News
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Beth Shapiro elected to National Academy of Sciences
By Mike Pena Beth Shapiro, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz, has been elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). On April 29, NAS announced that Shapiro was among 120 new members elected from around the country, along with 30 new international members. An acclaimed paleo-biologist, Shapiro was…
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UCSC Genome Browser Alumni Profile: Melissa Cline
Twenty-five years after the Human Genome Project, Melissa Cline has become a prominent figure in the field of cancer genomics. She currently manages the BRCA Exchange, the largest public resource for knowledge on genetic variations that influence heritable breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. She also co-leads the Genomic Knowledge Standards Workstream for the Global…
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Ancient DNA research aids de-extinction efforts and reveals surprising dire wolf ancestry
UC Santa Cruz scientists worked with Colossal Biosciences to help reveal secrets in the dire wolf genome that contributed to what the startup is calling the world’s first de-extinction By Rose Miyatsu Earlier this week, Colossal Biosciences made global headlines when they announced that they had successfully brought the dire wolf back from extinction, or…
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David Deamer wins 2025 SETI Institute’s Drake Award
Genomics Institute emeritus affiliate David Deamer has been recognized for his pioneering work in astrobiology, specifically his research on membranes and RNA formation in shallow water environments. He was recognized for advancing new theories on the origins and processes of life in the Universe.
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Brain cells are more plastic than previously thought, study shows
Neurons are the cells in the brain responsible for sending messages to the rest of the body, and scientists have long thought that they are settled into one subtype once they develop from stem cells, no matter what is happening in the environment around them. New research from the Braingeneers reveals that this traditional way of thinking…
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David Deamer named 2024 AAAS fellow
Emeritus Genomics Institute affiliate David Deamer was awarded the lifetime honor along with UCSC Professors Theodore Holman and Raphael Kudela. Deamer researched the foundational science needed to create nanopore sequencing, a revolutionary method for reading DNA and RNA.
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The Human Genome Project’s legacy is still yielding new advances
At the 25th anniversary of the Human Genome Project, the Tech Brew looks back at what it has accomplished, and how its legacy of combining computation and biology has set the stage for future applications in medicine and new advances in AI-powered life sciences at the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute.
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Scientists program stem cells to mimic first days of embryonic development
March 20, 2025 By Emily Cerf The earliest days after fertilization, once a sperm cell meets an egg, are shrouded in scientific mystery. The process of how a humble single cell becomes an organism fascinates scientists across disciplines. For some animals, the entire process of cellular multiplication, generation of specialized cells, and their organization into an…
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Clinical pediatric cancer lab at UC Santa Cruz is cleared to accept and test patient samples
The UC Santa Cruz Colligan Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory (CCDL) will use a newly clinically validated RNA test that they have developed that could identify life-saving treatment options, particularly for pediatric cancer patients.
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New biology study reveals four novel genes required for male fertility in mice
Genomics Institute affiliate Upasna Sharma has conducted pioneering research to determine how a father’s life experiences and environment can influence the health and wellbeing of his children. Her most recent discovery could have important implications for understanding male infertility.
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Newest Genome Browser features highlight the power of generative AI and machine learning for biology
The UCSC Genome Browser has added two new datasets that leverage the power of generative AI and machine learning to interpret information about genetic variants and more rapidly assess which ones might be harmful to human health. These datasets, from AlphaMissense and VarChat, are available as “tracks” on the two most widely used human reference…
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New grant funds effort to uncover therapeutic targets for neuropsychiatric disorders
By Emily Cerf A $10.3 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state’s stem cell agency, will fund a multi-UC effort to better understand neuropsychiatric disorders. One in five people in the U.S. experience a neuropsychiatric disorder, with many cases starting in adolescence. Current treatments focus on managing symptoms, but there’s an…