UC San Diego, Department of Bioengineering

It is well known that yeast, the humble ingredient that goes into our breads and beers, prefer to eat some sugars more than others. Glucose, their favorite food, provides more energy than any other sugar, and yeast has evolved a complex genetic network to ensure that they consume as much glucose as possible whenever it is available. UC San Diego bioengineers have recently identified a previously unknown mechanism that allows yeast to shut down the metabolism of another sugar, galactose, when they sense glucose in the environment.

The findings will be published online by the journal Nature on 30 July 2008.

On a recent June morning, with a tear in my eye, beautifully colorful New Zealand money in my pocket and closed-toe shoes on my feet (I only like to substitute my sandals for soccer cleats), I boarded the 13-hour flight to exchange the hot streets of Los Angeles for the wet streets of Auckland.

I had originally applied to go to Australia for the PRIME Research Program. They asked me if I would be okay with going to New Zealand instead. My response: “umm, of course!” The program, which allows students to conduct research abroad while experiencing a new culture, expanded to the University of Auckland, New Zealand, this summer (or winter here, rather, as I am often reminded) and I am exploring this new site with two other UCSD students—one at U of A with me and another in Hamilton, 80 miles south of here.