UC Science Today

Implantable microdevices have been used to develop cochlear implants and artificial retinas – and now researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are working to develop the world’s first neural device to help restore memory. Research engineer Angela Tooker says what makes their devices different is the use of microfabrication.

"There are a number of commercially available neural implants out there, but they’re not microfabricated. So we’re getting small, able to access all portions of the brain. That’s another limitation of kind of commercially-available technology – you can’t go everywhere in the brain with it."

Tooker says with microfabrication, engineers can put thousands of electrodes on these devices and access thousands of neurons within the brain.

"Essentially, what that means is that we’re making devices in the micron scale. You know, to put that in a size perspective, a hair is generally considered to be about a hundred microns wide, so our devices are smaller than that."

The Lab’s Neural Technology group is collaborating on their implantable neural device with UCLA and private industry.

The microbiome is fast becoming an exciting new frontier in human health. That’s because it’s made up of a staggering amount of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes that make you, well, you. In fact, you’re only 10% human, the rest is this microbial system that lives on your skin, in your mouth, nose, throat, lungs, guts….you get the picture. And it varies from person to person based on diet, health history, ancestry, geographic location and climate. Even those you live with, including your pets, can influence your microbiome.

Now, researchers are turning their attention to how the microbiome affects our health. At the University of California, San Diego, Chancellor Pradeep Khosla announced a new interdisciplinary initiative to advance the study of microbiomes found in the gut and everywhere else on earth.

In this short podcast, we chat with one of the leaders of this new intiative, Dr. Rob Knight (pictured inset), who is a pioneer in the microbiome field.

The microbiome is fast becoming an exciting new frontier in human health. That’s because it’s made up of a staggering amount of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes that make you, well, you. In fact, you’re only 10% human, the rest is this microbial system that lives on your skin, in your mouth, nose, throat, lungs, guts….you get the picture. And it varies from person to person based on diet, health history, ancestry, geographic location and climate. Even those you live with, including your pets, can influence your microbiome.

Now, researchers are turning their attention to how the microbiome affects our health. At the University of California, San Diego, Chancellor Pradeep Khosla announced a new interdisciplinary initiative to advance the study of microbiomes found in the gut and everywhere else on earth.

In this short podcast, we chat with one of the leaders of this new intiative, Dr. Rob Knight (pictured inset), who is a pioneer in the microbiome field.

The microbiome is fast becoming an exciting new frontier in human health. That’s because it’s made up of a staggering amount of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes that make you, well, you. In fact, you’re only 10% human, the rest is this microbial system that lives on your skin, in your mouth, nose, throat, lungs, guts….you get the picture. And it varies from person to person based on diet, health history, ancestry, geographic location and climate. Even those you live with, including your pets, can influence your microbiome.

Now, researchers are turning their attention to how the microbiome affects our health. At the University of California, San Diego, Chancellor Pradeep Khosla announced a new interdisciplinary initiative to advance the study of microbiomes found in the gut and everywhere else on earth.

In this short podcast, we chat with one of the leaders of this new intiative, Dr. Rob Knight (pictured inset), who is a pioneer in the microbiome field.

Of the five senses, smell is the least understood. Now, the National Science Foundation has awarded 6.4 million dollars to an interdisciplinary team of scientists to crack the olfactory code and unravel how humans and animals navigate using smell. Psychologist Lucia Jacobs of the University of California, Berkeley explains that animals are experts at converting odors into spatial information.

"It’s a very simple question. There is an odor out there and it’s being carried by the wind. How do you find it? There is no, right now, model of how animals can do this. It seems like an impossible problem. However, we know that animals from the size of ants to probably elephant, they all are able to orient to odors being carried on the wind even far, far away."

Jacobs is part of a diverse team of seven researchers who received the grant, including mathematicians and cell neuroscientists. They will create various computational and mathematical models of odor navigation.

"So, I’m very excited to be doing this as a team. I think that’s just going to be transformational."

