Health & Behavior

Research

The Latest

Critical Questions

Researchers study human milk, pregnancy and COVID-19. This story appeared in the Fall 2022 issue of UC San Diego Magazine.

Elizabeth Imada donated breast milk to the UC Health Milk Bank during the national baby formula shortage (top); Lars Bode, PhD, studies human milk and its impact on health and development (left) and Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, focuses on the impact of environmental exposures during pregnancy, lactation and child health outcomes (right).

High R&D Isn’t Necessarily Why Drugs Are So Expensive

In the first known study of its type, an international team of researchers evaluated whether high research and development costs explain high drug prices in the United States. They found no such association for 60 new drugs approved from 2009 to 2018.

Mutational Signature Linking Bladder Cancer and Tobacco Smoking Found With New AI Tool

UC San Diego researchers have for the first time discovered a pattern of DNA mutations that links bladder cancer to tobacco smoking. The work could help identify what environmental factors, such as exposure to tobacco smoke and UV radiation, cause cancer in certain patients.

Smoking a cigarette with smoke around and a blurred background.

UC San Diego Health Recognized by Vizient as 2022 Top Performer

UC San Diego Health has been recognized as a top performer in the 2022 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Ranking by Vizient, Inc.

Genetic Variation Explains Racial Disparity in Esophageal Cancer Cases

Researchers at UC San Diego have used artificial intelligence-guided tools to pinpoint both a specific type of immune cell as the driver of esophageal cancer and a specific genetic variation that acts as a protective factor in African Americans.

Tiny Swimming Robots Treat Deadly Pneumonia in Mice

UC San Diego engineers developed microrobots, that can swim around in the lungs, deliver medication and be used to clear up life-threatening cases of bacterial pneumonia. In mice, the microrobots safely eliminated pneumonia-causing bacteria in the lungs and resulted in 100% survival.