A Sampling of Clips for Aug. 25, 2010

* UCSD faculty and staff may obtain a copy of an article by e-mailing the University Communications Office

Taking Over a Car
MIT Technology Review, Aug. 25 -- Cars are becoming more computerized, an evolution that could have an unintended side effect: vulnerability to attacks. Researchers at the University of Washington and UC San Diego, led by Tadayoshi Kohno and Stefan Savage, recently showed that by taking over a car's computers, they could disable the brakes, stop the engine, and control the door locks. For now, most of the attacks require access to a port inside the car. But wreaking havoc could get easier as carmakers add more wireless connectivity. The researchers hope their work will motivate manufacturers to add security features. More

'Evidence-based' Medicine, Move Over
San Diego Union-Tribune, Aug. 24 – “Personalized medicine” is the mantra of modern medical science, a popular phrase coined to describe an impending world in which patients are treated based upon their individual genetic makeup.  (Quotes Dr. Gary S. Firestein, dean of translational medicine at UC San Diego’s School of Medicine) More

California Colleges Rock the Country
NBC San Diego, Aug. 25-- There's an interesting spin on college rankings and Washington Monthly is pointing it out in a relatively new listing of institutions of higher education.  (Quotes Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Penny Rue). More

Study Shows Targeted Breast Radiation Helps Control Cancer
North County Times, Aug 25 -- A new study of breast cancer patients at the Moores UC San Diego Cancer Center and the Arizona Oncology Services shows that after almost two years, the radiation given with the Strut-Adjusted Volume Implant (SAVI) controls the rate of cancer and may reduce the complications seen with alternate types of similar therapy. More

Surfboard Science:
UC San Diego Students Develop Data on the Speed of Surfing
La Jolla Light, Aug. 25 -- In a sport where participants are more accustomed to describing the feel of a board under their feet, Benjamin Thompson's goal is to develop hard data about the interaction between a surfer, a board and the water it's being ridden on.  The project led him to sponsor four UC San Diego engineering undergraduates to build velocity sensors connected to a computer in the body of a surfboard. More

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