Award Winning Quyen Nguyen Earns Woman of Year
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UC San Diego Bioengineer Joins NSF Center for Pandemic Insights
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Horizon Startup Promo Drone Announces Strategic Partnership with Almo Pro AV
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Find Out What's Happening in National Security Innovation Brought to you by the FORGE, get all your national security innovation news here!
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UC San Diego Launches the FORGE Initiative to Advance National Security Innovation
Find out about the launch of the FORGE, the university’s newest innovation enterprise connecting students, researchers and emerging startups with pressing defense challenges. Read more.
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Five Eyes Reception Celebrates Five Eyes Defense Innovation Day – 2/11
On February 11, 2026, the Office of Innovation & Commercialization co-hosted the 2026 Five Eyes Reception alongside Ultra I&C, bringing together an extraordinary group of defense, government, and industry leaders from across allied nations at UC San Diego Park & Market.
Attendees were welcomed by Mayor Todd Gloria, who proclaimed February 11 as Five Eyes Defense Innovation Day in the City of San Diego — a powerful recognition of UC San Diego’s role as a convener of the global security community. Now in its fifth year, the Five Eyes Defense Innovation Alliance continues to strengthen trusted partnerships between the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, reinforcing San Diego’s position as a global hub for defense technology and collaboration.
Thank you to the 370 defense leaders, partners, and innovators who joined us. Together, we are building the relationships that translate breakthrough innovation into real-world capability.
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Revisiting Space Day Forum 2025
Relive the inspiring day at the Design and Innovation Building that brought together space industry leaders, faculty, researchers, startups, government partners, and investors from across UC San Diego to explore the future of space innovation, commercialization and national leadership.
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Global Collaboration: The Five Eyes Alliance & Defense Tech
As global security challenges evolve, the Five Eyes Defense Innovation Alliance (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US) is increasingly focusing on joint innovation in emerging technologies. The FORGE-sponsored alliance is crucial for setting international standards in AI, quantum computing, and secure communications. For UC San Diego researchers and startups, this represents a growing opportunity for international partnership and mission-driven innovation that spans beyond domestic borders.
Look for upcoming calls for collaborative projects targeting Five Eyes strategic priorities.
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Bridging the Gap: AFCEA Student Chapter at UC San DiegoWith West 2026 having wrapped in San Diego last week, our newly launched student chapter is at the forefront of connecting Triton talent with the defense industrial base. Our mission is to provide students with direct pathways into the National Security sector through mentorship, scholarships, and exclusive networking with Sea Service leaders. Whether you’re interested in cybersecurity, AI, or maritime engineering, AFCEA offers the professional edge needed to transition from the classroom to the front lines of innovation. Join us in March for a post-conference debrief to discuss key takeaways from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard leadership. Stay tuned for more information here!
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Application Granted: January 13, 2026
Inventors: Karl Y. Hostetler*, James R. Beadle, Nadejda Valiaeva
*Professor of Medicine, UC San Diego School of Medicine (Active Emeritus)
This patent represents a significant development in antiviral medicinal chemistry in describing novel compounds, known as nucleotide analogs, and therapeutic methods for treating viral infections, especially those caused by human papillomaviruses (HPV). According to Dr. Hostetler, who has been developing antiviral compounds for over 50 years, “the patent covers prodrugs …which blocks the production of viral DNA and has been shown to lead to significant clearance of infection in women who have had hig risk HPV infections for a year or longer.”
Most HPV infections fall into the high-risk category, and while some clear
spontaneously, there are currently no approved treatment options for these infections. Medical recommendations for diagnosed HPV infection is to “wait and see” if the infection resolves, persists, or progresses to pre-cancerous lesions or any of several types of cancer including cervical cancer.
The patented compound belongs to a category known as acyclic nucleoside
phosphonate prodrugs. These molecules are built to look like normal building blocks of DNA, but once inside infected cells, they interfere with the virus’s ability to make more DNA. This can slow or stop viral replication, a key step for treating infections. The patent is licensed to Antiva Biosceinces which is using the technology to develop ABI-2280, a novel, topical therapeutic for the treatment of high-risk HPV infection and cervical neoplasias caused by HPV. In August last year, Antiva Biosciences announced a press release showing successful completion of early Phase 1b/2 clinical trials proving the compound has favorable safety and tolerance across all dose levels and regimens
in the study. These results provide a path to greater efficacy with optimized dosing strategies to follow in ongoing clinical studies.
This feature has been brought to you by leading international law firm Perkins Coie, a proud supporter of our innovation ecosystem.
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Integration of Nanotechnology & Engineering to Life Sciences 2/27
First in a new seminar series on “Integrating Nanotechnology & Engineering to Life Science” featuring Zeinab Jahed: “Nano-Bio-Electronics for Sensing and Delivering.” Join us February 27 at 12:00 p.m. in the QI Auditorium (Atkinson Hall). No registration needed.
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StartupSD 1st Mondays
3/02
Join Startup San Diego for StartupSD 1st Mondays: Startup Ecosystem Showcase (Presented by ADP) on Monday, March 2 at 5:30 p.m. PST at Kiln for a night of networking with the accelerators, investors, university programs, and support hubs powering our region’s startups. Light bites and refreshments provided! Register now.
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MoForum 2026 From Innovation to Impact
3/25
Join MoFo on March 25 in San Diego for MoForum 2026 | Life Sciences – From Innovation to Impact, a half-day gathering bringing together leaders from across the life sciences ecosystem. Through engaging panel discussions and real-world perspectives, the program will explore how innovation translates into meaningful outcomes for patients, companies, and the industry. Register now.
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2026 Born in California – UC-Wide Pitch
Born in California:UC Startup Showcase is a UC-wide pitch opportunity for early-stage life sciences and physical sciences startups emerging from UC research, featuring a 6-minute pitch + 3-minute moderated Q&A on Monday, April 20, 2026 in person at The Cove. Pitch materials are due by a hard deadline on March 1st! Apply now.
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Other Opportunities to Apply
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SDSU 2026 San Diego Angel Conference - Founder Applications Now Open
The founder applications for the SDSU 2026 San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC 2026) are officially open. SDAC 2026 offers early-stage startups the opportunity to compete for investment from a group of active early stage investors. Selected finalists will advance through the program and be showcased at the SDSU 2026 SDAC Finale, hosted at San Diego State University. Applications close March 5, 2026. Apply now.
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Applications Open for 2026 Convene and Influence Funding Program
The application cycle for the Office of Research and Innovation’s Convene and Influence program is now open, and applications are due by Monday, March 16, 2026. Through this program, the aim is to support convening and dissemination activities that will shape future research agendas at UC San Diego and beyond. Apply here.
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45th Annual Small Business Forum
The SEC's 45th Annual Small Business Forum is March 9 at 1 p.m. ET in Washington D.C./ via Webcast. The forum will feature discussions with speakers from across the small business ecosystem, remarks from SEC Commissioners, networking opportunities, and more! Register Now.
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