News
December 11, 2017
Updated brain cell map connects various brain diseases to specific cell types
Researchers have developed new single-cell sequencing methods that could be used to map the cell origins of various brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. By analyzing individual nuclei of cells from adult human brains, researchers have identified 35 different subtypes of neurons and glial cells and discovered which of these subtypes are most susceptible to common risk factors for different brain diseases. Full Story
December 5, 2017
Experimental drug blocks toxic ion flow linked to Alzheimer's disease
A new small-molecule drug can restore brain function and memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. The molecule, called anle138b, works by stopping toxic ion flow in the brain that is known to trigger nerve cell death. Scientists envision that this drug could be used to treat Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and ALS. Full Story
November 21, 2017
Researchers discover specific tumor environment that triggers cells to metastasize
A team of bioengineers and bioinformaticians at the University of California San Diego have discovered how the environment surrounding a tumor can trigger metastatic behavior in cancer cells. Specifically, when tumor cells are confined in a dense environment, the researchers found that they turn on a specific set of genes and begin to form structures that resemble blood vessels. Full Story
November 9, 2017
A Steady Increase in Women Leading the Biggest Research Grants
Eight of the top 10 research grants awarded to UC San Diego departments outside of health sciences this year are led by women. And Karen Christman, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering, is one of them. Christman brought in $2.8 million dollars in research grants from the State of California. Full Story
November 8, 2017
UC San Diego's Biomedical Engineering Society earns top honor
UC San Diego’s chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) was recognized with the Chapter Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2017 BMES annual meeting. Full Story
November 3, 2017
Five UC San Diego bioengineering graduate students selected for prestigious Siebel Scholars program
Five bioengineering graduate students from the University of California San Diego have been named 2018 Siebel Scholars. Full Story
November 3, 2017
Immune cells mistake heart attacks for viral infections
A study led by Kevin King, a bioengineer and physician at the University of California San Diego, has found that the immune system plays a surprising role in the aftermath of heart attacks. The research could lead to new therapeutic strategies for heart disease. Full Story
October 31, 2017
UC San Diego Scientists Create Device for Ultra-Accurate Genome Sequencing of Single Human Cells
An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of California San Diego has developed a technology for very accurate sequencing and haplotyping of genomes from single human cells. Their findings were published online in advance of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)* print edition.“Accurate sequencing of single cells will enable the identification of mutations that cause cancer and genetic disease,” said senior author Kun Zhang, a professor of bioengineering in the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. “At the same time, precise haplotyping will allow for the genotyping of haplotypes, combinations of different genes or alleles as a group from either parent.” Full Story
October 13, 2017
Model predicts how E. coli bacteria adapt under stress
Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a genome-scale model that can accurately predict how E. coli bacteria respond to temperature changes and genetic mutations. The work sheds light on how cells adapt under environmental stress and has applications in precision medicine, where adaptive cell modeling could provide patient-specific treatments for bacterial infections. Full Story
September 28, 2017
Smart molecules trigger white blood cells to become better cancer-eating machines
A team of researchers has engineered smart protein molecules that can reprogram white blood cells to ignore a self-defense signaling mechanism that cancer cells use to survive and spread in the body. Researchers say the advance could lead to a new method of re-engineering immune cells to fight cancer and infectious diseases. The team successfully tested this method in a live cell culture system. Full Story