News Archive
March 12, 2018
Engineers develop most efficient red-light-activated switch that can turn genes on and off in mammalian cells
A team of researchers has developed a light-activated switch that can turn genes on and off in mammalian cells. This is the most efficient so-called “optogenetic switch” activated by red and far-red light that has been successfully designed and tested in animal cells—and it doesn’t require the addition of light sensing molecules from outside the cells. Full Story
March 5, 2018
How a Yeast Cell Helps Crack Open the 'Black Box' Behind Artificial Intelligence
A research team recently developed what they call a “visible” neural network and used it to build DCell, a model of a functioning brewer’s yeast cell, commonly used as a model in basic research. To do this, they amassed all knowledge of cell biology in one place and created a hierarchy of these cellular components. Then they mapped standard machine learning algorithms to this knowledgebase. Full Story
February 27, 2018
New online tool gives 3D view of human metabolic processes
A new computational resource called Recon3D provides a 3D view of genes, proteins and metabolites involved in human metabolism. Researchers used the tool to map disease-related mutations on proteins and also probed how genes and proteins change in response to certain drugs. The work provides a better understanding of disease-causing mutations and could enable researchers to discover new uses for existing drug treatments. Full Story
February 22, 2018
How Bacteria Steal Antibiotic-Resistant Genes
Researchers at the University of California San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation have identified the mechanism by which a clinically relevant bacterium may gain antibiotic resistance, and have come up with a model for predicting the conditions under which it spreads. The findings, which establish a framework for understanding, quantifying and hopefully combating the emergence of superbugs, were published in a recent paper in eLife. Full Story
February 16, 2018
UC San Diego Bioengineering Student Wins Winston Churchill Scholarship
Aswini Krishnan, a fourth-year bioengineering major at the University of California San Diego, has been awarded a Winston Churchill Scholarship, one of the most prestigious and competitive awards available to American students pursuing science, mathematics and engineering fields. The award provides one year of funding to pursue a master’s degree at Winston Churchill College at the University of Cambridge. Krishnan is the fourth UC San Diego student to receive the award since the program’s inception in 1963. Full Story
January 15, 2018
Researchers develop a remote-controlled cancer immunotherapy system
A team of researchers has developed an ultrasound-based system that can non-invasively and remotely control genetic processes in live immune T cells so that they recognize and kill cancer cells. Full Story
January 11, 2018
From Class to Clinic
It’s not every day that an undergraduate class influences the way surgeons prepare for operations. But that’s exactly what happened with a freshman bioengineering class co-taught by then-PhD student Jason Caffrey ’11, MS ’13‚ and professor Robert Sah. Full Story
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
September 12, 2017
Undergraduate Bioengineering Program at UC San Diego Ranks #6 in the Nation and #2 among Public Engineering Schools
The U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges guidebook rankings are out today and the bioengineering undergraduate program at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering is ranked #6 in the nation and #2 among public schools. Full Story
August 25, 2017
Four Physician-Engineer Teams Funded by UC San Diego
Four physician-engineer teams from UC San Diego have been selected to receive the 2017 Galvanizing Engineering in Medicine (GEM) awards. This is an initiative of UC San Diego Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) and UC San Diego Institute of Engineering in Medicine (IEM). It brings engineers and clinicians together to develop innovative technologies that can be applied to solving challenging problems in medical care. This year’s projects address challenges in the areas of cardiology, ophthalmology, radiology, and reproductive medicine. Full Story
August 23, 2017
Help UC San Diego Scientists Study Link between Body Bacteria and Autoimmune Diseases
The public's help is being enlisted in the Microbiome Immunity Project, what's thought to be the biggest study to date of the human microbiome — the communities of bacteria and other microbes that live in and on the human body, where they influence our health. Full Story