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Smoking Cessation Drug Not Boosting Number of Smokers Who Quit

The introduction of a new prescription smoking-cessation aid, varenicline, in 2006 has had no significant impact on the rate at which Americans age 18 and older successfully quit smoking, according to a study led by researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. The findings, published online August 17 in Tobacco Control, suggest that the primary effect of varenicline has been to displace the use of older tobacco addiction therapies, such as nicotine patches and the antidepressant, bupropion.

Bioinformatics Pioneers Launch First Online Bioinformatics Specialization on Coursera

CSE professor Pavel Pevzner and recent postdoc Phillip Campeau are launching a six-part series of courses as a Specialization mini-degree on Coursera teaching bioinformatics, culminating in a Capstone Project that will prepare students to solve real-world research challenges.

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.

SDSC Researcher Awarded $1.4 Million NIH Structural Bioinformatics Grant

A bioinformatics researcher at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego, has been awarded a three-year National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant worth almost $1.4 million to make biological structures more widely available to scientists, educators, and students.

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Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute Opens First Satellite Clinic in Linda Vista

Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute Opens First Satellite Clinic in Linda Vista
Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute Opens First Satellite Clinic in Linda Vista
UC San Diego Unites to Support Life-Saving Research

UC San Diego Unites to Support Life-Saving Research
UC San Diego Unites to Support Life-Saving Research
Slideshow: Hajam, Liu, Tsai in the Liu Labm Israni Biomedical Research Facility

Researchers Investigate How Staphylococcus Aureus Resists Vaccines
Slideshow: Hajam, Liu, Tsai in the Liu Labm Israni Biomedical Research Facility

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