Alzheimer’s Research Yields Potential Drug Target

Scientists may have identified the toxic agent in Alzheimer’s disease, opening doors for new drugs for treatment. The research, from the laboratory of UC Santa Barbara professor Michael Bowers, suggests that a cluster of peptides known as AB42 may be responsible for the disease. By using ion mobility-based mass spectroscopy, Bowers and his research group were able to examine the structure, aggregation, and energetics of protein and peptide systems. Now, the group is searching for drug candidates that can prevent AB42 from aggregating to form the toxic cause of memory loss. Caption: Michael T. Bowers with data on the Italian familial mutant of AB42, a strain of Alzheimer’s disease originally found in certain families of Italian descent.
— UC Santa Barbara Public Affairs

New Study Ranks ‘Hotspots’ of Human Impact on Coastal Areas

UC Santa Barbara scientists performed the first integrated analysis of all coastal areas of the world and identified the “hotspots” that are most affected by human impact. The study considered factors such as organic pollutants from pesticides and inorganic pollutants from urban runoff. According to the study, the hottest hotspot is at the mouth of the Mississippi River, where nutrient runoff has led to an overgrowth of algae that depletes the oxygen supply and creates a dead zone. The other top 10 hotspots are found in Asia and the Mediterranean. The rankings from this study can be used to help scientists decide where and how to allocate resources to tackle pollution-related problems.
— UC Santa Barbara Public Affairs