Recent News

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    Cell Division Quality Control ‘Stopwatch’ Uncovered

    Mechanism keeps track of the time cells take to split, sounding the alarm on cells that may turn cancerous

    UC San Diego biologists have uncovered a quality control timing mechanism tied to cell division. The “stopwatch” function keeps track of mitosis and acts as a protective measure when the process takes too long, preventing the formation of cancerous cells.

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    New Genetic Analysis Tool Tracks Risks Tied to CRISPR Edits

    Classification system uses genetic fingerprints to identify unintentional ‘bystander’ edits linked with new disease therapies

    While CRISPR has shown immense promise as a next-generation therapeutic tool, the gene editing technology’s edits are still imperfect. Researchers have developed a new system to test and analyze CRISPR-based DNA repair and related risks from unintended but harmful “bystander” edits.

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    Say Hello to Biodegradable Microplastics

    Research shows plant-based polymers can disappear within seven months

    Finding viable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics and microplastics has never been more important. New research from scientists at UC San Diego and Algenesis shows that their plant-based polymers biodegrade — even at the microplastic level — in under seven months.

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    Study Illuminates the Protective Role of Fluorescence in Neon-Colored Sea Anemones

    Fluorescent proteins shown to protect sea anemone cells from stress

    For the first time, a team of researchers at UC San Diego’s School of Biological Sciences and Scripps Institution of Oceanography has uncovered a direct genetic link between fluorescence and color in sea anemones — those soft and tentacled tide pool creatures often encountered by beachgoers.

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    How Fear Unfolds inside Our Brains

    Neurobiologists uncover how stress turns into fear in the brain — in conditions such as PTSD — and a method to block it

    The stress-induced mechanisms that cause our brain to produce feelings of fear in the absence of threats — such as in PTSD — mostly have been a mystery. Now, neurobiologists have identified the changes in brain biochemistry and mapped the neural circuitry that cause generalized fear experiences.

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    Biological Sciences Professor Terrence Sejnowski Wins Brain Prize

    World’s largest neuroscience prize recognizes trio who pioneered the field of computational and theoretical neuroscience and paved the way for brain-inspired artificial intelligence

    Terrence Sejnowski has been selected to receive the 2024 Brain Prize, the world’s largest neuroscience prize, for his pioneering work in computational and theoretical neuroscience, contributions to our understanding of the brain and paving the way for the development of brain-inspired AI.

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    Sanford Institute Awards Endowed Professorships in Empathy and Compassion Research

    Monique Smith and Fadel Zeidan have been named as the recipients of the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion’s Endowed Professorships in Empathy and Compassion Research. These are the first two of four endowed professorships the Sanford Institute will award in 2024.

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    Researchers Uncover Mechanisms behind Enigmatic Shapes of Nuclei

    Scientists may be able to direct immune cells toward diseased areas

    White blood cells known as neutrophils feature a nucleus that is structured strikingly different than most nuclei. These unique shapes permit neutrophils to travel all over the body to combat invading pathogens. Scientists have now deciphered the shapeshifting puzzle of the neutrophil nucleus.

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    Early Career BioSci Faculty Members Selected to Receive Sloan Research Fellowships

    UC San Diego Assistant Professors Vineet Augustine, Abdoulaye Ndao and Monique Smith have been selected to receive 2024 Sloan Research Fellowships. They are among 126 scientists chosen by the Sloan Foundation to receive one of the most prestigious awards for early career scientists.

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    Andrew Muroyama and Fabian Rivera-Chávez Selected to Receive Hellman Fellowships

    UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences Assistant Professors Andrew Muroyama and Fabian Rivera-Chávez have been awarded Hellman Fellowships by the University of California.

To read more about the School of Biological Sciences happenings, see the News Archives.