Of the five senses, smell is the least understood. Now, the National Science Foundation has awarded 6.4 million dollars to an interdisciplinary team of scientists to crack the olfactory code and unravel how humans and animals navigate using smell. Psychologist Lucia Jacobs of the University of California, Berkeley explains that animals are experts at converting odors into spatial information.

"It’s a very simple question. There is an odor out there and it’s being carried by the wind. How do you find it? There is no, right now, model of how animals can do this. It seems like an impossible problem. However, we know that animals from the size of ants to probably elephant, they all are able to orient to odors being carried on the wind even far, far away."

Jacobs is part of a diverse team of seven researchers who received the grant, including mathematicians and cell neuroscientists. They will create various computational and mathematical models of odor navigation.

"So, I’m very excited to be doing this as a team. I think that’s just going to be transformational."

Of the five senses, smell is the least understood. Now, the National Science Foundation has awarded 6.4 million dollars to an interdisciplinary team of scientists to crack the olfactory code and unravel how humans and animals navigate using smell. Psychologist Lucia Jacobs of the University of California, Berkeley explains that animals are experts at converting odors into spatial information.

"It’s a very simple question. There is an odor out there and it’s being carried by the wind. How do you find it? There is no, right now, model of how animals can do this. It seems like an impossible problem. However, we know that animals from the size of ants to probably elephant, they all are able to orient to odors being carried on the wind even far, far away."

Jacobs is part of a diverse team of seven researchers who received the grant, including mathematicians and cell neuroscientists. They will create various computational and mathematical models of odor navigation.

"So, I’m very excited to be doing this as a team. I think that’s just going to be transformational."

If you were told you could reduce your cancer risk by lowering your glucose levels by simply not eating past 7PM, would you be willing and able to fast that long? Researchers at the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center have found that increasing the duration of overnight fasting could be a novel strategy to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Lead author Catherine Marinac says they’re planning to look more into the feasibility and effectiveness.

"We’re hoping to do a larger, randomized trial. And we have done a number of pilot studies just to look at the feasibility in broad populations of women. So, we’ve shown that it’s generally easy and feasible for women to achieve at least a twelve to fourteen-hour fast."

But Marinac adds there may be a behavioral response.

"Attempting to achieve a long overnight fast, say stopping eating at 7PM, that may force people to go to bed earlier or initiate the behavior change process."

You’ve probably heard of the common sleep hygiene tips like no caffeine or exercise before bed. But there are also a few less common behavioral changes that you can make to get a better night’s rest. Dr. Aric Prather of the University of California, San Francisco’s Department of Psychiatry explains.

"Maintaining a regular wake up time, so seven days a week setting alarm and getting up every day at that time. So if your body knows what to expect it seems to work better and this is the case for sleep as well. Not watching television in the bedroom, not doing things that get your mind racing. And if you find that it’s clear to you that you’re not going to be able to sleep, remove yourself from that active environment. Go somewhere quiet, do something that’s low activity like read or even watch even watch television under low light until you feel sleepy again and then try again."

Prather’s team has been studying the effects of chronic sleep loss, including being at increased risk of getting sick.

"We know that cold season is around the corner, people are not getting enough sleep, and so it’s those people that we imagine might be at increased risk."

You’ve probably heard of the common sleep hygiene tips like no caffeine or exercise before bed. But there are also a few less common behavioral changes that you can make to get a better night’s rest. Dr. Aric Prather of the University of California, San Francisco’s Department of Psychiatry explains.

"Maintaining a regular wake up time, so seven days a week setting alarm and getting up every day at that time. So if your body knows what to expect it seems to work better and this is the case for sleep as well. Not watching television in the bedroom, not doing things that get your mind racing. And if you find that it’s clear to you that you’re not going to be able to sleep, remove yourself from that active environment. Go somewhere quiet, do something that’s low activity like read or even watch even watch television under low light until you feel sleepy again and then try again."

Prather’s team has been studying the effects of chronic sleep loss, including being at increased risk of getting sick.

"We know that cold season is around the corner, people are not getting enough sleep, and so it’s those people that we imagine might be at increased risk."