For the first time, deep ocean sediments have been proven a significant biomedical resource by Scripps Institution of Oceanography scientists.
One of the major discoveries made by the researchers was a bacteria called actinomycetes. For more than 45 years, terrestrial actinomycetes were the foundation of the pharmaceutical industry because of their ability to produce natural antibiotics, including such important drugs as streptomycin, actinomycin and vancomycin.
The new Scripps data provides the first conclusive evidence of indigenous actinomycete populations in marine sediments.
The Scripps scientists also identified the structure of a new natural product called Salinosporamide A, which is a potent inhibitor of cancer growth, including human colon carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer.
The results of the study, which was led by William Fenical, director of the Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine at Scripps, are published in the October 2002 issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology and the Jan. 20 issue of Angewandte Chemie.
Group suggests tobacco tax raise to help budget
California’s Tobacco Education Research Oversight Committee will present recommendations on Jan. 21 that urge legislators to raise the tobacco tax to help alleviate the state’s financial crisis and increase support to tobacco control and education programs.
Smoking costs in California are nearly $16 billion annually, or $3,331 per smoker every year, according to a report by the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing Institute for Health & Aging. The healthcare costs alone would equal one-quarter of the projected state deficit, according to Wendy Max, co-director of the Institute for Health & Aging and UCSF professor of health economics.
TEROC will propose that 20 cents per pack be earmarked for California’s Proposition 99-funded health education and research programs. According to tobacco control experts in the state, every dollar invested in the California Tobacco Control Program saves the state at least $3 in direct health care costs and another $5 by reducing lost productivity.
Weekly ‘Enlightenment’ lectures to begin on Feb. 5
A global mini-tour of trends and events from the Age of Enlightenment in 18th century Europe to the rise of radical religious movements in contemporary times will begin on Feb. 5 as part of a free lecture series.
The series is based on the distinguished “”The Making of the Modern World”” sequence, which is a required course for Eleanor Roosevelt College students at UCSD. For the first time, UCSD is offering this abridged version in five weekly lectures.
Lecturers are members of UCSD’s “”Making of the Modern World”” faculty, and the lectures will be given from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Copley International Conference Center at the Institute of the Americas. For further information call (858) 534-0999.
Career Center to hold UCDC workshop on Jan. 22
A workshop for the UCDC Program, which allows students in all majors to both intern and study in Washington, D.C., will be held Jan. 22 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Career Services Center.
The workshop will go over the program application process and how to find an internship in Washington, D.C. For more information visit the UCSD Program Web site from the Career Services Center’s Internship SuperSite at http://career.ucsd.edu/sa/internsupersite.shtml.
Price Center to house artwork of UCSD alumna
As part of its winter art exhibition, the University Centers will display work of UCSD alumna Ginger Che from Jan. 16 through Feb. 13 in Price Center Gallery A and B. An opening ceremony will be held Jan. 17 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in Price Center Gallery A and B.
Che is a mixed-media artist whose autobiographical work communicates multiculturalism, spirituality and female sexuality. Though she considers herself primarily a painter, she also works with other mediums including poetry and performance.
Che earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in visual arts from UCSD in 2002. For more information contact her at (858) 334-0203.
