News

Smoke-Free Zones, Higher Taxes Deter Youth Smoking, Study Shows

Banning smoking in the workplace and increasing taxes on cigarettes have discouraged teens and young adults from taking up smoking, according to a study by researchers at UC San Francisco and UC Merced. The study, published Sept. 8, in JAMA Pediatrics, used data on the smoking habits of a group of

Childhood Cancer Research at UCSF to Transcend Tissue Types With Innovative Grant

Researchers at UC San Francisco are leading a five-year, $10 million research project dedicated to pediatric cancer, funded by the first grant of its kind to focus on a molecular pathway that underlies many cancers rather than on a cancer in a particular organ or tissue in the body. The grant's

Rare Melanoma Carries Unprecedented Burden of Mutations

A rare, deadly form of skin cancer known as desmoplasmic melanoma (DM) may possess the highest burden of gene mutations of any cancer, suggesting that immunotherapy may be a promising approach for treatment, according to an international team led by UC San Francisco scientists. One of these

Genetic Makeup May Make Radiation Riskier for Pediatric Cancer Patients

Genetic vulnerabilities associated with childhood cancers may make children undergoing radiation therapy more susceptible than adults to secondary cancers, according to novel insights from researchers at UC San Francisco. Malignancies caused by radiation therapy are a major cause of mortality in

Drug for Fungal Infections in Lung Transplant Recipients Increases Risk for Skin Cancer, Even Death

Voriconazole, a prescription drug commonly used to treat fungal infections in lung transplant recipients, significantly increases the risk for skin cancer and even death, according to a new study by UC San Francisco researchers. The team recommends physicians consider patient-specific factors that

DNA-Guided 3-D Printing of Human Tissue is Unveiled

A UCSF-led team has developed a technique to build tiny models of human tissues, called organoids, more precisely than ever before using a process that turns human cells into a biological equivalent of LEGO bricks. These mini-tissues in a dish can be used to study how particular structural features

Mammary Gland Is Shaped by Adaptive Immune System During Development

In experiments with mouse tissue, UC San Francisco researchers have discovered that the adaptive immune system, generally associated with fighting infections, plays an active role in guiding the normal development of mammary glands, the only organs--in female humans as well as mice--that develop