University of California San Francisco
Give to UCSF
UCSF Tops US News Global University Rankings in 9 Research Areas
Now in its sixth year, the Best Global Universities rankings focus on schools’ academic research and reputation.
‘Missing’ Virus Detected in Dozens of Children Paralyzed by Polio-Like Illness
Research team has detected the immunological remnants of a common seasonal virus in spinal fluid from dozens of patients diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). The findings provide the clearest evidence to date that AFM is caused by an enterovirus (EV) that invades and impairs the central nervous system.
Caught in the Act: Study Catches Brain Circuits as They Rewire
UCSF scientists have caught brain circuits in the act of rewiring themselves to change how they respond to sensory input.
‘Short Sleep’ Gene Prevents Memory Deficits Associated with Sleep Deprivation
The UCSF scientists who identified the two known human genes that promote “natural short sleep” have now discovered a third, and it’s also the first gene that’s ever been shown to prevent the memory deficits that normally accompany sleep deprivation.
Dementia Spreads via Connected Brain Networks
Scientists used maps of brain connections to predict how brain atrophy would spread in individual patients with frontotemporal dementia, adding to growing evidence that the loss of brain cells associated with dementia spreads via the synaptic connections between established brain networks.
Key to Learning and Forgetting Identified in Sleeping Brain
Distinct patterns of electrical activity in the sleeping brain may influence whether we remember or forget what we learned the previous day.
Stem Cell Studies Offer Hope for Childhood Neurological Condition
International team of researchers report progress in using stem cells to develop new therapies for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, a rare genetic condition affecting boys that can be fatal before 10 years of age.
Genetically Tailored Instruction Improves Songbird Learning
UCSF study conducted in songbirds shows that what at first appear to be genetic constraints on birds’ song learning abilities could be largely eliminated by tailoring instruction to better match the birds’ inborn predispositions.
After 10-Year Search, Scientists Find Second ‘Short Sleep’ Gene
UCSF scientists who identified the only human gene known to promote “natural short sleep” have discovered a second.
Scorpion Toxin That Targets ‘Wasabi Receptor’ May Help Solve Mystery of Chronic Pain
Researchers discovered a scorpion toxin that targets the “wasabi receptor,” which they think it can be used as a tool for studying chronic pain and inflammation, and may eventually lead to the development of new kinds of non-opioid pain relievers.
Tweaked CRISPR in Neurons Gives Scientists New Power to Probe Brain Diseases
In a paper researchers describe a technique that uses a special version of CRISPR developed at UCSF to systematically alter the activity of genes in human neurons generated from stem cells, the first successful merger of stem cell-derived cell types and CRISPR screening technologies.
Molecular Recycling in the Brain May Keep Alzheimer’s at Bay
Scientists identify faulty molecular recycling as potential driver of Alzheimer’s disease.
