Recent News

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  Kimberly Cooper and Elizabeth Villa Named Pew Innovation Fund Investigators

  Biologists to study mysteries related to specialized bone cells during growth

  UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences Professors Kimberly Cooper and Elizabeth Villa have been selected by the Pew Charitable Trusts as members of its 2024 class of Innovation Fund Investigators.

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  New Gene Drive Reverses Insecticide Resistance in Pests… Then Disappears

  The self-eliminating ‘e-Drive’ replaces mutant genes with native genes to reduce pesticide use and protect valuable food crops

  UC San Diego geneticists have developed a gene drive-based solution to the widespread problem of insecticide resistance. In an effort to protect valuable crops, the researchers created an “e-Drive” that reverses insecticide resistance and then disappears from the insect population.

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  Pamela Reinagel Awarded Sensory Sentinel Grant by Turner Scientific

  Turner Scientific has chosen Pamela Reinagel, Ph.D., as the winner of its 2024 Sensory Sentinel grant to promote animal welfare and improved research. Reinagel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of California San Diego.

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  Researchers Uncover Achilles Heel of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

  As drug resistance surges, scientists discover a promising new way to control the spread of this public health crisis

  To stem the surging antibiotic resistance public health crisis, scientists seek solutions inside the mechanics of bacterial infection. A new study has found a vulnerability related to magnesium availability. This limitation potentially could be exploited to stop the spread of antibiotic resistance.

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  Sleep is No Light Matter for Bees

  Artificial light found to disrupt the circadian cycle of vital ecosystem and economic pollinators

  Disrupted sleep cycles are a well known problem for human health and function, and now researchers have found similar impacts on insects. A new study has found that artificial light disrupts the circadian rhythms of honey bees and poses a threat to their essential role as pollinators.

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  The Brains Behind Today’s AI Revolution

  Professor Terry Sejnowski helped pioneer a foundation that set the stage for the current surge of AI advancements. In this interview he discusses the path of brain research that led to today’s AI revolution, how systems such as ChatGPT are evolving and the future of AI.

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  BioSci Scientists Contribute to 2024 Nobel Prize-Winning Research

  Amy Pasquinelli and Terrence Sejnowski played foundational roles in globally recognized achievements

  Behind the accolades of the 2024 Nobel Prizes in Physiology/Medicine and Physics were School of Biological Sciences’ Amy Pasquinelli and Terrence Sejnowski, researchers who played foundational roles in the globally recognized scientific achievements.

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  Innovative Bioelectronic Device Offers New Hope in the Fight Against Bacterial Infections

  Researchers have developed a bioelectronic device that taps into the natural electrical activity of certain bacteria found on our skin, paving the way for a drug-free approach to managing infections. The advancement reduces the harmful effects of a bacterium known for antibiotic resistance.

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  Neurobiologist Yishi Jin Elected to the National Academy of Medicine

  School of Biological Sciences professor is recognized for contributions to understanding mechanisms that underlie formation and function of the nervous system

  Biological Sciences Professor Yishi Jin, who investigates the roots of the nervous system, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in health and medicine.

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