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Research

The Latest

Tau-Associated MAPT Gene Increases Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

An international team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has identified the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene as increasing the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The MAPT gene encodes the tau protein, which is involved with a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease (PD) and AD. These findings provide novel insight into Alzheimer’s neurodegeneration, possibly opening the door for improved clinical diagnosis and treatment.

UC San Diego Maintains No. 5 NSF Ranking for R&D Expenditures

As it has for several years, the University of California, San Diego ranks fifth among top U.S. universities for research and development expenditures, with $1,075,554,000 in expenditures for fiscal year 2013, according to figures just released by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Lab-in-a-Box Takes Aim at Doctors’ Computer Activity

They call it “the Lab-in-a-Box.” According to Nadir Weibel, a research scientist in the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) department at the University of California, San Diego, inside the box are assorted sensors and software designed to monitor a doctor’s office, particularly during consultations with patients. The goal is to analyze the physician’s behavior and better understand the dynamics of the interactions of the doctor with the electronic medical records and the patients in front of them. The eventual goal is to provide useful input on how to run the medical practice more efficiently.

Health Data Exploration Project Announces Agile Research Project Awards

The Health Data Exploration project – based at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) – has announced five recipients in its $200,000 Agile Research Project competition.

Early Retina Cell Changes in Glaucoma Identified

To better understand these cellular changes and how they influence the progression and severity of glaucoma, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Shiley Eye Institute turned to a mouse model of the disease. Their study, published Feb. 10 in The Journal of Neuroscience, reveals how some types of retinal ganglion cells alter their structures within seven days of elevated eye pressure, while others do not.

UC San Diego/SDSC Study Advances Brain Cancer Research

Researchers at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), Moores Cancer Center, and Department of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, have shown for the first time a pyramid hierarchical network of “coherent gene modules” that regulate glioblastoma genes, involved in a highly aggressive form of brain cancer.