Science & Technology

Understanding its function helps explain how mutations in BRCA2 can lead to cancer   By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A new study from researchers at UC Davis illustrates how the Breast Cancer Gene 2 (BRCA2) protein, crucial for DNA repair, functions and how BRCA2 mutations are linked to increased rates of breast and ovarian […]

A parasitic strain of Toxoplasma gondii called the COUG strain has killed four California sea otters   By KATIE HELLMAN — science@theaggie.org  A recent news release reported that four California sea otters have died from a severe form of toxoplasmosis, an infection that comes from the microscopic parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The initial research is published […]

The study analyzes disease progression to provide a foundation for new treatments   By KATIE HELLMAN — science@theaggie.org    The UC Davis Health Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is launching an international study on the history of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in collaboration with the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG) and the Therapeutic […]

Negative health implications go beyond just a lost hour of sleep    By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    Every year, the clocks “spring forward” in March for most of the United States, giving us later sunsets until we “fall backward” in November. However, this comes at the price of one hour of sleep and misalignment […]

UC Davis study finds that individuals with ASD have different genes relating to inflammation and immunity   By KATIE HELLMAN — science@theaggie.org   According to a recent study by UC Davis MIND Institute, the brains of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop differently than those with typical neurodevelopment. This can be attributed to genes […]

UC Davis study finds that sheep mow and fertilize urban lawn landscapes while decreasing students’ stress levels    By KATIE HELLMAN — science@theaggie.org    For the past two years, 25 UC Davis sheep have been released from their barns seasonally to graze at various parts of campus. These sheep not only provide ecological benefits, but […]

The coastal West differs regionally in climate and oceanography throughout the period   By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A recent study out of UC Davis is the first of its kind in synthesizing climate and oceanography records. It drew records from individual regions in the coastal Western United States into a comprehensive paper that […]

The UC Davis Health study showed significant improvement in the detection of psychosis compared to those screened using only clinical judgment    By KATIE HELLMAN — science@theaggie.org In a recent study conducted by UC Davis Health and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Psychiatry, completing a 21-question survey more than doubled […]

A combination of disruptive ecosystem factors could lead to savannization    By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A new study from UC Davis has found that deforestation and climate change in the Amazon Rainforest will have negative effects on a large portion of the region’s terrestrial mammal species.  According to the study, ecosystem disruption in […]

Alba Rodríguez Padilla studies the physics and geology of earthquakes, focusing on off-fault deformations and earthquake gates   By KATIE HELLMAN— science@theaggie.org Alba Rodríguez Padilla, a doctoral student in UC Davis’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, has studied earthquakes in the lab of Geology Professor Michael Oskin for the past five years.  “In the […]

LX-1 molecule targets two different mechanisms of prostate cancer progression    By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    Researchers at UC Davis Health are studying a new compound that has the potential to target two known sources of prostate cancer, showing promise for treatment of the disease.  Dr. Allen Gao, director of Urology Research at UC […]

Report from UC Davis calls for more wildlife crossings and mountain lion-safe road projects   By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A recently published California Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict Report from the UC Davis Road Ecology Center showed that vehicles kill mountain lions at least one to two times per week in California.  Unlike previous wildlife-vehicle conflict […]