Advancing Quantum Photonic Technologies

Professor of Chemistry Joel Yuen-Zhou's lab shows that light-matter hybrids, known as polaritons, not only behave optically, but also quantumly, opening new directions for polaritonic control, precision sensing, and quantum photonic technologies.

Inside UC San Diego’s Out-of-This-World Impact

Nothing captures the human imagination quite like space and our alumni and researchers are exploring its farthest reaches and unlocking new discoveries every day.

UC San Diego Alumnus Wins Nobel Prize 

Fred Ramsdell, who received a degree in biochemistry and cell biology in 1983, contributed to key discoveries about the human immune system. He shares this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with two other researchers.

Phosphine Detected in a Brown Dwarf Atmosphere

Phosphine is a highly toxic gas found in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. Long-recognized as a possible biosignature for anaerobic life, a team of researchers, led by Adam Burgasser, has reported the detection of phosphine in the atmosphere of an ancient brown dwarf named Wolf 1130C. 

UC San Diego Chemists Form Lifelong Bonds

Three chemistry professors - Seth Cohen, Joshua Figueroa and Akif Tezcan - all started their careers at UC San Diego.  Twenty years on, they have – yes, we have to say it – a unique chemistry in and out of the lab.

Joel Yuen-Zhou Thinks Theory is Fun

Chemistry Professor Joel Yuen-Zhou doesn’t fit neatly into a box and neither does his work. As a theoretical physical chemist, he uses physics, math and chemistry to manipulate the properties of photons. In this Q&A he talks about his upbringing, his career and his quest for beautiful theories. 

Turbulence With a Twist 

Turbulence is everywhere, yet much about the nature of turbulence remains unknown. Physics Professor Nigel Goldenfeld’s group has now predicted that if the pipe is sufficiently curved, the transition can become discontinuous.

New GEPA Dean Has Deep UC San Diego Roots

Chemistry Professor Judy Kim has been appointed the permanent dean of graduate education. Learn more about her, her work as a biochemist and how GEPA supports our graduate students.

‘We’re Not a Line Item’—A Patient’s Plea to Protect Research Funding 

Kim Peters not only works at UC San Diego, she's also a patient battling stage 4 cancer. Hear her powerful plea to protect research funding. 

Overcoming Disordered Energy in Light-Matter Interactions 

In a new study, Chemistry Professor Wei Xiong has designed experiments to show how disordered energy can limit the energy transfer pathway in light-matter interactions, and further demonstrated a strategy to overcome this limitation.

A New Way to Study Omega Fatty Acids

Omega fatty acids are important to human health and now Chemistry Professor Edward Dennis has developed a new computational method to determine omega positions of lipids that could help with health diagnoses.

On the Origins of Life: Recreating Cellular Metabolism 

Scientists develop synthetic cells that mimic living cells, hoping to uncover clues that will help answer the question: how did life on Earth begin? Moving a step closer to the answer, Chemistry Professor Neal Devaraj’s lab has designed a system that synthesizes cell membranes and incorporates metabolic activity. 

The Secret Life of Neutrinos 

A team of researchers, including Physics Professor George Fuller, have shown, through theoretical calculations, how collapsing massive stars can act as a "neutrino collider,” which may result in either a neutron star remnant or black hole remnant.

Study Finds Unique Strategies to Improve Student Performance on Physics Exams 

We've heard a lot about how students use AI to shirk course work, but can AI actually be used to help students understand math and science? A team of researchers, including Executive Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Simmons, uncover a surprising answer.

In Memoriam: Robert C. Dynes 

Bob Dynes was a renowned physicist, champion of students and dedicated administrator. He served as President of the University of California and as Chancellor of UC San Diego.

Understanding the Mechanisms of Embryonic Cell Behavior 

During embryonic development, thousands of cells divide and move as one, but understanding the mechanisms that coordinate this collective behavior remains a significant challenge. New work from Mattia Serra shed light on this process and may help in developing strategies for engineering synthetic biomaterials.

A Better Understanding of How Gene Editing Tools Work 

Patients are being healed with a personalized treatment that repairs specific genetic mutations. The treatment was created using a form of gene editing called base editing. Alexis Komor’s latest research outlines the way certain DNA repair proteins can be manipulated to produce desired outcomes when using base editors.

Pollution From the Tijuana River Affects Air Quality in San Diego 

A new study led by Alex Cooper shows that pollutants from wastewater are transmitted to the air. In San Diego County, the Tijuana River, named the second-most endangered river in America, discharges waste and pollution into the Pacific Ocean and air. 

Wu Receives Prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship 

Congratulations to recent chemistry alumna and Triton fencing team member Kyra Wu on receiving an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Kyra is off to the University of Cambridge to continue her studies.

The Long Pathway to Cell Organization and Growth

Sterols are among the most abundant lipids in eukaryotic cells, yet are synthesized through notoriously long, complex metabolic pathways. Chemistry Professor Itay Budin uses a novel approach to show how they interact with other lipids that help cells self-organize. 

7 UC San Diego Discoveries That Changed the World

In his Nobel Prize banquet speech, Roger Tsien said "We hope this prize reinforces recognition of the importance of Basic Science as the foundation for practical benefits to our health and economies." Today, his work on GFPs literally lights the way in biomedical research. 

