Spotlight
In Love with Research, and with Each Other
Whether they share labs or library books, interests in poetry or proteins, faculty couples–people who have made a commitment to their research and to one another–face an entirely unique set of challenges and privileges in academia.
It is hard to determine how many married couples or life partners there are on UCSD’s faculty. Some departments have a concentration (biology and economics, for example, have at least four couples each), while in other cases couples are split among disciplines or between teaching, research and administration.
Things can get even more interesting when both people happen to be in the same field.
Biosphere Is Going Green
The division is going green and saving green and as part of that effort our alumni magazine, Biosphere, has transformed from a quarterly print publication to a quarterly electronic newsletter. In each issue, we will share exciting research breakthroughs and news from the division as well as feature a variety of stories, including spotlights on education, research, alumni and philanthropic support. We will highlight special events and ways for you to get involved with the division and connected with fellow alumni and peers.
You can read our inaugural issue and sign up to receive future issues as we continue to provide a fascinating glimpse into the division’s activities. We hope that you enjoy this new updated format and find it a valuable experience!Events
Center for Chronobiology Symposium:
From Cells to the Clinic
Date: March 10-12, 2010
Location: UCSD, Institute of the Americas
SD-CAB Symposium:
The Science to Support Algal Biofuel Commercialization
Date: April 23, 2010
Location: Salk Institute, Frederic de Hoffman Auditorium
Biological Sciences Seminar Program
News Clips
News
UC San Diego Researchers Synchronize Blinking “Genetic Clocks”
Researchers at UC San Diego who last year genetically engineered bacteria to keep track of time by turning on and off fluorescent proteins within their cells have taken another step toward the construction of a programmable genetic sensor. The scientists recently synchronized these bacterial “genetic clocks” to blink in unison and engineered the bacterial genes to alter their blinking rates when environmental conditions change.
Wilder Weather Exerts a Stronger Influence on Biodiversity Than Steadily Changing Conditions
An increase in the variability of local conditions could do more to harm biodiversity than slower shifts in climate, a new study has found.
Climate scientists predict more frequent storms, droughts, floods and heat waves as the Earth warms. Although extreme weather would seem to challenge ecosystems, the effect of fluctuating conditions on biodiversity actually could go either way. Species able to tolerate only a narrow range of temperatures, for example, may be eliminated, but instability in the environment can also prevent dominant species from squeezing out competitors.