UC San Diego (Audio)

Explore the cutting-edge intersection of space travel, biology, and health. Experts dive into the effects of microgravity and space radiation on mitochondrial function, DNA repair, and liver regeneration, shedding light on the unique challenges astronauts face during long-term missions. The discussion also touches on metabolic health, highlighting the role of diet and new pharmaceutical treatments...

How can you make choices today that could help you live longer and feel better? Gordon Saxe, M.D., Ph. D. explores lifestyle choices, including diet, that can prevent, or slow, chronic diseases and improve overall health. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40600]

Grandmothers play a key role as alloparents in human families. A leading hypothesis suggests that the inclusive fitness benefits of grandmaternal care selected for an extended female lifespan after reproduction, a unique trait among primates. Beyond lifespan extension, grandmothers may have biological adaptations for caregiving. Research from our lab shows grandmothers have lower DNA methylation o...

B Side Players is an American band formed in 1994. The band incorporates the sounds of Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and Brazil with the funk, rock, jazz and hip-hop rhythms of their homeland. The band also drops a bit of Cumbia, gritty street Samba, Son Montuno and Jarocho into the mix. Described as War meets Lenny Kravitz by way of Ben Harper, the players have expanded their sound by playing with the li...

Michael J. Corley, Ph. D., explores groundbreaking research on aging, the role of ancient viruses in our DNA, and the impact of the gut microbiome on longevity. Corley discusses how stress, diet, and exercise influence our genetic health, highlighting the complex interplay between environmental factors and our biological systems. The conversation also touches on individualized treatment strategies...

This panel focuses on empowering neurodiverse individuals and their families through open discussions about communication and connection. Participants share personal experiences, emphasizing the importance of providing a voice to those who may struggle to express themselves. Key themes include support, understanding, and the journey toward fostering independence and confidence. The panelists encou...

Close relationships help us shape both our other social interactions as well as our internal physiology. Do these close relationships, also known as pair bonds, look and function similarly in species as diverse as titi monkeys, prairie voles, seahorses, and humans? How do negative experiences such as loss factor into, and perhaps strengthen, our close relationships? And what do we mean by luminanc...

Ths discussion captures the experiences of parents raising neurodivergent children, emphasizing the importance of finding joy, fostering inclusion, and supporting sibling relationships. Parents share personal stories of resilience, from guiding neurotypical siblings to embrace their roles with love to advocating for inclusive school environments. They highlight the unexpected ways their children t...

Dr. Theofanopoulou studies neural circuits behind sensory-motor behaviors like speech and dance, aiming to develop drug- and arts-based therapies for brain disorders. Her brain imaging research reveals overlapping motor cortex regions controlling muscles for speech and dance, while transcriptomic studies show upregulation of the oxytocin gene pathway in key areas like the motor cortex and brainste...

Humans are an intensely social species. We experience social interactions as rewarding from infancy, and the social cognitive skills that we develop in the context of our earliest interpersonal attachments are critical for our survival and personal well being. Lack of social connection is common in many psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. In some disorders, like autism spectrum disorder,...

Human beings show a range of emotional attachment, affection, and infatuation often referred to as “love”. Love promotes long-lasting and secure relationships that involve nurturing and support. Biological mechanisms underlying such behavior involve ancient neuropeptides and their receptors in the brain. These systems are also involved in reproduction, ranging from mating and pair-bonding, to givi...

Oxytocin is a peptide molecule with a multitude of physiological and behavioral functions. Based on its association with reproduction, including social bonding, sexual behavior, birth and maternal behavior, oxytocin also has been called “the love hormone.” This presentation will examine parallels between the healing power of oxytocin and love. As described here, many myths and gaps in knowledge re...

Karen Christman, Sheila Chari, Stella Hurtley, and Robert Stephenson explore academic publishing in stem cell research, focusing on reproducibility, collaboration, and public communication. Editors from top journals discuss curating impactful research, sharing clinical trial data, and addressing challenges in scaling and standardizing therapies. They emphasize bridging silos, advancing precision r...

