August 19, 2020
August 19, 2020 —
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.
August 18, 2020
August 18, 2020 —
What are the boundaries of natural selection? Research published in PNAS shows that even natural selection has a tough time optimizing performance simultaneously across multiple components of the cell. They call the concept "evolutionary stalling."
July 21, 2020
July 21, 2020 —
Researchers investigating the ways that plants protect themselves—from insects to pathogens—have discovered an “on-off” switch that controls plant defensive mechanisms. The finding lays the groundwork for improved plant disease resistance and food stability.
July 16, 2020
July 16, 2020 —
Scientists have unraveled key mechanisms behind the mysteries of aging. They isolated two paths that cells travel during aging and engineered a new way to genetically program these aging routes. The researchers also identified a master circuit that guides the aging processes.
June 15, 2020
June 15, 2020 —
The Pew Charitable Trusts today announced that Sonya Neal, an assistant professor in the University of California San Diego Division of Biological Sciences, has been selected to join the Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences.
June 11, 2020
June 11, 2020 —
A new study offers perspectives on the ecological and economic impact of sea otters. Comparing regions with and without otters reveals contrasts in kelp forests, fish, urchins, carbon and tourism. The study’s results indicate the economic benefits of having otters present outweigh the costs.
June 1, 2020
June 1, 2020 —
UCSanDiego scientists have developed a new biosensor that visualizes stress in living plant cells in real time. The new nanosensor allows unprecedented access to explore mechanisms related to drought.
May 4, 2020
May 4, 2020 —
Comparing the brains of mice that exercised with those that did not, UC San Diego researchers found that specific neurons switched their chemical signals, called neurotransmitters, following exercise, leading to improved learning for motor-skill acquisition.
April 27, 2020
April 27, 2020 —
Biologists studying bacterial communities have discovered that these simple organisms feature a robust memory capacity. Using light, they were able to encode memory patterns and visualize cells with memory. The discovery reveals parallels between low-level organisms and sophisticated neurons.
April 8, 2020
April 8, 2020 —
Scientists studying bacteria have identified the roots of a behavior that is regulated by the circadian clock. The research provides a striking example of the importance of keeping the internal biological clock aligned with the external environment so that processes occur at the right time of day.
