Here’s How to Prime Tumors to be Defeated by Cancer Immunotherapy
Scientists discover how to rouse the immune system around "cold" tumors, making them vulnerable to cancer-killing immune therapies with checkpoint inhibitors.

University of California San Francisco
Give to UCSFScientists discover how to rouse the immune system around "cold" tumors, making them vulnerable to cancer-killing immune therapies with checkpoint inhibitors.
A new study found that female hormones can suppress pain signals before they reach the brain by making immune cells near the spinal cord produce opioids.
Ten UCSF graduate students presented their research in accessible, 3-minute talks at the 2025 Grad Slam event. This year’s first-place talk was by Sophia Miliotis on how our immune system uses matchmaking skills to look for signs of viruses in cells that should be destroyed.
After a storied scientific career that began with the discovery of how hormones control genes, Keith Yamamoto, PhD, has retired.
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a host of recognizable cognitive symptoms, but many non-cognitive symptoms like changes in sleep, anxiety and depression can be early signs of the disease.
A Q&A w/Alison Cohen, PhD, MPH, who is among the estimated 5% of the population with Long COVID. She talks through the implications of Long COVID, and how she applies her scientific and personal experience to research this debilitating condition.
COPA syndrome causes lung hemorrhaging starting in childhood. But one in three people with the disease mutation are spared. UCSF scientists have discovered how a separate gene variant protects those relatives – lighting the way to a possible cure.
How did humans evolve brains capable of complex language, civilization, and more? Scientists at UC San Francisco recently found that parts of our chromosomes have evolved at breakneck speeds to give us an edge in brain development compared to apes.
UCSF scientists have found that some cancers, like brain cancer, make unique, jumbled proteins that make them stand out. These newly recognized cancer-specific proteins, or antigens, could speed the development of potent immunotherapies that recognize and attack hard-to-treat tumors.
Rates of advanced prostate cancer in California rose significantly in the decade since doctors stopped routinely screening all men. A UCSF study reinforces the need for screening that can identify potentially fatal tumors without raising false alarms about ones that pose little threat.
Researchers found that female mice using only maternal X chromosomes showed faster cognitive decline, which could help explain the variation in brain aging between the sexes.
Scientists discover how cells in the uterus keep track of pregnancy to ensure an on-time delivery.
As little as five minutes of mindfulness meditation a day may help reduce work-related stress, even when done through self-guided smartphone apps.
High percentages of children under thirteen years old use social media apps that are meant for ages thirteen and over. Experts suggest parents model healthy behaviors to avoid health risks in children.
A new study paints one of the most detailed pictures of human brain development to date, opening the door to new tests and therapies, including for brain disorders such as autism.
The quest to defeat HIV/AIDS didn’t just turn a deadly virus into a manageable condition. It transformed science and health care.
Insights from human evolution could change how we understand and treat illness.
New study finds that, among many factors, speaking Spanish is the most likely to result in lower scores on self-reported ability to navigate digital health tools such as patient portals.
Artificial intelligence has revolutionized medical imaging. Here are four ways that AI is changing medicine in pictures - and the UCSF minds behind them.
UCSF scientists developed a way to deliver radiation just to cancerous cells, rather than attacking both cancerous and healthy tissue. The therapy combines a drug to mark the cancer cells for destruction and a radioactive antibody to kill them.
Breast cancer experts from UCSF Health will present new research and clinical findings at the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, the world’s largest and most prestigious breast cancer
A new technology uses engineered T cells that act as immune “referees” to soothe overreacting immune responses. They also can mop up inflammatory molecules without lowering the entire body’s immune shields.
Nearly 50 UCSF researchers have been named to Clarivate’s list of most influential scientists for 2024.
A technique involving the use of light pulses to prevent seizure-like activity in neurons could one day become a new, non-invasive treatment for epilepsy.
UCSF researchers develop customizable SNIPR sensors that activate engineered cells only near tumors, promising precise cancer therapies with minimal side effects.