DRC News Highlights

2024

Moores Cancer Center Annual Scientific Retreat 2024
Wednesday, August 30, 2024
Event Flyer (PDF)

UCLA researchers publish new study on link between lipids and inflammation
Drs. Anthony Covarrubias and Steven Bensinger, Professors of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UCLA
by Danielle H. Cho, Daily Bruin, May 27, 2024

Beating the Drum: Pushing for More Gender Equity in Cardiovascular Care
Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz, Professor of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai
by Miles Martin, Weill Cornell Medicine, April 18, 2024

This Outdated Diabetes Drug Still Has Something to Offer  
Jerrold Olefsky, MD., Professor of Medicine and Assistant VC for Integrative Research, UCSD
by Miles Martin, UC San Diego Today, April 11, 2024

UCSD/UCLA Diabetes Research Center, Retreat 2024
Luskin Center at UCLA, Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Event Flyer (PDF)
Poster Session 2024
Abstract (PDF)

‘Good’ fats can help control damaging bouts of inflammation in colitis
Dr. Steven Bensinger, Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UCLA
by Bill Hathaway,Yale News, February 21, 2024

Salk Institute Prof. Ronald Evans honored with Japan Prize 
Ron Evans, PhD Professor and Director, Gene Expression Lab, Salk Institute
Salk News, January 23, 2024

2023

Researchers awarded $250,000 grant from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Tara TeSlaa, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, UCSD
by Holly Ober, UCLA Newsroom, October 27, 2023

Letter from the Director Announcing the Inaugural Cohort of Leadership Scholars Program Awardees
Monica Guma MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Rheumatology, UCSD
by National Institute of Arthritis and Muscloskeletal & Skin Diseases, August 31, 2023

When Water Temperatures Change, the Molecular Motors of Cephalopods Do Too
Samara Reck-Peterson, PhD, Professor of Cell Biology, UCSD
by Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Today, June 8, 2023

Too Much Insulin Can Be as Dangerous as Too Little
Michael Karin PhD, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology and Pathology, UCSD
by Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Today, April 21, 2023

Supplementation with Amino Acid Serine Eases Neuropathy in Diabetic Mice
Christian Metallo PhD, Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology, Salk Institute
by Ioana Patringenaru, UC San Diego Today, January 25, 2023

2022

Dr. Gregory Brent is this year’s recipient of the John B. Stanbury Thyroid Pathophysiology Medal
Dr. Gregory Brent, Senior academic Vice chair and Chief of the Endocrinology Division, UCLA
by Scott LaFee, UCLA Health, November 3, 2022

Study: Time-Restricted Eating Improves Cardiovascular Health for Firefighters
Dr. Pam Taub, Professor of Cardiiovascular Medicine, UCSD
by Jeanna Vazquez, UC San Diego Today, October 4, 2022

UC San Diego Researchers Named Recipients of NIH New Innovator Awards
Dr. Johannes Schöneberg, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCSD
by Sara Bock, UC San Diego Today, August 16, 2022

A Rhythmic Small Intestinal Microbiome Prevents Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Dr. Amir Zarrinpar, Associate Professor of Gastroenterology, UCSD
by Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Health, July 5, 2022

3 UCLA faculty members elected to National Academy of Sciences for 2022
Dr. E. Dale Abel, William S. Adams Distinguished Professor of Medicine
Chair, department of medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Executive medical director, department of medicine, UCLA Health
by Stuart Wolpert, UCLA Newsroom, May 4, 2022

2021

A New Strategy to Transform Liver Cancer Immuntherapy
Gen-Sheng Feng PhD, Professor of Pathology, UCSD 
by Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Today, December 07, 2021

Latino scientific researchers reflect on achievements, importance of mentorship
Stephanie Correa PhD, Assistant Professor of Integrative Biology, UCLA
by Victoria Ke Li, Daily Bruin, October 07, 2021 

2020

New Center : Cell Signaling San Diego 

Antimicrobial Soap Additive Worsens Fatty Liver Disease in Mice
Michael Karin PhD, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology and Pathology, UCSD
by Heather Buschman, UC San Diego Today, November 23, 2020