Min Proteins for Max Efficiency During Cell Division 

The Min protein system prevents abnormal cell division in bacteria, but is poorly understood. Physics Professor Suckjoon Jun and others have uncovered how engineered e.coli bacteria control protein levels for maximum efficiency.

Six UC San Diego Faculty Members Join Prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Professors Amanda Datnow, James D. Hamilton, Randy Hampton, M. Brian Maple, Carol Padden, and Suresh Subramani have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Using “Shallow Shadows” to Uncover Quantum Properties

Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a novel approach for examining quantum systems called "robust shallow shadows".

A New Astronomy Programs Helps Young Minds Tackle Big Questions

Astronomist Ethan Nadler has created a new program in The Preuss School UC San Diego called "AstroReach SD: Dark Matter and Python" to make astronomy accessible to low-income students.

Do “Completely Dark” Dark Matter Halos Exist?

Every galaxy is thought to form at the center of a dark matter halo, but astrophysicists don’t know whether star-free dark matter halos exist. Astrophysicist Ethan Nadler has calculated the mass below which halos fail to form. 

 Linda Rothschild Named AAAS Fellow

Professor Emerita of Mathematics Linda Rothschild is among 471 scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements by AAAS.

A Less Toxic Way to Manufacture Daily Goods

Professor of Chemistry's Mike Burkart has found a bio-based method to manufacture polyurethanes used in everyday goods. This new method is a less toxic, environmentally friendly alternative to current production methods.

 The Two Faces of Liquid Water

Scientists from UC San Diego have uncovered a key finding to one of water's unique properties: at high pressure and low temperature, liquid water separates into two distinct liquid phases — one high-density and one low-density.

Seeing Yourself in the Stars

UC San Diego undergraduates Julian Jackson, Peera Serumaga and Lauren Cadle share their thoughts on attending the National Society for Black Physicists conference, their passion for astronomy and why representation matters.

8 Trailblazing Women Educators

Throughout UC San Diego’s 65-year history, women -- including Margaret Burbidge and Maria Goeppert Mayer -- have been at the forefront of education and mentorship. Their contributions have sparked innovation, nurtured minds and inspired generations of Tritons.

Max di Ventra Elected to National Academy of Inventors

Professor of Physics Massimiliano di Ventra has been elected a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in recognition of his innovative research and technology development.

Eyes in the Sky

UC San Diego faculty visit the Lick Observatory regularly to conduct experiments, collect data and provide students with hands-on learning experiences. Here’s an inside look at how we look at the stars.

A New Way to Observe Electrons in Motion

Electrons are incredibly fast. Because of their ultrafast motions, directly observing their behavior has been challenging. Researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have suggested a new method to make visualizing electron motion a reality.

Astronomy and Astrophysics Embraces a New Year of Discovery

UC San Diego is positioning itself as a leader in astronomical research as its new Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics is building a world-class program for faculty-scholars and students.

Follow the Water

Using Infrared Heat Transfer to Modify Chemical Reactions

In a joint experimental-theoretical work, a team of researchers, including theorists from UC San Diego, have shown for the first time that heat transfer in the form of infrared radiation can influence chemical reactions more strongly than traditional convection and conduction methods.

Itay Budin and Christopher Obara Named Allen Distinguished Investigators

The pair, who discuss their work in this Q&A, will receive $1.5 million over three years to develop visualization and tracking techniques to observe key cellular functions in unprecedented detail.

Uncovering Clues to a Natural Gene-Editing Technique

Diversity-generating retroelements are found in the genomes of microorganisms across the globe, and are able to accelerate evolution to help microorganisms adapt to changing environments. Using cryoEM, chemistry professor Partho Ghosh has figured out the first steps of this evolution by visualizing the relevant proteins and RNA.

Uncovering a Key Step in How Diazotrophs “Fix” Nitrogen

Chemistry professors Akif Tezcan and Mark Herzik took a multi-pronged approach to better understand how diazotrophs "fix" nitrogen — a critical process to life on Earth — while also protecting themselves from oxygen exposure.

Visualizing a Key Step in How an Enzyme Produces an Antibiotic

NRPS enzymes are essential in creating medications like penicillin. Notoriously difficult to study, Professor of Chemistry Michael Burkart has developed crosslinking tools that make the enzymes easier to visualize.

The Future of Computing is Physics

Since its founding, UC San Diego has been at the forefront of physics research. Ivan Schuller and Oleg Shpyrko talk about artificial intelligence, the future of computing and why physics researchers play the long game.

On the Origin of Life: How the First Cell Membranes Came to Exist

Few questions have captivated humankind more than the origin of life on Earth. New research from Professor of Chemistry Neal Devaraj has uncovered a plausible explanation involving a simple chemical reaction.

Explaining Science Through Dance

Professor of Chemistry Joel Yuen-Zhou and graduate student Matthew Du orchestrated a dance with high school students as a way to explain topological insulators. 

New Model Brings Insight to Cell Organelle’s Structure and Function

Phyiscs Professor Elena Koslover's group has helped build a new model to investigate the unique structure of the cell's endoplasmic reticulum and how this structure supports its function.  

Fan Chung Graham Receives 2024 Revelle Medal

Distinguished Professor Emerita of Mathematics and Computer Science & Engineering Fan Chung Graham holds the Paul Erdös Chair in Combinatorics at UC San Diego. She received this year's Revelle Medal for her distinguished and extraordinary service to campus.