News Archive
2025 News Releases
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September 9, 2025
UC San Diego Awarded NSF Grant to Launch Semiconductor Workforce Development Pilot
Engineers at UC San Diego have been awarded a $300,000 grant from the NSF to launch a pilot initiative aimed at addressing the shortage of skilled US workers going into the growing domestic semiconductor industry. Full Story
September 9, 2025
Can a healthy gut microbiome help prevent childhood stunting?
Can a healthy gut microbiome help prevent childhood stunting? A massive collaboration between Salk, University of Washington - School of Medicine, UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, and UC San Diego School of Medicine, who traveled to Malawi to collect samples from malnourished children, is helping answer that question. Full Story
September 8, 2025
Non-hormonal Biomaterial Could Help Combat Vaginal Changes Associated with Menopause
A new hydrogel applied directly to vaginal tissues may help alleviate the negative impacts of menopause, according to a new study from scientists at the University of California San Diego. The results, published in Advanced Materials, could pave the way for a hormone-free treatment that alleviates vaginal dryness and pain caused by genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), which negatively impacts quality of life for millions of women. Full Story
September 5, 2025
Interdisciplinary Teams Win Three Data Storage Awards from Western Digital
Researchers from UC San Diego received three Western Digital Petabyte Innovation Quest (Peak) awards for pursuing innovative data storage projects. The research teams were each awarded 1.2 petabytes of data storage — that’s more than a million gigabytes — to advance fusion energy; spatial genomics; and preserve cultural heritage sites in 3D. Full Story
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July 25, 2025
Celebrating the Life and Legacy of UC San Diego Bioengineering Pioneer David Gough
UC San Diego bioengineering professor David Gough devoted nearly half a century to a singular big-picture goal: improving the day-to-day experiences and the outlook on life of people with diabetes. He was particularly interested in helping people who needed to give themselves daily finger pricks in order to manage their blood sugar levels. Full Story
July 15, 2025
For Tastier and Hardier Citrus, Researchers Built a Tool for Probing Plant Metabolism
A new tool allows researchers to probe the metabolic processes occurring within the leaves, stems, and roots of a key citrus crop, the clementine. The big picture goal of this research is to improve the yields, flavor and nutritional value of citrus and non-citrus crops, even in the face of increasingly harsh growing conditions and growing pest challenges. Full Story
July 7, 2025
Diet-Microbiome Links Vary by Geography and Analysis Method
In a new study from the UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation, researchers examined how dietary associations with gut bacteria vary not only between different levels of bacterial classification but also across different populations with distinct dietary patterns and cultural backgrounds. Full Story
July 2, 2025
Air Pollution May Contribute to Development of Lung Cancer in Never-smokers, New Study Finds
A new study reveals that air pollution, traditional herbal medicines and other environmental exposures are linked to genetic mutations that may contribute to the development of lung cancer in people with no or hardly any history of smoking. Full Story
June 26, 2025
Naming Celebration of the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at UC San Diego
Join us for a special celebration as we mark a significant milestone in the history of the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. The visionary philanthropy of Gene Lay has honored Shu Chien, renowned UC San Diego emeritus professor of bioengineering and medicine, with a $25 million commitment to UC San Diego's world-leading bioengineering department. In recognition of his generosity, the department was named the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering. Full Story
June 12, 2025
2025 Jacobs School Award of Excellence Recipients
The Jacobs School of Engineering will celebrate the undergraduate students in the class of 2025 at its annual Ring Ceremony on Friday, June 13. Six students were selected from the nearly 1,500 students receiving bachelor’s degrees from the Jacobs School of Engineering to receive an Award of Excellence from their academic department. Full Story
June 6, 2025
Recognizing Sex Differences in Disease Can Improve Treatments for All
One-size-fits-all hats are okay, but one-size-fits-all medical treatments don’t cut it. A new study shows that drug treatment outcomes are significantly different for a type of heart valve disease, called aortic valve stenosis, based on how the disease progresses in males versus females. Full Story
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May 16, 2025
A Clearer Look at Diabetic Kidney Disease via New Optical Imaging Technology
Bioengineers and clinicians working together developed an “optical biopsy” that could improve how kidney disease is diagnosed and studied. The new technology does not rely on stains or dyes. Full Story
May 14, 2025
Women’s Physical Activity Levels are Less Variable Than Men’s, Study Says
Women’s physical activity levels are less variable than men’s, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. What’s more, women’s hormonal cycles did not have a noticeable impact on physical activity levels. Full Story
May 5, 2025
Self-assembling Molecules Take the Spotlight at Research Expo 2025
Materials science and engineering Ph.D. student Liya Bi won the grand prize at the 43rd annual Jacobs School of Engineering Research Expo for his work studying how molecules organize themselves into highly ordered patterns on metal surfaces. Full Story
April 30, 2025
Using Bacteria as Living Test Tubes to Study Human Gene Mutations and Find New Drug Leads
Traditional methods of studying human gene mutations are often laborious and costly. Now bioengineers at UC San Diego have developed a new simple approach to rapidly check on human gene changes and also screen chemicals as potential drugs by turning everyday bacteria into living test tubes. Full Story
April 25, 2025
This Injected Protein-like Polymer Helps Tissues Heal After a Heart Attack
Researchers have developed a new therapy that can be injected intravenously right after a heart attack to promote healing and prevent heart failure. The therapy both prompts the immune system to encourage tissue repair and promotes survival of heart muscle cells after a heart attack. Researchers tested the therapy in rats and showed that it is effective up to five weeks after injection. Full Story
April 25, 2025
AI Helps Unravel a Cause of Alzheimer's Disease and Identify a Therapeutic Candidate
A new study found that a gene recently recognized as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease is actually a cause of it, due to its previously unknown secondary function that triggers a pathway that disrupts how cells in the brain turn genes on and off. Full Story
April 23, 2025
Childhood Exposure to Bacterial Toxin May Be Triggering Colorectal Cancer Epidemic Among the Young
In an effort to explain a modern medical mystery, an international team of researchers led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego has identified a potential microbial culprit behind the alarming rise in early-onset colorectal cancer: a bacterial toxin called colibactin. Full Story
March 31, 2025
UC San Diego Bioengineer Inducted Into 2025 Class of the AIMBE College of Fellows
Bioengineering professor Daniela Valdez-Jasso was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). She was recognized for her research exploring the roles of biomechanical forces in the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Full Story
March 27, 2025
Bioengineer Elected AAAS Fellow
Karen Christman, a professor in the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering and the Sanford Stem Cell Institute, was elected a 2024 AAAS Fellow. Full Story