Engineering
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Genome centers combine forces to validate a gene set for biomedical research
The advent of online databases to access the human genome has been a boon to biomedical research, and the usefulness of this information has just moved to a new level. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and the Wellcome Trust…
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An unusual RNA structure in the SARS virus offers a promising target for antiviral drugs
Research on the genome of the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has revealed an unusual molecular structure that looks like a promising target for antiviral drugs. A team of scientists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has determined the three-dimensional shape of this structure, an intricately twisted and folded segment of…
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Washington engineering dean named chancellor at UC Santa Cruz
Denice Dee Denton, dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Washington, was appointed chancellor of the University of California’s Santa Cruz campus today (Dec. 14). Acting on the recommendation of President Robert C. Dynes, the UC Board of Regents appointed Denton the ninth chancellor of UC Santa Cruz during a special meeting…
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UCSC engineers develop assistive technologies for the blind
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are developing new assistive technologies for the blind based on advances in computer vision that have emerged from research in robotics. A “virtual white cane” is one of several prototype tools for the visually impaired developed by Roberto Manduchi, an assistant professor of computer engineering, and his…
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Computer analysis shows scientists could reconstruct the genome of the common ancestor of all placental mammals
Contrary to the movie Jurassic Park, in which scientists recreate dinosaurs from ancient DNA, genetic material more than about 50 thousand years old cannot be reliably recovered. Nevertheless, a team of scientists has now demonstrated that computers could be used to reconstruct with 98 percent accuracy the DNA of a creature that lived at the…
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Major gift from storage industry leader Kumar Malavalli establishes endowed chair in storage systems at UC Santa Cruz
Kumar Malavalli, cofounder of Brocade Communications and cofounder and CEO of InMage Systems, has made a gift of $1 million to the University of California, Santa Cruz, to establish the Kumar Malavalli Endowed Chair in Storage Systems Research at UCSC’s Baskin School of Engineering. This major gift provides valuable support for the engineering school’s Storage…
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Tech industry pioneer Lee S. Ting will speak at UCSC Foundation Forum on Friday, November 5
Lee S. Ting, advisory director at W. R. Hambrecht and former vice president and managing director of geographic operations at Hewlett-Packard, will speak at the University of California, Santa Cruz, on Friday, November 5. Ting will speak on “Innovation Leadership in the Global Economy” for the fall UCSC Foundation Forum at 4:30 p.m. in the…
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MEDIA ADVISORY: Media tours and interviews available prior to dedication ceremonies for Engineering 2 Building
The Engineering 2 Building on the UC Santa Cruz campus will be dedicated on the afternoon of Friday, November 5, with ceremonies including UC President Robert C. Dynes and State Senator Bruce McPherson starting at 3 p.m. Tours of the building and interview opportunities for reporters have been scheduled for earlier in the day. When:…
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Genome researchers publish analysis of finished human genome sequence, plan next steps to figure out what it all means
A pair of papers published this week in the two leading scientific journals mark the completion of the Human Genome Project and the start of a new project to find all of the functional elements in human DNA. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are involved in both projects. In the October 21…
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Researchers guide light through liquids and gases on a chip, a major step forward for optical sensing technology
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have reported the first demonstration of integrated optical waveguides with liquid cores, a technology that enables light propagation through small volumes of liquids on a chip. The new technology has a wide range of potential applications, including chemical and biological sensors with single-molecule sensitivity. “It is an…
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UCSC researchers join in new partnership to speed development of an ‘artificial retina’ to restore sight
CHICAGO, IL–In an effort to speed the design and development of an artificial retina that could potentially help millions of people blinded by retinal diseases, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced today that five Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, a private company, and three universities–including UC Santa Cruz–have signed agreements to form a research…
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UCSC builds on landmark NASA contract to expand UC presence in Silicon Valley
With over 100 employees and funding for current research tasks at about $18 million, the University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) at Moffett Field has quickly become a dynamic center of activity for the University of California, Santa Cruz, in the heart of Silicon Valley. Managed by UC Santa Cruz in partnership with NASA Ames Research…