When the Language of Cells is Interrupted
Alexandra Newton PhD, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology, UCSD
by Heather Buschman, UC San Diego Today, November 12, 2020

‘Pac-Man’ Molecule Offers Clues for Treating Parkinson’s Disease
Samara Reck-Peterson Professor of Cell Biology, UCSD
by Jim Keeley, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fundamentals, September 3, 2020

Leading Biochemist Charles Brenner, PhD, Joins City of Hope as Chair of First Department Focused on Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism
Charles Brenner PhD, Professor of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, City of Hope
by OncLive and City of Hope, August 27, 2020

Universal Gut Microbiome-Derived Signature Predicts Cirrhosis
Rohit Loomba MD, Professor of Medicine, Director of NAFLD Research Center, UCSD
by Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Health From the Newsroom, June 30, 2020

Research provides new insights into menopause and weight gain
Stephanie Correa, Assistant Professor of Integrative Biology, UCLA
by Stuart Wolpert, UCLA Newsroom,  April 13, 2020

"More than Just a Carnival Trick: Researchers Can Guess Your Age Based on Your Microbes"
by Heather Buschman, UC San Diego Health, February 11, 2020

"Two Enzymes Control Liver Damage in NASH: UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers halt further liver damage in mouse models", by Yadira Galindo, UC San Diego Health, February 6, 2020

2019

"Two UC San Diego Researchers Elected AAAS Fellows", by Scott LaFee and Heather Buschman, UC San Diego Health, November 26, 2019

"UC San Diego medical dean is finalist for University of New Mexico presidency", The San Diego Union Tribune, by Gary Robins, October 9th, 2019

"Dr. David Brenner Named 2019 ALF Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award Winner", American Liver Foundation, October 9th, 2019

"Immune Cell Identity Crisis: What Makes a Liver Macrophage a Liver Macrophage?" UC San Diego Health Newsroom, by Heather Buschman, October 3rd, 2019

"Three UC San Diego Researchers Receive Top Honors with NIH Director's Awards" UC San Diego Health Newsroom, by Alison Cadwell, Mario Aguilera, & Liezel Labios, October 1st, 2019

"UC San Diego Receives $9 Million in Grants to Pinpoint Cellular Cause of Type 1 Diabetes" UC San Diego News Center, by Yadira Galindo, August 13th, 2019

"UCSD scientists find possible link between eating fast-food and Type 2 diabetes" La Jolla Light, by Joe Tash, July 3rd, 2019

"Researchers Sudy Improvement in Patient Compliance and Screening Efficacy by Using the EyeArt AI Eye Screening System for Detecting Diabetic Retinopathy" Business Wire, June 5th, 2019

"Genetic Switch Controls Conversion of Bad to Good Fat" ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 May 2019. Materials provided by University of Utah Health.

"Fecal Transplant to Treat Obesity and Diabetes — Pilot studies raise more questions" MedPage Today, May 21st, 2019

"JUST THE FAQs: New Theory on Mitochondria's Role in Diabetic Complications" UC San Diego Health, by Yadira Galindo, February 24th, 2019

"Colorectal Cancer Stem Cell Growth Driven by High-Fat Diet and Altered Bile Acid Profile" Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, February 22nd, 2019

"Macrophages Influence Both the Replication and Function of Beta Cells" UC San Diego Health, by Yadira Galindo, January 4th, 2019

2018

"Janelle Ayres awarded $1.8 million by NOMIS Foundation for research on mechanisms to promote health" Salk Institute, December 12, 2018

"Mapping the Pancreatic Islets" UC San Diego Health, by Yadira Galindo, October 24th, 2019

"$65 Million Earmarked for Drug Development in New UCSD Partnership" Times of San Diego, authored by Chris Jennewein, September 5th, 2018

"Enzyme plays a key role in calories burned both during obesity and dieting" ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 February 2018. Materials provided by University of California - San Diego. Original written by Yadira Galindo.

