UCSF

09/10/2026

Over the last five years, UCSF researchers submitted more than 1,000 invention disclosures. Each one is an idea with the potential to become a new treatment, device, or technology.

Among them: an artificial kidney, tumor-hunting immune cells, and AI that reads medical scans.

More than 2,400 UCSF inventions have been patented to date. This is what saving lives with science looks like, and what federal funding helps make possible. https://tiny.ucsf.edu/TFzVWV

09/08/2026

Scientists have spent decades finding genes linked to autism. But finding a gene is not the same as understanding it.

A new UCSF study built the most detailed molecular map of autism ever created, mapping more than 1,800 protein interactions across 100 risk genes. What they found could change how we treat autism.

Different mutations. Same disruption. Swipe to see what that looks like inside the developing brain.

And one finding that could open the door to new treatments.

https://tiny.ucsf.edu/bKIzbB

09/03/2026

Parkinson’s cases may have nearly quadrupled since 1990 — from 3 million to nearly 12 million worldwide. What’s behind the surge?

We asked UCSF movement disorders specialist Carlie Tanner, MD, PhD, who has spent decades studying Parkinson’s. Her findings point to everyday poisons in our environment. And her research has fueled campaigns to protect us from exposure.

The upsurge in Parkinson's cases has been described as reaching pandemic levels. Caroline Tanner, MD, PhD, discusses her research, which explains why cases are rising, and what we can do to reduce our risk or slow progression.

09/03/2026

It's very chic to go to UCSF.📚🌁🔬

09/01/2026

When Bay Area tennis coach Mark Orwig was diagnosed with melanoma in 2023, his doctor sent him to UCSF’s Adil Daud, MD. Daud, a melanoma specialist, was leading the nation’s first trial of a new personalized mRNA cancer vaccine.

The vaccine just became the first to succeed in a late-stage clinical trial. Earlier results showed it cut the risk of melanoma returning by nearly half. It works by targeting each patient’s individual tumor.

Mark’s cancer is still in remission. And he’s back on the courts — exactly where he belongs.

UCSF researchers helped test the first personalized mRNA cancer vaccine shown to prevent melanoma from returning or spreading, marking a breakthrough in cancer treatment.

08/28/2026

It’s not about how many hours your child spends online. It’s about what those hours are doing to their health.

That issue is at the center of Meta’s $17.1 billion settlement, one of the largest reached by a tech company in a lawsuit against the states.

UCSF pediatrician and youth screen-time expert Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, has spent years studying problematic social media use in kids. His research has found addictive patterns of use are associated with depression, sleep problems, and suicidal behavior.

What he tells parents to watch for goes beyond screen time.

Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, discusses the health dangers of excessive social media use on the health of children, in response to an August 2026 announcement of a $17.1 billion settlement regarding children and teen addiction to their platform.

08/28/2026

“Somebody did it for me. I’ve got to do it for the next people.”

After tennis coach Mark Orwig had a melanoma tumor removed from his cheek, one question haunted him: What if it comes back?

He joined a UCSF Health trial testing a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine paired with existing treatment — and it worked. Late-stage results show it can reduce the risk of melanoma returning. Similar vaccines for colon, breast, and other cancers may follow.

Federal research funding fueled the early mRNA science that made this possible. It’s keeping Mark right where he belongs: on the court.
https://tiny.ucsf.edu/TFzVWV

Scientists said the drug trial of the mRNA vaccine for melanoma could be the beginning of a transformation in care.

08/28/2026

Two-and-a-half years.

That’s how long people with eating disorders wait on average before starting treatment.

UCSF is receiving $9 million to launch a national center aimed at changing that by improving early identification, training providers, and bringing together researchers working to advance eating disorder care.

UCSF is launching a national Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders that provides training and resources to providers, supported by a five-year grant from SAMHSA.

08/27/2026

What if doctors could use your own tumor to teach your immune system to destroy cancer? UCSF scientists may have just found a way.

By coating lab-grown immune cells with pieces of a patient’s own tumor, they can direct the body to hunt down cancer cells, like giving a hound dog a scent to track.

For patients who’ve had surgery, the approach could one day help target cancer cells left behind. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2026/08/432431/how-teach-t-cells-track-cancer-hound-dog?utm_source=ucsf&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=teacher_cells_cancer

08/27/2026

Forever chemicals have been linked to miscarriages, preterm births, and preeclampsia. Now a first-of-its-kind UCSF study may offer clues as to why.

More than 95% of pregnant women in the U.S. have detectable levels of forever chemicals known as PFAS in their blood. These manmade compounds are all around us — in our water, in our soil, and in the food we eat.

Now, scientists are beginning to understand just how they affect the placenta — and taking the first steps towards research that might one day lead to safer pregnancies and healthier babies.

Forever chemicals are in our water and our blood. Now, UCSF researchers are understanding what happens when they reach our placentas and what that means for pregnancies, mothers and their babies.