A new statewide survey found that economic instability is strongly associated with higher rates of violence among California adults. Adults experiencing homelessness were about five times more likely to report physical violence, while those facing food insecurity were about four times more likely. The study highlights the need for a pu...
A new method called GOFLOW uses deep learning to measure ocean surface currents over large areas with greater detail than ever before. The approach applies to thermal images from weather satellites, requiring no new hardware.
Researchers analyzed over 2.8 million students and found that local flavored tobacco bans reduced youth vaping rates without increasing cigarette smoking. Flavored tobacco bans were associated with sustained declines in youth vaping over time.
Engineers at UC San Diego developed a new chip design that combines piezoelectric resonators with capacitors for efficient voltage conversion, achieving peak efficiency of 96.2% and delivering four times more output current than earlier designs.
East Campus Medical Center has doubled its average daily census since 2024, with over 4,000 patients transferring to the hospital from other UC San Diego Health locations. The hospital now offers expanded services in cardiology, gastroenterology, and more, with a focus on continuity and relationship-based medicine.
A study by UC San Diego researchers reveals TYK2's role in preventing cancer spread and highlights need for enhanced screening in patients treated with TYK2 inhibitors. Understanding mechanotransduction can provide new avenues for treatment and improve breast cancer outcomes.
Dr. Emily Lukacz has been named the 2026 President of American Urogynecologic Society, a prestigious position that recognizes her innovative leadership in the complex field of urogynecology. As president, she aims to streamline treatment by educating primary care providers and allied health professionals.
Researchers found that honey bees change the precision of their waggle dance depending on the size and composition of their audience. The dancers adjust their movements to search for a receptive crowd, resulting in less precise signals when few bees are present.
A recent study on honey bees' waggle dance reveals that the dance's precision is influenced by audience size and composition. When there are more observers, dancers become less precise, suggesting that the performer adjusts its movements to engage with a larger crowd, ultimately conveying critical information about food sources.
A study by UC San Diego finds that California wildfire smoke events are becoming more frequent, with communities in Southern and Central California experiencing shorter recovery times between smoke events. These communities are also disproportionately vulnerable, with higher proportions of racial and socioeconomic minority residents.
A brain-inspired hardware platform has been developed to improve pattern recognition speed, accuracy, and energy efficiency. The platform combines memory and computation on the same chip, allowing nodes to interact collectively like neurons in the brain.
A protein receptor, PAR1, plays a critical role in maintaining blood vessel structure. The receptor can trigger protective responses to counteract inflammation, potentially leading to new treatments for conditions like sepsis, heart attack, and stroke
A novel blood-based biomarker, p-tau217, can predict a woman's risk of developing dementia up to 25 years before symptoms appear. Higher levels of p-tau217 were strongly associated with future mild cognitive impairment and dementia among older, cognitively healthy women.
Researchers developed Zephyrus, an AI agent capable of analyzing and answering questions in natural language about weather and climate data. The agent can handle language-based queries, translating them into code and generating plain language answers.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego identified new genetic variants associated with autism spectrum disorder using long-read whole genome sequencing. The approach enhanced the discovery of genetic variants, offering new insights into the genetic origins of autism.
A new UC San Diego study challenges the idea that pandemic viruses require rare adaptations in animals to infect humans. The research found that most zoonotic viruses, including COVID-19, do not show evidence of prior adaptation before emerging in humans.
A new study reveals Americans' doubts about driverless cars go beyond safety concerns, with many fearing mass job losses and widening income inequality. Over six in ten adults would probably or definitely avoid riding in a self-driving car.
Researchers at UC San Diego discover a new way to re-educate the immune system to attack ovarian cancer tumors by blocking protein FAK. The study offers hope for developing better treatments by turning the tumor environment from immune-suppressing to immune-activating.
A comprehensive review synthesizes the science behind vagus nerve modulation therapies, which use controlled signals to influence brain circuits and inflammation. The authors identify key mechanisms and propose next-generation treatments tailored to individual patients and conditions.
A global team led by UC San Diego's Ludmil Alexandrov is receiving a $25 million Cancer Grand Challenges award to decipher the molecular origins of cancer. The team aims to identify unique patterns of DNA damage and their sources, which could lead to new prevention and treatment strategies.
The grant will support environmental DNA surveys, expanded deep ocean monitoring, and glacier research. Scripps researchers will use new tools to collect crucial baseline data on marine organisms and bring new insights to parts of the ocean with little coverage.
A randomized, double-blind clinical trial found that a natural fungal supplement, FoTv, reduced short-term vaccine side effects and helped antibodies last longer in people who had not previously been exposed to COVID-19. The study suggests that FoTv may help strengthen vaccine protection without increasing side effects.
A new blood test score, MetALD-ALD Prediction Index (MAPI), has been developed to identify when fatty liver disease is driven by excessive alcohol use. The tool uses five standard lab values and can estimate whether a person with fatty liver disease may have alcohol-related liver injury.
A new method to steer AI output uncovers vulnerabilities and potential improvements. The researchers identified 512 concepts within five classes and improved LLM performance on narrow tasks.
Scientists have created a way to hear a single molecule 'sing' using infrared-integrated STM. This technique combines infrared excitation with scanning tunneling microscopy, allowing for the detection of individual molecular vibrations.
A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry reveals higher rates of substance use among all non-heterosexual groups in the US, including those uncertain of their identity. The analysis highlights the importance of recognizing a broader range of sexual identities in public health research and clinical practice.
