News
June 26, 2025
Naming Celebration of the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at UC San Diego
Join us for a special celebration as we mark a significant milestone in the history of the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. The visionary philanthropy of Gene Lay has honored Shu Chien, renowned UC San Diego emeritus professor of bioengineering and medicine, with a $25 million commitment to UC San Diego's world-leading bioengineering department. In recognition of his generosity, the department was named the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering. Full Story
June 12, 2025
2025 Jacobs School Award of Excellence Recipients
The Jacobs School of Engineering will celebrate the undergraduate students in the class of 2025 at its annual Ring Ceremony on Friday, June 13. Six students were selected from the nearly 1,500 students receiving bachelor’s degrees from the Jacobs School of Engineering to receive an Award of Excellence from their academic department. Full Story
June 6, 2025
Recognizing Sex Differences in Disease Can Improve Treatments for All
One-size-fits-all hats are okay, but one-size-fits-all medical treatments don’t cut it. A new study shows that drug treatment outcomes are significantly different for a type of heart valve disease, called aortic valve stenosis, based on how the disease progresses in males versus females. Full Story
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May 16, 2025
A Clearer Look at Diabetic Kidney Disease via New Optical Imaging Technology
Bioengineers and clinicians working together developed an “optical biopsy” that could improve how kidney disease is diagnosed and studied. The new technology does not rely on stains or dyes. Full Story
May 14, 2025
Women’s Physical Activity Levels are Less Variable Than Men’s, Study Says
Women’s physical activity levels are less variable than men’s, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. What’s more, women’s hormonal cycles did not have a noticeable impact on physical activity levels. Full Story
May 5, 2025
Self-assembling Molecules Take the Spotlight at Research Expo 2025
Materials science and engineering Ph.D. student Liya Bi won the grand prize at the 43rd annual Jacobs School of Engineering Research Expo for his work studying how molecules organize themselves into highly ordered patterns on metal surfaces. Full Story
April 30, 2025
Using Bacteria as Living Test Tubes to Study Human Gene Mutations and Find New Drug Leads
Traditional methods of studying human gene mutations are often laborious and costly. Now bioengineers at UC San Diego have developed a new simple approach to rapidly check on human gene changes and also screen chemicals as potential drugs by turning everyday bacteria into living test tubes. Full Story
April 25, 2025
This Injected Protein-like Polymer Helps Tissues Heal After a Heart Attack
Researchers have developed a new therapy that can be injected intravenously right after a heart attack to promote healing and prevent heart failure. The therapy both prompts the immune system to encourage tissue repair and promotes survival of heart muscle cells after a heart attack. Researchers tested the therapy in rats and showed that it is effective up to five weeks after injection. Full Story
April 25, 2025
AI Helps Unravel a Cause of Alzheimer's Disease and Identify a Therapeutic Candidate
A new study found that a gene recently recognized as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease is actually a cause of it, due to its previously unknown secondary function that triggers a pathway that disrupts how cells in the brain turn genes on and off. Full Story
April 23, 2025
Childhood Exposure to Bacterial Toxin May Be Triggering Colorectal Cancer Epidemic Among the Young
In an effort to explain a modern medical mystery, an international team of researchers led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego has identified a potential microbial culprit behind the alarming rise in early-onset colorectal cancer: a bacterial toxin called colibactin. Full Story