News From Around the System

Can Current Smartphone Technology Tell You When a Pandemic Might Come Calling?

Optical tool in many smartphones found effective at assessing blood-oxygen levels and could be used to identify persons with worsening respiratory function

Year or More Delay Between Abnormal, At-Home Screening and Colonoscopy Increases Cancer Risk

Study finds risk of late-stage colon cancer increased at 16 months by approximately 33 percent

UC San Diego Health Opens Vaccination Site on University Campus

Location will primarily serve eligible health system patients, as well as university faculty and staff

Genomic Studies Implicate Specific Genes in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Researchers Expand Clinical Trials Investigating Convalescent Plasma Therapy for COVID-19

It’s hoped the long-used approach, which would use antibody-rich infusions, can either reduce disease symptoms or prevent infections after exposure to SARS-CoV-2

Two Anti-viral Enzymes Transform Pre-Leukemia Stem Cells into Leukemia

Viral infections and space travel similarly trigger inflammation and the enzymes APOBEC3C and ADAR1; developing ways to inhibit them may help lower cancer risk for both astronauts and people on Earth

When — Not What — Obese Mice Ate Reduced Breast Cancer Risk

University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center researchers report that intermittent fasting reduced breast cancer risk in obese mice.

Metabolism May Play Role in Recurrent Major Depression

Researchers find that metabolites — small molecules produced by cellular activities — appear to predict risk of recurring depression and may be a new diagnostic tool

Youth Using E-cigarettes Three Times as Likely to Become Daily Cigarette Smokers

Age at first use and number of tobacco products consumed also increases addiction risk

Lung, Heart, Kidney and Liver Transplant Programs Rank among Nation’s Best

Innovative, multidisciplinary care programs at UC San Diego Health rank among best, according to latest biannual Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) report, released every January and July