News Archive - School of Medicine

UC San Diego Health Offers New Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain

UC San Diego Health is now offering a new minimally invasive approach to provide relief for patients suffering from chronic low back pain (CLBP). The new treatment is called “Intracept,” an outpatient procedure that targets nerves located in the vertebrae or bones of the spine.

Overlooked ‘Housekeeping’ Gene Plays Unexpected Role in Seizures

Molecules known as tRNAs are often overlooked in study of disease processes. Researchers have now found that a mutation in a tRNA gene called n-Tr20—expressed only in the brain—can disrupt the landscape of entire cells, leading to chain reactions that alter brain function and behavior.

Uncontrolled ‘cAMP’ Helps Spark Rare Liver Cancer

UC San Diego researchers engineered fluorescent tools that combine the gene editing technique CRISPR and biosensor technologies to look inside cells in a whole new way. Their findings show that a major protein that binds to the signaling molecule cAMP can form membraneless organelles in human cells.

Researchers See an Increase in Fraudulent COVID-19 Posts on Social Media

In a new study from UC San Diego School of Medicine, thousands of fake social media posts tied to COVID-19 and financial scams are found on two popular platforms.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Linked to an Immune Cell Run Amok

Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine report that the lasting nature of inflammatory bowel disease may be due to a type of long-lived immune cell that can provoke persistent, damaging inflammation in the intestinal tract.

Excessive Fructose Consumption May Cause a Leaky Gut, Leading to Fatty Liver Disease

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that fructose only adversely affects the liver after it reaches the intestines, where the sugar disrupts the epithelial barrier protecting internal organs from bacterial toxins in the gut.

Is COVID-19 Transmitted Through Breast Milk? Study Suggests Not Likely

A recent study by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine suggests transmission of COVID-19 through breast milk is not likely. The infectious virus was not detected in 64 samples of breast milk tested.

Leading-edge Technology Unmasks Protein Linked to Parkinson’s Disease

An elusive protein that many consider the key of fully understanding the causes of genetic Parkinson’s disease has come much more clearly into focus. Impacting millions around the world, Parkinson’s is a neurological disorder that progressively attacks motor functions.

Paying It Forward, the Ong Family Gives $2M Gift to the UC San Diego School of Medicine

Inspired by a commitment to ‘paying it forward,’ the Ong Family has made a gift of $2 million to support the educational needs and priorities of UC San Diego’s School of Medicine.

Why Young and Female Patients Don’t Respond as Well to Cancer Immunotherapy

UC San Diego researchers discovered that tumor cells in younger and female patients accumulate cancer-causing mutations that are more poorly presented to the immune system, better enabling tumors to escape detection and clearance.