Science & Environment

Research

The Latest

4 UC San Diego Startups to Watch from Innovation Day 2024

OxyLo, Personal.ai, Wild Genomics and AirSurgical were among 25 university-powered startups that took center stage at San Diego's annual Innovation Day.

Demonstrator points at needle on AirSurgical's robot-guided ablation system as onlooker watches intently

Public Attention Can Drive Governments to Take Meaningful Environmental Actions

A new study from the University of California San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy reveals that public outcry can lead to significant environmental action, even when public administrations are openly hostile to environmental priorities.

Group of activists is protesting outdoors - Crowd demonstrating against global warming and plastic pollution, concepts about green ecology and environmental sustainability

As Temperatures Rise, Researchers Identify Mechanisms Behind Plant Response to Warming

Plants widen microscopic pores on their leaves in response to heat. But scientists lacked an understanding of the mechanisms behind this “sweating” function. Now, biologists have unlocked the details behind these processes and identified two paths that plants use to handle rising temperatures.

Nanopillars Create Tiny Openings in the Nucleus Without Damaging Cells

UC San Diego researchers have created an array of nanopillars that can breach the nucleus of a cell—the compartment that houses our DNA—without damaging the cell’s outer membrane. This new "gateway into the nucleus" could open new possibilities in gene therapy, where genetic material needs to be delivered directly into the nucleus, as well as drug delivery and other forms of precision medicine.

Spinning Out a New Biomaterials Startup Is Harder Than You Think

Spider silk, long prized for its strength and elasticity, has created something of a furor in the biomanufacturing world as businesses look for ways to cheaply scale up production for silks, which can be used in everything from tactical gear to sutures and textiles. However, a comprehensive study shows that there are many challenges facing the spider silk industry.

Organoids Derived From Gut Stem Cells Reveal Two Distinct Molecular Subtypes of Crohn’s Disease

UC San Diego researchers discover two distinct molecular subtypes of Crohn’s disease using patient-derived organoids, opening the door to personalized treatment for the chronic inflammatory bowel disease.