How a COVID-19 Vaccine Arrived Quickly and Without Compromise
Bruin Carly Daniels, who leads the Pfizer scientists developing vaccines for pneumonia and the coronavirus, always remembers that patients are waiting.
biological sciences
Results
‘You belong’: How first-gen students have succeeded in STEM
UCLA faculty and doctoral students reflect on challenges and offer advice to undergraduates.
UCLA alumnus Ardem Patapoutian wins 2021 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine
The neuroscientist, a 1990 graduate, helped answer a fundamental question about how the nervous system senses temperature and touch.
UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center receives $5 million CIRM grant for research training program
The five-year award from California’s stem cell agency will help prepare young scientists and physicians to become leaders in the regenerative medicine field.
UCLA-led study could clarify how gut microbes can exacerbate cognitive decline
The research, conducted in mice, could elucidate how and why the phenomenon occurs.
Vaping just once raises oxidative stress levels in nonsmokers, increasing disease risk
Stress levels as much as quadrupled after nonsmokers used an e-cigarette for just a half-hour, UCLA researchers found.
New mothers’ sleep loss linked to accelerated aging
Too little sleep in the first six months after giving birth can add three to seven years to women’s “biological age,” UCLA scientists report.
Eliminating RNA-binding protein improves survival in aggressive leukemia
A team led by UCLA scientists found that removing IGF2BP3 selectively targets cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.
RNA modification may protect against liver disease, explain liver fat differences between sexes
Research brief: Scientists have identified hundreds of chemical modifications that can alter RNA’s protein-making instructions without affecting the core DNA.
Scientists create genetic library for mega-ecosystem in Pacific Ocean
The new database will help researchers, conservationists and fisheries understand changes to marine species and ecosystems.
Differences in human, mouse brain cells have important implications for disease research
Research brief: Mouse astrocytes, often used in research on human neurological disorders, differ in significant ways from the human version.
UCLA study reveals how immune cells can be trained to fight infections
By better understanding the dynamics of a key immune signaling molecule, scientists may be able to ‘hack’ the immune system to strengthen it.
People who have had COVID-19 may require only single dose of two-dose vaccines
UCLA researchers found that previously infected people produced a vigorous antibody response similar to a severe natural infection after just one shot.
Private land conservation could be key to meeting Biden’s 2030 environmental goals
A UCLA-led study found that voluntary legal agreements protect at-risk species more efficiently than public lands.
Human wastewater is feeding harmful algae blooms off of Southern California’s coast
A UCLA-led study explains how much of the damage is being caused by treated sewage.
UCLA scientists decode the ‘language’ of immune cells
The advance, researchers say, is like the cellular equivalent of discovering the Rosetta stone and may eventually lead to new treatments for diseases.
Animals laugh too, UCLA analysis suggests
Sifting through studies on various species’ play behavior, researchers tracked vocalization patterns that show a strong similarity to human laughter.
Molecular analysis identifies key differences in lungs of cystic fibrosis patients
UCLA researchers and colleagues hope their first-of-its-kind catalog will reveal new targets for genetic and cell therapies for the disease.
UCLA team discovers how to restrict growth, spread of head and neck cancers
The research, conducted on mice, targets a newly discovered molecular “checkpoint” that enables cancer stem cells to evade the immune system.
8 UCLA professors elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The academy is one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies.
Researchers devise more efficient, enduring CAR gene therapy to combat HIV
Research brief: A UCLA team has demonstrated that altering a key molecule used in the therapy yields superior and longer-lasting results in mouse models.
UCLA to lead CDC-funded study on effectiveness of vaccines among health workers
Both vaccinated and non-vaccinated personnel will be tested to gauge how well the vaccines prevent infections and lessen their impact when they do occur.
Professor and data scientist Xia Yang finds patterns that can improve our health
Yang’s research reveals how genetic and environmental factors can disrupt gene networks.
Size of grass blades offers better understanding of their vulnerability to climate change
Research determined that grass with narrow leaves and high numbers of veins should be better able to withstand the drier conditions expected in the future.
UCLA researchers receive $6 million from NIH to explore new pancreatic cancer therapies
Only 1 in 10 people diagnosed with this aggressive disease live beyond five years, and most current therapies have been unsuccessful in treating it.