News Archive - School of Medicine

Researchers Evaluate Controversial Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis

In the wake of media and public reports about increased mortality linked to a new drug for treating Parkinson’s disease psychosis, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine conducted a retrospective study of qualifying patients in the UC San Diego Health system concluding that the new drug, pimavanserin (marketed as Nuplazid), did not pose a statistically significant greater risk of death.

For Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infections, How Well Antibiotics Work May be Affected by pH, Oxygen

In a study publishing September 26 in Science Advances, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences report that tweaking factors in a cystic fibrosis lung model, such as pH balance and oxygen, helped eradicate pathogenic bacteria while minimizing risks of antibiotic resistance and overgrowth of other microorganisms.

MyUCSDHealth App Available for Download on Apple and Android Mobile Devices

Access to world class care is now easier, faster and at the fingertips of UC San Diego Health patients and loved ones. With the new MyUCSDHealth mobile application, patients have the ability to manage their health information and communicate with their physicians while family members and friends can find helpful resources, such as visiting hours, directions and parking information.

Topping the Charts

More than 100 UC San Diego Health physicians have been named as “Top Docs” in the 2018 San Diego Magazine “Physicians of Exceptional Excellence” survey, an annual opportunity for doctors across the region to vote for much-admired colleagues.

Cancer Immunotherapy Might Benefit From Previously Overlooked Immune Players

Using a bioinformatics approach, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers found that CD4+ T cell’s binding partner, a molecule called MHC-II, may have even more influence on emerging tumors than MHC-I, the better known partner of CD8+ T cells. The finding, published September 20 in Cell, may help researchers improve cancer immunotherapies and predict which patients will respond best.

How Cells Repurpose their Garbage Disposal Systems to Promote Inflammation

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have unraveled new insights into the way cells leverage G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their cellular waste disposal systems to control inflammation. The findings, published September 18 in Cell Reports, suggest some existing cancer drugs that inhibit these cellular activities might be repurposed to treat vascular inflammation, which occurs when artery-blocking plaques form in atherosclerosis.

Study to Examine Possible Effects of Cannabis Compound for Common Movement Disorder

Researchers at University of California School of Medicine are preparing to launch a novel clinical trial to examine the safety, efficacy and pharmacological properties of cannabis as a potential treatment for adults with essential tremor (ET). Currently, ET is treated using repurposed medications originally developed for high blood pressure or seizures.

When it Comes to Health Care, Can You Hack It?

On Saturday, October 6, hundreds of hackers are expected to descend upon the University of California San Diego campus to put their collaborative problem-solving capabilities to the test. The fast-paced, two-day event brings together interdisciplinary teams to identify and solve some of today’s most pressing health challenges, such as antibiotic resistance, opioid abuse and management of mental illness.

Cancer Drug and Antidepressants Provide Clues for Treating Fatal Brain-Eating Amoeba Infections

Researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego have now identified three new molecular drug targets in Naegleria fowleri and a number of drugs that are able to inhibit the amoeba’s growth in a laboratory dish. Several of these drugs are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for other uses, such as antifungal agents, the breast cancer drug tamoxifen and antidepressant Prozac.

Nikon Imaging Center Opens at UC San Diego

The Nikon Imaging Center, a collaborative microscopy center that provides local researchers with access to the latest imaging technologies, opened September today at the University of California San Diego.