Science & Environment

Quantitative Biology Approach Reveals Importance of Physical Constraints on Critical DNA Interaction

Our immune system copes with a multitude of threats using a mix-and-match system to create millions of different antibodies.

UC San Diego Ranked in Top 20 of Sierra Magazine’s ‘Coolest Schools’ List

The University of California, San Diego has been ranked the 17th “Coolest School” by Sierra magazine for displaying a deep and thorough commitment to protecting the environment, addressing climate issues and encouraging environmental responsibility. The eighth annual “Coolest Schools” list was published today by Sierra magazine, a publication of the Sierra Club, the oldest and largest environmental group in the U.S.

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Improves with MRI Technology

Oncologists at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center are the first in San Diego to meld MRI technology with a traditional ultrasound prostate exam to create a three-dimensional map of the prostate that allows physicians to view growths that were previously undetectable.

Bioengineers: Matrix Stiffness is an Essential Tool in Stem Cell Differentiation

Bioengineers at the University of California, San Diego have proven that when it comes to guiding stem cells into a specific cell type, the stiffness of the extracellular matrix used to culture them really does matter. When placed in a dish of a very stiff material, or hydrogel, most stem cells become bone-like cells. By comparison, soft materials tend to steer stem cells into soft tissues such as neurons and fat cells. The research team, led by bioengineering professor Adam Engler, also found that a protein binding the stem cell to the hydrogel is not a factor in the differentiation of the stem cell as previously suggested. The protein layer is merely an adhesive, the team reported Aug. 10 in the advance online edition of the journal Nature Materials.

Benefunder to Launch New Funding Channel for Higher Education Research

Benefunder, a San Diego-based philanthropic research funding platform for higher education institutions, and the University of California, San Diego, recognized as one of the top 15 research universities worldwide, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to embark on a two-year pilot program. The long-term goal of the partnership between UC San Diego and Benefunder is to allow junior and senior faculty in diverse disciplines to create funding relationships with private supporters from across the country, and generate one-time and recurring donations to fund their work and vision.

Novel Study Maps Infant Brain Growth In First Three Months of Life Using MRI Technology

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the University of Hawaii demonstrates a new approach to measuring early brain development of infants, resulting in more accurate whole brain growth charts and providing the first estimates for growth trajectories of subcortical areas during the first three months after birth.