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January 20
1993 - Hart High grad Dee Dee Myers (1979) becomes first female White House press secretary [story]
Dee Dee Myers


California State University, Northridge microbiologist Cristian Ruiz Rueda has dedicated his career to developing novel ways of preventing and treating infectious diseases caused by bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics.

To do that, Ruiz Rueda said, he needs to understand how the metabolic network of bacteria — a complex set of biochemical reactions that determine the physiological properties of a cell — functions together with their export machinery to protect bacteria from antibiotics and maintain metabolic balance.

“And the key to that is understanding how bacteria coordinate their responses to toxic molecules, stress and changes to their environment,” he said. “If we could understand that we could develop better treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections to ensure people remain healthy.”

Ruiz Rueda has recently been awarded $1 million, four-year grant from the National Science Foundation to study antibiotic resistance, efflux and metabolism on bacteria, which will take him a significant step closer to his goal.

What makes the grant particularly exciting to Ruiz Rueda, who teaches in CSUN’s College of Science and Mathematics, is that part of his proposed research will be integrated into his upper division Biol 417/L microbial physiology class to help enhance the scientific education and training of undergraduate and graduate students at CSUN and expand the number of students from all backgrounds with direct access to hands-on research.

“The students will have an opportunity to participate in experiments interconnected with those being done in the research lab, thus helping us getting closer to the answers we are looking for, while they are also learning about what it takes to design and conduct scientific research.”

Ruiz Rueda’s research focuses on understanding gene regulation in bacteria, specifically “how they utilize one of their tools called multi-drug efflux pumps — which is a mechanism that they have in their tableau that allows them to expel toxic molecules like antibiotics out of the cell — as a way for the bacteria to defend themselves,” he said.

Ruiz Rueda is studying the protein AcrR, which he called a “key gene regulator that simultaneously senses external toxic molecules and metabolic stress and then controls how many multidrug efflux pumps are produced to remove potentially toxic molecules or molecules that are accumulating and blocking the normal metabolic pathways of a cell.”

While doing all of that, Ruiz Rueda said, AcrR also controls motility — the ability of an organism to move independently using metabolic energy, so the cells can escape to a different environment — and metabolism to cope with toxic molecules and maintain metabolic flow.”

“The vast majority of metabolic genes directly regulated by AcrR and cellular metabolites that control its function remain unknown,” he said. “This project is expected to close this knowledge gap by uncovering the network of metabolic pathways sensed and directly regulated by AcrR.

“These contributions are important because they will transform our knowledge of how bacteria maintain metabolic balance and adapt to hazards, metabolic stress and environmental changes,” Ruiz Rueda said.

That knowledge, he added, is important for treating illnesses and keeping people healthy.

“For example, if someone is sick, you give them antibiotics,” Ruiz Rueda said. “We know that the bacteria are going to respond to try to sort of weather out the storm by for example pumping out these antibiotics. Many times, if they can survive for a while, they can accumulate more mutations and become more resistant over time. But there are also “good” bacteria, like the bacteria in our gut, that help us in multiple ways such as producing vitamins or competing with pathogens.

“If we can understand how their metabolism functions and is regulated, we can find ways to encourage the “good” bacteria to thrive, while preventing the ‘bad’ bacteria from mutating and becoming resistant to treatment.”

