Press Releases

Satellites reveal possible catastrophic flooding months in advance, UCI finds

Data from NASA satellites can greatly improve predictions of how likely a river basin is to overflow months before it does, according to new findings by UC Irvine. The use of such data, which capture a much fuller picture of how water is accumulating, could result in earlier flood warnings, potentially saving lives and property.

‘Deep learning' makes search for exotic particles easier

Fully automated “deep learning” by computers greatly improves the odds of discovering particles such as the Higgs boson, beating even veteran physicists’ abilities, according to findings by UC Irvine researchers published today in the journal Nature Communications.

Abbott joins UCI's TechPortal Orange incubator

TechPortal Orange, a medical business-technology incubator, has leased 900 square feet of laboratory space at its UC Irvine Medical Center location to the vision care business of Abbott, a global healthcare company.

UCI Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism and King Abdullah University of Science & Technology forge a research partnership

The Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism at UC Irvine and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have agreed to a partnership to advance research on how genes and metabolism shape our bodies and minds.

Ineffective instructional methods are more apt to be used with math-challenged children

Irvine, Calif., June 26, 2014 – First-grade teachers in the U.S. may need to change their approach to improving the math skills of students who struggle with the subject, according to new research co-authored by UC Irvine education professor George Farkas. The study revealed that teachers in classrooms with higher percentages of math-challenged students are actually more […]

Novel biomarker predicts febrile seizure-related epilepsy, UCI study finds

A newly discovered biomarker – visible in brain scans for hours after febrile seizures – predicts which individuals will subsequently develop epilepsy, according to UC Irvine researchers. This diagnostic ability could lead to improved use of preventive therapies for the disorder.

UCI study finds that learning by repetition impairs recall of details

UC Irvine neurobiologists Zachariah Reagh and Michael Yassa have found that while repetition enhances the factual content of memories, it can reduce the amount of detail stored with those memories. This means that with repeated recall, nuanced aspects may fade away. Their study appears this month in Learning & Memory.

The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UCI receives $9.5 million gift

Stacey Nicholas’ Opus Foundation has made a $9.5 million gift to The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UC Irvine. The donation will establish a $2 million endowed deanship; fund student scholarships and graduate fellowships; and support school programs that focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics outreach. It will also facilitate an ongoing partnership with St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano.

UCI researchers learn how botulism-causing toxin enters bloodstream

Irvine, Calif., June 19, 2014 — UC Irvine School of Medicine researchers have discovered the mechanism by which bacterial toxins that cause food-borne botulism are absorbed through the intestinal lining and into the bloodstream. Their study, which appears in the June 20 issue of Science, points to new approaches to blocking this poisonous substance. Botulism is a rare […]

Air pollution pioneer James Pitts has died

Irvine, Calif., June 19, 2014 – James Pitts, a University of California researcher who helped uncover the dangers of air pollution blanketing Greater Los Angeles and who worked tirelessly to clear the air worldwide, has died. Pitts, 93, died of natural causes in his sleep today at his Irvine home, said his wife and fellow […]