"TBK1 at the Crossroads of Inflammation and Energy Homeostasis in Adipose Tissue"

"FGF21 Acts Centrally to Induce Sympathetic Nerve Activity, Energy Expenditure, and Weight Loss"

"Peptide Improves Glucose and Insulin Sensitivity, Lowers Weight in Mice," UC San Diego Health, authored by Yadira Galindo, February 7, 2018

2017

"Eating Well with Diabetes," UC San Diego Health, authored by Melanie Peters, December 20, 2017

"5 Endocrinologist Tips for People With Diabetes," Healthgrades, authored by Kristin Kulusa, MD

"Top reports on obesity and liver health for 2017" Healio, features Rohit Loomba November 24th, 2017

"How Chronic Inflammation Tips the Balance of Immune Cells to Promote Liver Cancer" UC San Diego Health by Heather Buschman, PhD, November 8th, 2017

"Indigenous Insight" Triton Magazine by Yadira Galindo, features Keolu Fox, PhD

"Diabetes drug results positive, Ligand says," San Diego Union Tribune, features Robert Henry, MD(Emeritus), and Jeremy Pettus, MD

"How an old asthma drug could be a new diabetes treatment," UC San Diego Health, features Dr. Alan R. Saltiel, August 15, 2017

"Asthma drug shows potential benefit for type 2 diabetics," The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Dr. Alan R. Saltiel, July 5, 2017

"Could a 30-year-old asthma drug lead to a new treatment for diabetes?," by Arlene Weintraub, features Dr. Alan R. Saltiel, July 5, 2017

"Inhibition of IKKɛ and TBK1 Improves Glucose Control in a Subset of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes," July 5, 2017

"UC San Diego Partners with Janssen to Research New Approaches to Treat Metabolic Diseases," by Yadira Galindo, features Jerrold Olefsky, MD, June 15, 2017

"Pathways Leading to Beta Cell Division Identified, May Aid Diabetes Treatment," by Yadira Galindo, features Maike Sander, MD, May 02, 2017

"UC San Diego School of Medicine's Christopher Glass Joins National Academy of Sciences" by Heather Buschman, PhD and features Christopher K. Glass, MD, PhD, May 02, 2017

"Carmel Valley resident joins more than 180 diabetes advocates for the American Diabetes Association's 2017 Call to Congress Advocacy Day", DEL MAR TIMES, features Dr. Alan R. Saltiel, April 24, 2017

"Diabetes drug could be the first to reverse the disease," New Scientist, features Stephanie Stanford, PhD, and Nunzio Bottini, MD, PhD, March 27, 2017

2016

"Gut health and weight loss: what you need to know — The microbes in your stomach could help you lose weight" on AOL Health quotes Rob Knight, PhD, faculty member of the IDMH Center for Integrative and Molecular Metabolism. Dr. Knight is Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and holder of an additional appointment in the Department of Computer Science.

Insulin Resistance Reversed by Removal of Protein — UC San Diego press release by Yadira Galindo, UC San Diego Health, November 3, 2016.

By removing the protein galectin-3 (Gal3), a team of investigators led by University of California School of Medicine researchers were able to reverse diabetic insulin resistance and glucose intolerance in mouse models of obesity and diabetes...Read the full story

The Heat Is On. Dr Saltiel and his work are profiled in Discoveries Magazine, Volume 7, pages 32–33, 2016. Discoveries Magazine is a publication of UC San Diego Health Sciences.

How to Battle Cancer Linked to Obesity — By Alan Saltiel, PhD, and J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD, San Diego Union-Tribune, September 22, 2016.

New Institute for Diabetes and Metabolic Health Debuts at UC San Diego: Expansive effort will encompass both research and treatment of major national health issue. By Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Health Newsroom, June 9, 2016.

2015

Leading Metabolics Researcher Joins UC San Diego School of Medicine: Alan Saltiel will head unified effort to create comprehensive diabetes center. By Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Health Newsroom, July 6, 2015.

2014

The Connection Between Oxygen and Diabetes: A lack of O2 in fat cells triggers inflammation and insulin resistance in obesity. By Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Health Newsroom, June 5, 2014.