News Archive
April 17, 2024
Acting Student and Bioengineering Alumna Awarded Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Riyam Al Msari, an undergraduate bioengineering alumna from Iraq, is one of 30 recipients of the 2024 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. The merit-based program for immigrants and children of immigrants awards up to $90,000 to support each fellow’s graduate studies. Full Story
March 25, 2024
UC San Diego Engineers Inducted Into 2024 Class of the AIMBE College of Fellows
Two engineering professors at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering were inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). Professors Ludmil Alexandrov and Sheng Xu were among the 162 new AIMBE Fellows who were recognized at a ceremony during the AIMBE Annual Event on March 25. Full Story
March 14, 2024
New Imaging Tool Advances Study of Lipid Biology
From fruit flies to humans, there are many, many different types and subtypes of lipids operating at the same time within any living organism. While we know that lipid molecules play myriad different roles in health, aging and disease; researchers currently struggle to uncover the fine details of these roles – details which could unlock cures, extend the human healthspan, and solve mysteries of aging. A study led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego marks a significant step forward in this critical area of lipid research. Full Story
March 6, 2024
This Injectable Hydrogel Mitigates Damage to the Right Ventricle of the Heart
An injectable hydrogel can mitigate damage to the right ventricle of the heart with chronic pressure overload, according to a new study published March 6 in Journals of the American College of Cardiology: Basic to Translational Science. Full Story
February 21, 2024
Detecting Pathogens--and Sepsis--Faster and More Accurately by Melting DNA
A new analysis method can detect pathogens in blood samples faster and more accurately than blood cultures, which are the current state of the art for infection diagnosis. The new method, called digital DNA melting analysis, can produce results in under six hours, whereas culture typically requires 15 hours to several days, depending on the pathogen. Full Story
February 21, 2024
Five Cutting-edge Advances in Biomedical Engineering and Their Applications in Medicine
Bridging precision engineering and precision medicine to create personalized physiology avatars. Pursuing on-demand tissue and organ engineering for human health. Revolutionizing neuroscience by using AI to engineer advanced brain interface systems. Engineering the immune system for health and wellness. Designing and engineering genomes for organism repurposing and genomic perturbations. These are the five research areas where the field of biomedical engineering has the potential to achieve tremendous impact on the field of medicine. Full Story
February 7, 2024
Renowned UC San Diego Microbiome Pioneer Rob Knight Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Rob Knight, a University of California San Diego professor and international leader in the study of the roles microbes play in human health and disease and the functioning of ecosystems, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering–the highest professional recognition afforded to engineers and computer scientists. On Feb. 6, 2024, the National Academy of Engineering recognized Knight for his pioneering leadership and “for understanding microbiomes and their application to healthcare and sustainability.” Full Story
February 5, 2024
Researchers Uncover Surprising Link Between Body Temperature and Depression
People with depression have higher body temperatures, a finding that supports nascent research suggesting a mental health benefit to lowering the temperatures of those with the disorder, a new research team that includes scientists at the University of California San Diego found. Full Story
February 1, 2024
Bioengineer Named NAS New Voice for Emerging STEM Leaders
Kiana Aran, a professor of bioengineering and medicine at UC San Diego, has been named to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s 2024 New Voices in Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine program. New Voices aims to expand the diversity of expertise engaged in the work of the National Academies while developing a network of U.S. leaders to address national and global challenges. Full Story
January 18, 2024
AI Harnesses Tumor Genetics to Predict Treatment Response
In a groundbreaking study published on January 18, 2024, in Cancer Discovery, computer scientists, bioengineers and physicians at UC San Diego leveraged a machine learning algorithm to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing cancer researchers: predicting when cancer will resist chemotherapy. Full Story
January 10, 2024
Noninvasive Test for Embryo Quality Could Streamline Fertility Treatment
Bioengineers and physicians at UC San Diego have discovered a noninvasive approach that can be used to better predict the quality of lab-grown embryos, potentially streamlining IVF treatment. Full Story
December 19, 2023
2023 Jacobs School Highlights
It was another busy year at the Jacobs School of Engineering, as our students, faculty, staff, and industry and community partners worked together to pursue engineering and computer science for the public good. From research breakthroughs in robotics, AI and healthcare, to launching new centers for microelectronics and computing, here are just a few highlights from 2023. Full Story
December 12, 2023
UC San Diego Engineering Professors Elected Fellows of National Academy of Inventors
Eric Fullerton, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Prashant Mali, a professor in the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, have been named 2023 Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors. Full Story
November 21, 2023
The science of sugar metabolism
Bioengineernig professor Lingyan Shi and her team are on the cutting edge of the science of sugar metabolism (and the science of fat metabolism). In particular, they were just awarded $1.97M in NIH grant funding to build an imaging platform to visualize sugar metabolic activities in aging and in disease. Full Story
November 20, 2023
UC San Diego Researchers Receive Close to $10M from California Stem Cell Research Agency
Two researchers at UC San Diego received close to $10 million in grants from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. Full Story
November 17, 2023
Jacobs School researchers named most highly cited in the world
Yet again, 16 faculty and researchers at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering were named among the world’s most influential in their fields in this year’s Clarivate listing of Most Highly Cited Researchers in the World. Full Story
November 13, 2023
This Wireless, Handheld, Non-invasive Device Detects Alzheimers and Parkinsons Biomarkers
A team led by UC San Diego engineers has developed a handheld, non-invasive device that can detect biomarkers for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. The biosensor can also transmit the results wirelessly to a laptop or smartphone. The team tested the device on in vitro samples from patients and showed that it is as accurate as the state of the art. Ultimately, researchers plan to test saliva and urine samples with the biosensor. The device could be modified to detect biomarkers for other conditions as well. Full Story
November 9, 2023
Women Produce Skin Temperature Data that are Just as Predictable as Men
Women produce physiological data that is just as predictable as men, at least when it comes to skin temperature. This might seem like common sense, but variations in body signals due to menstrual cycles, such as temperature, were used as an excuse to keep women out of clinical studies for decades. Full Story
November 7, 2023
UC San Diego Researchers Awarded $1 Million to Build First-of-its-Kind Microscope
The National Science Foundation has awarded $1 million to an interdisciplinary UC San Diego research team to build a first-of-its-kind, super-resolution microscope that will set the stage for advances in the biomedical sciences. Using materials custom-built at the university, the machine has the potential to achieve 10 times the resolution and more than 100 times the measurement speed of similar microscopes at current state-of-the-art levels. Full Story
October 11, 2023
UC San Diego and Mount Sinai Receive $8.5M NIH Award for Data Integration Hub
Researchers at the University of California San Diego and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have been awarded an $8.5 million grant to create a data integration hub aimed at accelerating novel therapeutics and cures for diseases within initiatives supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund. Full Story