News & Discoveries

3 UCSF Faculty Elected to the National Academy of Sciences for 2017

Three UCSF faculty have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors accorded to American scientists.

Oxytocin, the 'Love Hormone,' Being Tested for Treatment of PTSD and Alcohol Abuse

A new trial may hold new hope for military personnel with PTSD and alcohol abuse through treatment with oxytocin, sometimes referred to as the “love hormone.”

Cognitive Decline After Surgery Tied to Brain’s Own Immune Cells

After undergoing surgery, elderly patients often experience cloudy thinking. Mounting evidence suggests that heightened inflammation in the brain following surgery is the more likely cause.

New Multiple Sclerosis Drug, Backed by 40 Years of Research, Could Halt Disease

A newly approved drug that is the first to reflect the current scientific understanding of multiple sclerosis is holding new hope for the hundreds of thousands Americans living with the disease. It also highlights the importance of clinician scientists like UCSF’s Stephen Hauser who are working to…

Cell Division Talk Takes Top Prize at 2017 UCSF Grad Slam

Christina Hueschen took home the top prize at this year’s UCSF Grad Slam competition for her talk titled “How to Build an Elephant.”

Distinguishing Between Dementia and Depression with Neuroimaging

Neuroimaging is helping to distinguish between depression and dementia – two diseases with overlapping symptoms that can be difficult to diagnose properly.

Science in Focus: Creating Neurons from Skin Cells to Understand Autism

Studying brain disorders is complicated for many reasons, not the least being the ethics of obtaining living neurons. To overcome that obstacle, UCSF postdoc Aditi Deshpande is starting with skin cells.

Study Shows How Skates, Rays and Sharks Sense Electrical Fields

Sharks, rays and skates can hunt for prey hidden in the sandy sea floor by “listening” for faint traces of bioelectricity – they can literally sense their prey’s heart beating.

Zebrafish-to-Patient Approach Speeds Search for Childhood Epilepsy Treatments

In an unprecedented leap from lab to patients, a potential treatment for childhood epilepsy identified in experiments with zebrafish.

Artificial Intelligence Aids Scientists in Uncovering Hallmarks of Mystery Concussion

New research is paving the way to a precision medicine approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with traumatic brain injury.