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

UC San Diego Health Offers Novel Gene Therapy for Bladder Cancer

UC San Diego Health is the first health system in San Diego County to offer novel gene therapy for bladder cancer.

Not So Selfish After All: Viruses Use Freeloading Genes as Weapons

Certain pieces of DNA have been labeled as “selfish genetic elements” due to notions that they don’t contribute to a host organism’s survival. Instead, researchers have now discovered that these elements have been weaponized and play a crucial role by cutting off a competitor’s ability to reproduce.

An artist's illustration of bacteriophages.

Under Pressure: How Comb Jellies Have Adapted to Life at the Bottom of the Ocean

UC San Diego Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Itay Budin teamed up with researchers from around the country to study the cell membranes of ctenophores (“comb jellies”) and found they had unique lipid structures that allow them to live under intense pressure.

A collage of different colored and shaped transparent comb jellies against a dark background

Microrobot-packed Pill Shows Promise for Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Mice

Engineers have developed a pill that releases microscopic robots, or microrobots, into the colon to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The experimental treatment, given orally, has shown success in mice. It significantly reduced IBD symptoms and promoted the healing of damaged colon tissue without causing toxic side effects.

Green and red blob against a gray background.

How Your Sleep Patterns Change Can Tell You About Your Health

Your sleep tracker might give you information about more than just your sleep–specifically, it might give you information about chronic conditions such as diabetes and sleep apnea, and illnesses such as COVID-19.

Study Uses Powerful New ‘Digital Cohort’ Method to Understand Vaping Epidemic

Using the first major innovation for cohort studies in decades, a new paper from UC San Diego leverages social media to understand vaping behavior and opens up an entirely new way to conduct population health research.