Recent News

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  Neurobiologist Vineet Augustine Selected as Freedman Prize Winner and Pew Scholar

  UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences Assistant Professor Vineet Augustine has been selected for two prestigious honors: the 2026 Freedman Prize and as a 2026 Pew Biomedical Scholar.

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  Flesh-eating Screwworms Have Returned. Which New Technologies Could Stop Them?

  New World screwworm flies, highly destructive parasitic insects, have returned to parts of the U.S. and pose a significant danger. Professor Omar Akbari discusses how the insect was eliminated in the past and the ways new genetics technologies could help combat today’s threat.

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  Nobel Laureate and Biology Alumnus Susumu Tonegawa (1939-2026)

  Susumu Tonegawa, who made key contributions to immunology and neurobiology and became UC San Diego’s first alumnus to receive a Nobel Prize, passed away on July 11. His research resolved a long-standing puzzle about how the immune system generates millions of antibodies from a small set of genes.

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  Jeremy’s Story: Research at UC San Diego Offers Hope for Rare Disease

  Unprecedented advancements driven by the campus’ Goeddel Family Technology Sandbox is offering hope for new cures

  Uri Manor, inaugural faculty director of the Goeddel Family Technology Sandbox, is using advanced instruments to study Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a debilitating genetic neurological disorder. Such advancements are offering hope for six-year-old Jeremy and others who suffer from the disease.

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  Trust and Support in the Future of American Science and Biomedical Innovation with Fred Ramsdell

  Watch School of Biological Sciences Dean Kit Pogliano engage in a lively discussion on the future of American science and innovation with Nobel laureate and UC San Diego Biology alumnus Fred Ramsdell in this Deep Look event, presented with UCTV.

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  Biology Teaching Professor Develops Cutting-Edge AI Tutor

  Schema Study, which can be applied to multiple disciplines, is designed as a tool to help students learn, rather than provide quick answers

  BioSci Assistant Teaching Professor Keefe Reuther has developed an AI-based app that truly helps student learn, rather than being spoonfed quick answers. In this Q&A, Ruether delves into the app’s development, motivations and potential to become the future for instruction in the rising AI world.

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  UC San Diego Partners with Innovative Genomics Institute on the Next Generation of Genome Editing

  UC San Diego joins as the fourth UC campus partner, working together to address large global problems with genomics

  The new partnership is designed to jointly develop cutting-edge genomic tools for addressing large-scale challenges in health and the environment. The partnership combines research strengths in environmental and marine science, engineering and computer science and biomedical and life sciences.

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  Eject! Bacteria Discovered with the Ability to Jettison Cells as a Survival Mechanism

  Researchers observe the first known case of an ‘escape pod’ mechanism in bacterial communities previously linked to ocean animals

  Researchers have observed a cell ejection phenomenon in communities of bacteria (biofilms), similar to how jellyfish eject stingers. Biofilms eject cells to ensure the community survives in new colonies. They leveraged the discovery as a possible new way to eliminate antibiotic-tolerant bacteria.

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  UC San Diego Researchers Uncover Precision Medicine Strategy for Rare Inherited Muscle Disorders

  Study reveals how disease-causing mutations disrupt muscle signaling and identifies new therapeutic opportunities

  Researchers have revealed the structures underlying a family of debilitating genetic disorders. They discovered how genetic mutations disrupt communication links between nerves and muscles. The findings open pathways for developing customized medicines tailored to each patient’s genetic mutations.

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  Neurobiologists Improve Symptoms of Huntington’s Disease with Targeted Brain Stimulation in Mice

  International team identifies disrupted neural circuits behind the disorder, then applies cutting-edge technique to restore more normal brain activity and improve movement

  Many details behind Huntington’s disease, a devastating brain disorder, have not been clearly understood. Researchers have now identified neurons involved in the disease’s progression. They used a light-based technique to activate these neurons and improve the debilitating deficits of the condition.

To read more about the School of Biological Sciences happenings, see the News Archives.