Ancient texts warn of love turning into hatred, as seen in stories like Cain and Abel or “Et tu, Brute?” This talk explores the neurobiology of hatred based on the biology of love: the oxytocin system, attachment networks, and biobehavioral synchrony, which mature through mother-infant bonding and later support group solidarity and out-group hostility. Using this model, we developed Tools of Dialo...

Computer technology is evolving at a rapid pace, but have you ever wondered how computer scientists are able to make the devices we use on a every day basis so fast? How do machine learning computers and artificial intelligence work at such a high capacity? The work of theoretical computer scientists, that use math instead of programming to provide a rigorous framework for understanding what compu...

This engaging panel discussion delves into the evolving representation of autistic characters in literature, comics, and pop culture, featuring authors and creators who bring authentic perspectives to their work. The conversation highlights the importance of intentionality in storytelling, challenges stereotypes, and explores the nuances of portraying neurodiverse experiences with depth and empath...

San Diego artist and graphic designer Ron Miriello's new art installation "Found Adrift" is inspired by a scrapbook of seaweed. The exquisite collection was gathered by an unknown young woman from Searsport, Maine, in 1876. Tucked away in a trunk for almost 150 years, it was rediscovered by Richard Rydell, a local collector and lifelong friend of Miriello's. The intricate beauty captured in the or...

The human body is made up of billions of cells. These cells are the basic building blocks of life, and they work together to form tissues, organs, and systems that enable our body to function and carry out various activities. Each cell has its own specific function and role in maintaining the overall health and functionality of the body, but how do these cells know what to do? Researchers at UC Sa...

An unstoppable behind the scenes force of musical nature since his 1994 breakthrough as a producer with “Sweet Sensual Love,” Big Mountain’s follow-up to their smash “Baby I Love Your Way,” and keyboardist on their Reggae Sunsplash tour, Kevin Flournoy has amassed a dizzyingly prolific all-star resume in the jazz, pop and R&B realms over the past three decades. Kevin has written, performed or reco...

Learn about advancements in precision medicine, particularly the role of AI, stem cell research, and gene therapy. Experts highlight AI’s potential in personalized treatments, diagnostics, and patient care. Key topics include RNA targeting therapies, base editing for gene mutations, and using stem cells for disease modeling and regeneration. AI’s contribution to enhancing healthcare efficiency and...

Artist Jeppe Hein discusses Breathe with Me, a participatory artwork that invites the public to paint their breath on large canvases, visualizing the invisible act of breathing. Through an interview with Jess Berlanga Taylor, Hein reflects on the work’s themes of interconnectedness and cooperation, drawing from his own mental health journey to emphasize the importance of mindfulness and presence....

In the early 20th century, Budapest was the second-largest Jewish city in Europe, and Jewish artists and intellectuals played a major role in the city’s cosmopolitan cultural life. Among them was theater and cinema director and producer Béla Pásztor, whose career was marked by early success and later oppression. In a conversation with UC San Diego history professor Deborah Hertz, Béla’s son, Rafae...

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) an estimated 1.3 billion people or 16% of the global population have a significant disability. A disability is a condition that can be mental or physical, and can affect a person's vision, movement, thinking, learning, communication, hearing, mental health or social relationships. However, not all disabilities are the same. Some disabilities are gen...

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion where experts explore the contributions of Indigenous practices to modern agriculture. The conversation highlights traditional ecological knowledge, addresses gaps in food access, and proposes strategies to promote food sovereignty. Panelists examine how Indigenous wisdom and contemporary innovation create equitable, sustainable food systems, amplify Indigeno...

What's behind the political and social transformation taking place in the U.S.? According to Mike Madrid, author, veteran political strategist and expert on Latino voting trends, it's digital technology and demographics. His latest book is "The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy." As part of the Helen Edison Lecture Series, Madrid covers a wide-range of topics...