Science & Technology Content

Outside-In Signaling Shows a Route Into Cancer Cells

Andy Fell — February 04, 2025 - 9:08am

A new study shows how an anticancer drug triggers an “outside in” signal that gets it sucked into a cancer cell. The work, published Jan. 29 in Nature Communications, reveals a new signaling mechanism that could be exploited for delivering other drugs.

Many malignant cancers overexpress a protein called P-cadherin, which is embedded in the cell membrane. Because cancer cells have a lot of P-cadherin sticking out of their surface, the protein has been targeted for drug development.

New Medical Technology Emerges From Quarter at Aggie Square Program

Cody Kitaura — February 04, 2025 - 8:00am

The Quarter at Aggie Square Biomedical Engineering cohort wrapped up their 10-week experience on Dec. 6 with a presentation of three medical prototypes for growth-accommodating heart valves, noninvasive glucose monitors and stroke-detection devices. The students chose the concepts to solve complex health challenges they encountered.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Why Zika Virus Hijacks a Protein Needed for Brain Growth

Andy Fell — January 13, 2025 - 11:13am

The mosquito-borne Zika virus is known for causing microcephaly, a birth defect in which abnormal brain development results in a smaller-than-expected head. A new study published Jan. 13 in mBio shows that the Zika virus hijacks a host protein called ANKLE2, which happens to be important for brain development, to assist its own reproduction. Because Zika, unlike most related viruses, can cross the placenta, this can have disastrous consequences in pregnancy.

Storing Carbon in Buildings Could Help Address Climate Change

Andy Fell — January 09, 2025 - 6:08pm

Construction materials such as concrete and plastic have the potential to lock away billions of tons of carbon dioxide, according to a new study by civil engineers and earth systems scientists at the University of California, Davis and Stanford University. The study, published Jan. 10 in Science, shows that combined with steps to decarbonize the economy, storing CO2 in buildings could help the world achieve goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Your Smart TV is Watching What You Watch

Andy Fell — December 18, 2024 - 2:45pm

If you’re thinking of buying a “smart” TV for the holidays, you ought to know that your new device is constantly capturing snapshots of what’s on screen and sending them back to the manufacturer — even if you are using the device as a computer monitor and not watching TV at all. The findings come from a recent study by computer scientists at the University of California, Davis; University College London; and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, published in Proceedings of the 2024 ACM on Internet Measurement Conference.

UC Davis Joins New $285 Million CHIPS Semiconductor Research Institute

Andy Fell — December 09, 2024 - 4:40pm

The University of California, Davis will be part of a new, $285 million nationwide institute dedicated to advancing research and manufacturing of American semiconductors.

The new institute, known as SMART USA (Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA) will develop, validate and use digital twins to improve domestic semiconductor design, manufacturing, advanced packaging, assembly and test processes.

A Chip to Measure Immunity

Andy Fell — December 04, 2024 - 4:16pm

Every winter, influenza returns with a new variant. People who have previously been infected with or vaccinated against flu may have some protection, but this depends on how well their immune system’s “memory” of the previous virus or vaccine cross-reacts with the new variant. At present, there is no good way to measure this. A new NIH-funded project by researchers at the University of California, Davis and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health aims to solve that problem with a new device to measure this immune system “memory” in the blood.

Christmas Trees’ Distinctive Aroma Helps Ward off Pathogens and Pests

Andy Fell — November 25, 2024 - 8:30am

Each year, nearly 30 million Americans purchase a real tree for the holidays. Growing the perfect Christmas tree takes about seven years, during which farmers need to keep insects, fungal pathogens and hungry deer at bay. While researchers suspect the distinctive piney smell the trees emit plays a role in deterring these pests, not all trees smell the same, and which chemical blends confer resistance is unclear.

Transparent Worms with Glowing Proteins May Help Fertility Treatments

Andy Fell — November 21, 2024 - 2:03pm

The development of maternal egg cells is pivotal for survival – but also precarious. During meiosis, the DNA-containing chromosomes can easily be broken or lost, causing infertility, miscarriage or genetic disorders like Down syndrome. Scientists have struggled to study these crucial cellular events in humans and other mammals.

Making High-yielding Rice Affordable and Sustainable

Andy Fell — November 20, 2024 - 10:53am

Rice is a staple food crop for more than half the world’s population, but most farmers don’t grow high-yielding varieties because the seeds are too expensive. Researchers from the University of California’s Davis and Berkeley campuses have identified a potential solution: activating two genes in rice egg cells that trigger their development into embryos without the need for fertilization, which would efficiently create high-yielding clonal strains of rice and other crops.