News Archive - Liezel Labios

3D-Printed ‘Living Material’ Could Clean Up Contaminated Water

A "living material," made of a natural polymer combined with genetically engineered bacteria, could offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to clean pollutants from water.

Topography of the Genome Influences Where Cancer Mutations Thrive, Study Shows

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have uncovered a connection between the topography of the human genome and the presence of mutations in human cancer. Certain regions of the genome, which exhibit unique features, act as hotspots for the accumulation of mutations.

Robotic Hand Rotates Objects Using Touch, Not Vision

Inspired by the effortless way humans handle objects without seeing them, a team led by UC San Diego engineers has developed a new approach that enables a robotic hand to rotate objects solely through touch, without relying on vision.

Single-Cell Atlas of the Human Kidney Provides New Resources To Study Kidney Disease

What causes certain individuals who experience a sudden decline in kidney function to develop kidney disease while others recover? A new study co-led by UC San Diego bioengineers could provide insight—at the single-cell level—into the underlying factors contributing to these divergent outcomes.

Four-Legged Robot Traverses Tricky Terrains Thanks to Improved 3D Vision

Researchers led by UC San Diego have developed a new model that trains four-legged robots to see more clearly in 3D. The advance enabled a robot to autonomously cross challenging terrain with ease—including stairs, rocky ground and gap-filled paths—while clearing obstacles in its way.

Super Low-cost Smartphone Attachment Brings Blood Pressure Monitoring to Your Fingertips

UC San Diego engineers have developed a super low-cost 3D-printed attachment that clips over a smartphone's camera and flash to measure blood pressure at the user's fingertip. Researchers say it could help make regular blood pressure monitoring easy, affordable and accessible.

New Research from UC San Diego Sheds Light on the Possible Origins of Life

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have identified the conditions for cell metabolism to emerge on the early Earth, shedding new light on the origins of life itself, along with the fundamental nature of biological carbon fixation.

Safe, Autonomous Driving Tech Takes the Wheel at Research Expo 2023

Ross Greer, an electrical and computer engineering graduate student at UC San Diego, won the grand prize at Research Expo 2023 for his work on a technology that could enable vehicles to drive more autonomously and decide when the driver is prepared to take back control of the wheel.

Probing Lithium Ions Near a Solid’s Surface Reveals Clues to Boost Solid-State Battery Performance

Using computer simulations and X-ray experiments, researchers could “see” in detail why lithium ions move slowly in a solid-state battery—specifically, at the electrolyte-electrode interface. The work could lead to new strategies to enhance ionic conductivity in solid-state batteries.

Moving Perovskite Solar Cell Advancements From the Lab to the Manufacturing Floor

A team of researchers, led by MIT and including the University of California San Diego, has been selected to receive a $11.25M cost-shared award to establish a new research center that will advance the development of next-generation solar cells for commercial use.