News Archive - Heather Buschman, PhD

Potential Drug Target for Difficult-To-Treat Breast Cancer: RNA-Binding Proteins

UC San Diego studies using human cell lines and tumors grown in mice provide early evidence that inhibiting RNA-binding proteins, a previously overlooked family of molecules, might provide a new approach for treating some cancers.

AI Predicts How Patients with Viral Infections, Including COVID-19, Will Fare

UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers discovered gene expression patterns associated with pandemic viral infections, providing a map to help define patients’ immune responses, measure disease severity, predict outcomes and test therapies — for current and future pandemics.

SARS-CoV-2 Detectable — Though Likely Not Transmissible — on Hospital Surfaces

UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers discovered that SARS-CoV-2, or at least its genetic signature, abounds on hospital surfaces, often co-locating with one particular type of bacteria.

Susan Bukata, MD, Named Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Bukata is only the fourth woman in the U.S. to lead a health system’s orthopedic surgery department.

UC San Diego Health is Region’s First to Use Augmented Reality in Spine Surgery

Augmented reality headsets give UC San Diego Health spine surgeons “x-ray vision” during procedures for accurate and personalized implant placement, while keeping their eyes on their patients.

How SARS-CoV-2 Hijacks Human Cells to Evade Immune System

UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers discovered one way in which SARS-CoV-2 hijacks human cell machinery to blunt the immune response, allowing it to establish infection, replicate and cause disease.

Experimental Therapy for Parasitic Heart Disease May Also Help Stop COVID-19

UC San Diego researchers found that the chemical inhibitor K777 reduces the coronavirus’ ability to infect cell lines by blocking human enzyme cathepsin L; clinical trials are underway.

Sewage-Handling Robots Help Predict COVID-19 Outbreaks in San Diego

UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers develop an automated process to test city sewage for SARS-CoV-2, allowing them to forecast the region’s COVID-19 caseload one to two weeks ahead of clinical diagnostic reports.

NIH Awards UC San Diego $33 Million for Five COVID-19 Diagnostic Projects

UC San Diego was awarded five COVID-19 Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) projects by the National Institutes of Health totaling nearly $33 million, which will fund efforts that range from managing a large data center to expanding testing in disadvantaged communities.

Human Lung and Brain Organoids Respond Differently to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Lab Tests

UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers are using stem cell-derived organoids to study how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with various organ systems. Their findings may help explain the wide variety in COVID-19 symptoms and aid the search for therapies.