Health & Behavior

Research

The Latest

Programming probiotics for early detection of liver cancer

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have described a new method for detecting liver cancer metastases in mice. The approach uses over-the-counter probiotics genetically programmed to produce signals easily detectable in urine when liver cancer metastases are present. The results of the new study, published in the May 27 issue of Science Translational Medicine, indicate that genetically-programmed probiotics may be useful for detecting liver cancer metastases early-on in the progression of the disease.

Staring Pain in the Face – Software “Reads” Kids’ Expressions to Measure Pain Levels

Accurately assessing pain in children in a clinical setting can be difficult. A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has demonstrated the validity of a new method for measuring pediatric pain levels using novel facial pattern recognition software.

UC San Diego Health System Named Center of Excellence for Huntington’s Disease

The Huntington's Disease Clinical Research Center (HDCRC) at UC San Diego Health System has been designated a Center of Excellence by the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA). UC San Diego was one of only 29 centers nationwide to receive this prestigious designation, which recognizes centers for their elite multidisciplinary approach to Huntington's disease care and research.

Ovarian Cancer-Specific Markers Set the Stage for Early Diagnosis, Personalized Treatments

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center have now identified six mRNA isoforms (bits of genetic material) produced by ovarian cancer cells but not normal cells, opening up the possibility that they could be used to diagnose early-stage ovarian cancer. What’s more, several of the mRNA isoforms code for unique proteins that could be targeted with new therapeutics.

Human Stem Cell Model Reveals Molecular Cues Critical to Neurovascular Unit Formation

Using human embryonic stem cells, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute created a model that allows them to track cellular behavior during the earliest stages of human development in real-time. The model reveals, for the first time, how autonomic neurons and blood vessels come together to form the neurovascular unit.

UC San Diego Health System Names Jacobs Medical Center Pavilion in Honor of Evelyn and Ernest Rady

“My father was an OB/GYN,” said Ernest Rady, one of San Diego’s most prominent philanthropists and business leaders. “When a woman would come in and say, ‘Thank you doctor, you saved my life,’ my father said it was like making a million dollars. He instilled in me the thought that helping others is fruitful.”