Scientists have developed a technology that reveals which proteins are generated by individual brain cells. They mapped protein production across nearly 20,000 individual cells in the mouse hippocampus, finding surprising patterns and potential links to neurological conditions. The study sheds light on how translation affects memory ci...
A new study uses AI to predict which ulcerative colitis patients with low-grade dysplasia are at high risk of developing colorectal cancer. The model integrates risk factors from narrative clinical notes, enabling more accurate and timely surveillance and potentially reducing treatment delays.
The University of California San Diego School of Medicine and UC San Diego Health are now part of the NICHD Maternal-Fetal Care Network, expanding access to research on pregnancy and newborn health. Clinical trials will focus on maternal mortality, prematurity birth rates, and infant mortality rates.
Researchers at UC San Diego identified a distinct biological pattern of chronic rhinosinusitis in veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins. The study found that mast cells play a key role in this condition, which has no FDA-approved treatments.
Researchers at UC San Diego developed a new training method for AI systems to improve their performance in solving complex problems that require both text and image interpretation. The approach evaluates the quality of training data and grades models based on their logical reasoning, reducing the risk of incorrect interpretations.
University of California San Diego scientists have solved how the circadian clocks within microscopic bacteria precisely control gene expression during the 24-hour cycle. The researchers identified six proteins needed to rebuild this clock, generating a simplified cyanobacterial system with a clock that only needs.
Researchers found that chatbot-generated summaries changed sentiments in 26.5% of cases and hallucinated answers 60% of the time. Participants who read biased summaries were 84% likely to buy, compared to 52% for original reviews.
A team of researchers used spectral data from the James Webb Space Telescope to study the HR 8799 star system, finding clear evidence of sulfur on three gas giant planets. This discovery suggests that these massive planets likely formed through core accretion, contradicting older models.
Researchers developed a novel CRISPR-based technology called pPro-MobV that can remove antibiotic-resistant elements from bacterial populations. The new tool uses gene-drive thinking and has the potential to combat antibiotic resistance in healthcare settings, environmental remediation, and microbiome engineering.
A University of California San Diego study tracks opioid misuse risk using smartwatch signals and machine learning. The system estimates heart rate variability to detect high-risk states like stress, pain, and craving.
Researchers at the University of California - San Diego have developed a new method to improve gene therapy by increasing the efficacy of gene delivery while minimizing harmful side effects. The new workflow allows for increased control of nuclear DNA delivery, with greater than tenfold increase in nuclear DNA delivery observed.
A new study by University of California San Diego researchers found that fossil fuel plastics can amplify harmful algae blooms by killing off zooplankton, leading to an increase in algal concentrations. In contrast, biodegradable plastics had a smaller impact on zooplankton and algal communities.
Researchers have developed a new AI tool called VASCilia that provides unprecedented 3D views of cochlear hair cells. The tool accelerates the imaging process by 50-fold, allowing scientists to analyze cells with greater precision and accuracy. This advancement offers new insights into hearing loss caused by damaged inner ear hair cells.
A UC San Diego study found that older women with a history of depression and anxiety had a 78% higher risk of developing long COVID. The researchers analyzed data from the Women's Health Initiative and hope to inform preventative measures for public health officials and policymakers.
Researchers have uncovered a new understanding of how cardiac events are interconnected with the brain and nervous/immune systems. They found that sensory neurons in the vagus nerve detect injury and transfer signals to dedicated brain structures, leading to activation of the immune system.
Researchers at University of California San Diego discover gene therapy restoring connexin-43 improves heart function and extends survival in several forms of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. The approach may have broader therapeutic potential across multiple genetic forms of the disease, addressing a critical unmet need.
Researchers found that using words with clear opposites can shape people's sense of certainty when evaluating messages. This means that certain wording types can make messages less effective among skeptics, while boosting confidence among believers.
A six-year study reveals that marine microbes interact more frequently with benefits than harm, challenging traditional views of ocean ecosystems. The research found that warmer temperatures increased positive interactions and changed the dynamics of keystone microbial species.
A team of researchers used Dungeons & Dragons as a testing ground for Large Language Models, evaluating their performance in long-term tasks. The models showed quirky behaviors but excelled in staying 'in character' and determining correct actions, with Claude 3.5 Haiku performing the best.
Researchers found that nearly half of geostationary satellite communications are not encrypted, putting sensitive data such as cellular texts, voice calls, and military information at risk. The study led to immediate action from companies like T-Mobile, Walmart, and KPU Telecom, which enabled encryption in response to the findings.
A new study found that nearly half of Medicare Part D beneficiaries with cancer face high out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, often leading to delayed treatment initiation and poorer health outcomes. Enrolling in the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (M3P) could reduce monthly payment volatility and mitigate cost-related nonadherence.
A new study integrates ocean damage from climate change into the social cost of carbon, doubling the global cost to society. The 'blue' social cost of carbon accounts for economic losses from fisheries impacts, coastal infrastructure damage, and other ecosystem degradation.
A team at UC San Diego is developing functional, patient-specific livers using 3D bioprinting and stem cell technology. The goal is to create 'made-to-order' livers grown from a patient's own cells, offering a safe alternative to transplantation that eliminates the need for donor organs.
The course, launched in 2017, equips faculty to prepare competitive grant proposals with confidence. Participants reported significant increases in confidence, particularly in understanding the NIH review and award process, leading to a 79% increase in receiving grant funding as principal investigators.