Health & Behavior

Research

The Latest

What Molecules You Leave on Your Phone Reveal About Your Lifestyle

By sampling the molecules on cell phones, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences were able to construct lifestyle sketches for each phone’s owner, including diet, preferred hygiene products, health status and locations visited. This proof-of-concept study could have a number of applications, including criminal profiling, airport screening, medication adherence monitoring, clinical trial participant stratification and environmental exposure studies.

Problem-Solving Students at UC San Diego: Win Big Money for Your Invention

Do you have an idea for a better mousetrap, or an app that will change the internet? Student inventors and problem solvers at UC San Diego are invited to apply for a chance to win up to $2,000 to use for building their inventions, mentoring, and resources.

Blood Test May Help Identify Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine and the Omni-Net Birth Defects Prevention Program in Ukraine have identified a blood test that may help predict how severely a baby will be affected by alcohol exposure during pregnancy.

Researchers Receive $2.4 Million from Gates Foundation for Infant Vaccination Identification

The project, which previously received $500,000 from the Gates Foundation, is expected to make children’s vaccinations more efficient and more effective by removing reliance on manual identification and recordkeeping.

Andeans with Altitude Sickness Produce Massive Amounts of Red Blood Cells

To better understand why some people adapt well to life at high altitude while others don’t, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine studied red blood cells derived from representatives of both groups living in the Andes Mountains. The study reveals that high-altitude, low-oxygen dwellers prone to chronic mountain sickness produce massive amounts of red blood cells thanks to overproduction of the enzyme SENP1.

Insulin Resistance Reversed by Removal of Protein

By removing the protein galectin-3 (Gal3), a team of investigators led by University of California School of Medicine researchers were able to reverse diabetic insulin resistance and glucose intolerance in mouse models of obesity and diabetes.