael Burkart has developed crosslinking tools to trap the enzyme at specific steps, freezing them in place, making them easier to visualize.

Scientists Unveil Surprising Human vs Mouse Differences in a Major Cancer Immunotherapy Target

Much of our knowledge of the protein PD-1, a leading cancer treatment target, comes from studies in mice. In a comprehensive assessment of PD-1, researchers have found that PD-1 in mice is significantly weaker than the human version, providing new information on how cancer treatments are developed.

Kimberly Cooper and Elizabeth Villa Named Pew Innovation Fund Investigators

UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences Professors Kimberly Cooper and Elizabeth Villa have been selected by the Pew Charitable Trusts as members of its 2024 class of Innovation Fund Investigators.