Posts Tagged ‘faculty’
Uncovering the hidden chemical activity of microplastics
Recent research by Teresa Head-Gordon and collaborators has shown that when bulk polymers become microplastics they are in fact not inert, but rather, the tiny pieces of plastic chemically modify the water around them to generate highly reactive species that may cause damage to living systems.
Read MoreDigital Bat Twins – NeuroAI generates testable hypotheses about higher-level cognitive function
Researchers in Michael Yartsev’s lab, led by postdocs Adam Lowet and Krishna Kasuba, built a digital twin of the bat hippocampus – an AI model trained on large-scale neural activity during natural flight. The model generated new, testable hypotheses about hippocampal organization that were confirmed by real-world data.
Read MoreFrom bat flight to the most complex human movements
Examining large-scale neural activity from the motor cortex of freely flying Egyptian fruit bats helps Michael Yartsev’s lab understand how the brain supports very complex behaviors, like buttoning a shirt or playing piano.
Read MoreSolving a longstanding problem in drug delivery
Lipid nanoparticles are great delivery vehicles for mRNA treatments, but their positive charge triggers high levels of inflammation. Now researchers led by Professor Niren Murthy have engineered a new lipid nanoparticle that can switch its charge from positive to negative and may avoid triggering inflammation while still able to deliver mRNA and other nucleic acids.
Read MoreIn Memoriam: Prof. David Rempel
It is with great sadness that we recognize the passing of Dr. David Rempel, MD, MPH, CPE. A versatile expert in occupational health and long-time member of the Bioengineering Graduate Program, he was a Professor Emeritus of Medicine at UCSF and Bioengineering Berkeley. He will be missed.
Read MoreHow One Simple Change Can Make Lipid Nanoparticles Safer for Gene Editing and Other Applications
In a new paper out in Nature Nanotechnology, researchers in Niren Murthy’s lab show that there is a simple way to remove the toxicity of lipid nanoparticles while maintaining their ability to effectively deliver therapies to specific cells in the body.
Read MoreHerr Lab and partners receive grant to study biology in time and space
Our researchers have received a new grant from the Biohub non-profit research organization, looking to advance the field of Spatiotemporal omics – the ability to sample biomolecules at different locations and times to watch disease processes unfold. Amy Herr and her UCSF partners Jennifer Rosenbluth and Amrita Basu will be studying integrated organoid systems for immunotherapy toxicity.
Read MoreYartsev named Guggenheim Fellow
Professor Michael Yartsev has been named to the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation’s 101st Class of Fellows for his trailblazing work in neuroscience and neuroengineering. One of the country’s most prestigious awards, fellowships are given to innovators in a wide range of disciplines with a monetary stipend allowing them to pursue independent work at the highest level under “the freest possible conditions.”
Read MoreGrowing immune cells with more targeted cancer-fighting abilities
Recent research from Professor Derfogail Delcassian’s lab explores how the stiffness of swollen lymph nodes increases the strength, but decreases the precision, of cancer-killing immune cells.
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