Science & Environment

Research

The Latest

New Version of DNA Editing System Corrects Underlying Defects in RNA-based Diseases

Until recently, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing could only be used to manipulate DNA. In 2016, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers repurposed the technique to track RNA in live cells in a method called RNA-targeting Cas9. In a study published August 10 in Cell, the team took RCas9 a step further: they corrected molecular mistakes that lead to microsatellite repeat expansion diseases, which include a type of ALS and Huntington's disease.

2017 Massry Prize Honors Microbiome Research Pioneers

Microbiome researchers Rob Knight, PhD, University of California San Diego, Jeffrey Gordon, MD, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and Norman Pace, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder, will share this year’s Massry Prize, splitting the $200,000 honorarium. These researchers lead a field that works to produce a detailed understanding of microbiomes and methods for manipulating them for the benefit of human and environmental health.

UC San Diego Health Ranked Nationally by U.S. News & World Report

UC San Diego Health and its medical and surgical specialties have been recognized as among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 2017-18. The annual “Best Hospitals” rankings distinguish hospitals that excel in treating the most challenging health conditions.

Epic Move: UC San Diego Health Transitions to Cloud Technology

UC San Diego Health has moved its electronic medical records (EMR) system to the cloud. The move to an Epic-hosted cloud environment is part of a long-term strategy to shift away from traditional data centers to a less expensive, more reliable and secure repository for patients’ medical records.

A New View for Protein Turnover in the Brain

Scientists at UC San Diego have provided the first evidence that lysosomes, specialized structures found in nearly every cell in your body, can travel to distant parts of neurons to branch-like areas known as dendrites. Lysosomes help keep balance in the brain by removing material that is no longer needed, a key function that could be associated with disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

UC San Diego Welcomes Kyoto University in Reception Honoring San Diego Liaison Office Opening

Kyoto University of Japan, one of the University of California San Diego’s international partners, announced the opening of a liaison office in San Diego in late March. UC San Diego played a key role in establishing the office designed to ease in partnering and collaboration.