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HIGHER EDUCATION LINKS
LOCAL COLLEGE HEADLINES
Friday, Jan 17, 2025
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a business meeting Wednesday, Jan. 22, beginning at 5 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025
New and continuing students can register for the College of the Canyons spring 2025 semester, which begins Monday, Feb. 10.
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2025
Mojdeh Mahn, associate dean of learning resources and director of The Learning Center (TLC) at College of the Canyons, remembers the first time she stepped foot on campus as a 17-year-old.
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2025
Carefully sorting through the detritus — mostly animal bones — of an archaeological excavation that took place in Germany in the 1930s, California State University, Northridge anthropologist Hélène Rougier found inches-long bone fragments that offer a glimpse of what life was like for early modern humans more than 40,000 years ago.
Tuesday, Dec 24, 2024
Four students from California Institute of the Arts Character Animation program have been awarded scholarships by ASIFA-Hollywood’s Animation Educators Forum for the 2024-25 academic year.
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Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1993 - Hart High grad Dee Dee Myers (1979) becomes first female White House press secretary [story]
Dee Dee Myers
1967 - Original airing of Star Trek "Arena" Episode: Kirk battles the Gorn commander (Saugus resident Bobby Clark) at Vasquez Rocks [watch]
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1899 - Martin & Richard Wood buy J.H. Tolfree's Saugus Eating House (still inside Saugus Depot), rename it Saugus Cafe [story]
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Fritz Coleman’s show "Unassisted Living," in Residency at the El Oortal Monroe Forum in North Hollywood, will be performed on Sunday, Jan. 26 t0 benefit the California Community Foundation Wildlife Recovery Fund with 100% of all profits raised donated to the fund.
Jan. 26: Fritz Coleman’s ‘Unassisted Living’ to Benefit Wildfire Recovery Fund
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a business meeting Wednesday, Jan. 22, beginning at 5 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 3 p.m.
Jan. 22: COC Board Business Meeting
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau continues its dedicated efforts to locate individuals reported missing following the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires.
LASD Reports 17 Still Missing in L.A. Area Wildfires
The Canyon Theatre Guild opens the Broadway musical, "West Side Story" on Saturday, Jan. 18 on stage at the community theater in Old Town Newhall.
‘West Side Story’ Opens at the Canyon Theatre Guild
The William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board has unanimously approved the appointment of Jordan Meraz as the new Director of Technology Services.
Jordan Meraz Named Hart Director of Technology Services
The American Red Cross is offering financial assistance for families whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Los Angeles County wildfires. Assistance available to those affected by Eaton, Palisades, Hurst and Kenneth fires.
Red Cross Offers Financial Assistance to Fire Victims
Cal Fire and the Los Angeles County Fire Department have reported that containment efforts continue for all three activie fires still burning in Southern California.
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Newhall Escrow, founded in 1963, has announced its acquisition by Santa Clarita Valley real estate professional Christian Lazore.
Newhall Escrow Changes Hands
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman has announced that charges have been filed against eight additional individuals in connection with eight alleged crimes committed during Los Angeles County’s devastating wildfires.
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The William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board approved the appointment of Vince Ferry as the new Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Vince Ferry Named Hart Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services
California State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman have announced a rapid response effort to prevent and prosecute insurance fraud targeting wildfire survivors.
Officials Announce Efforts to Protect Wildfire Victims from Insurance Fraud
1994, 4:31 a.m. - Magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake rocks Santa Clarita Valley [video]
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At its regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14, the Santa Clarita City Council appointed a number of individuals to fill vacancies on city commissions.
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The Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley Corps provides social services, including food, shelter, clothing and financial assistance. According to Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley Corps Captain Rafael Viana, Officer in Charge, the organization has now focused its concentration on helping the specific needs of those affected in the Los Angeles area wildfires.
Salvation Army SCV Corps Works to Assist Fire Victims
In partnership with DreamUp, three teams, one from SCVi in the Santa Clarita Valley and two from iLEAD Hybrid Exploration, have been selected to send experiments to the International Space Station.
SCVi, iLEAD Selected to Send Student Experiments to Space
The city of Santa Clarita and Green Santa Clarita will host a class on Saturday, Feb. 22 from 9-10 a.m., regarding the importance of rainwater harvesting and proper installation and maintenance of rain barrels.
Feb. 22: Rain Barrel Class, Purchase Program
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency will hold its regular board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 21 starting at 6 p.m.
Jan. 21: SCV Water Agency Regular Board Meeting
The Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Library will host a adults decorate a tote bag activity, 1-2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 at 18601 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country, CA 91351.
Jan 18: Adults Decorate a Tote Bag at Canyon Country Library
Irit Specktor and the Studio K'tan Flamenco Dance Academy presents "Flamencommunity", a flamenco dance and music event, 8-9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 at the MAIN, 24266 Main Street Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
Feb. 7:  K’tan Flamenco Dance Academy Presents ‘Flamencommunity’
As a father of two young children, I understand how crucial it is to be an active and informed parent in today’s world. The challenges our kids face are more complex than ever and I believe it’s our responsibility to equip them with the tools they need to make healthy choices.
Jason Gibbs | Parenting for Prevention In-Person Meeting
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