Closing the Gap Between Alzheimer’s Disease and a Cure

Our knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease has grown rapidly in the past few decades, but it has proven difficult to translate fundamental discoveries about the disease into new treatments. Researchers at the California National Primate Research Center have developed a model of the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease in rhesus macaques that they hope will help close the gap.


Research Highlights

Understanding the Evolution of SARS and COVID-19 Type Viruses

A new study shows how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-1, which caused the 2003 SARS outbreak, are related to each other.

Dead Trees Fuel Wildfire Severity in Sierra Nevada

New research helps answer questions about what effect dense, dead foliage could have on subsequent wildfires and their burn severity.

Feeding Cattle Seaweed Reduces Their Greenhouse Gas Emissions 82 Percent

A bit of seaweed in cattle feed could reduce methane emissions from beef cattle as much as 82 percent, potentially paving the way for the sustainable production of livestock throughout the world.

Making Decisions Based on How We Feel About Memories, Not Accuracy

A new study from the Center for Mind and Brain shows that objective and subjective memory can function independently, involve different parts of the brain, and that people base their decisions on subjective memory, more than on its accuracy.

COVID-19 Isolation Linked to Increased Domestic Violence, Researchers Suggest

While COVID-19-related lockdowns may have decreased the spread of a deadly virus, they appear to have created an ideal environment for increased domestic violence.

First Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Spina Bifida Treatment Announced

A UC Davis Health team today announced the launch of the world’s first, FDA-approved human clinical trial using stem cells before birth to treat the most serious form of spina bifida. 


Innovation News

Repurposing Used Electric Vehicle Batteries for Solar Power Storage

UC Davis and RePurpose Energy, a clean energy startup, have executed a licensing agreement for an innovative system that repurposes batteries from electric cars to use as energy storage systems with various applications, like solar power.


UC Davis Licenses Novel COVID-19 Lung Treatment Using Inhaled Statins to InVixa, Inc

InVixa Inc., a biopharmaceutical startup, is working to commercialize a novel method using inhaled statins to treat the severe respiratory disease known as COVID-19. Statins are one of the most prescribed drugs on the market, typically used to treat cardiovascular diseases. Studies have demonstrated a potential link to improved outcomes in some lung diseases due to their immune-modulatory properties.


UC Davis Releases Two New Strawberry Varieties

Red, ripe strawberries are the hallmark of spring in California. Two new varieties from the Public Strawberry Breeding Program at UC Davis will provide consumers with big, flavorful strawberries throughout fall and winter, too.


UC Davis ‘Perseveres’ With NASA

Over the past four years, researchers at the McClellan Nuclear Research Center supported development and final flight readiness for the Mars mission through nondestructive testing of mission critical components with neutron radiography. Several UC Davis alumni also played key roles supporting the mission in different ways.


Innovative Compound May Help Patients with Kidney Disease

UC Davis Professors Aijun Wang, Kit Lam and Alyssa Panitch have formed a startup, VasoBio, to develop technology that may improve arteriovenous (AV) grafts used during kidney dialysis.



Insights

New Project Documents How California’s K-12 Schools are Tackling the Pandemic

Researchers at the California Education Lab at UC Davis are collecting a wide range of data from schools across the state to create a public dataset that can be used to gain insight into the impact of the instructional changes adopted during the pandemic.


Featured Podcast

Magdalena Wojcieszak on New Studies Finding Exposure to Media Does Not Increase Political Polarization

Conventional wisdom has held that as people are exposed to more partisan news, they become more polarized. But a new study finds that’s not so. On this month’s episode of The Backdrop, Magdalena Wojcieszak discusses a couple of new studies she has co-authored that found no correlation between media exposure and political polarization.


UC Davis LIVE: COVID-19

UC Davis LIVE: COVID-19 and Education

This episode of UC Davis LIVE covers topics including distance learning, how the pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities and student learning loss.


Event Spotlight

Development of mRNA for Therapy

On March 12, 2021, special guest speaker Dr. Katalin Karikó, senior vice president at BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals, and a pioneer in RNA-mediated immune activation gave a presentation about the history of the development of an mRNA delivery platform for therapeutic applications.



Upcoming Events

Distinguished Speaker Series in Research and Innovation: Dr. Lawrence Corey
Join us for a unique opportunity to hear from Dr. Lawrence Corey, an internationally renowned expert in virology, immunology and vaccine development. Dr. Corey will provide insight on the current and future efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and his perspectives on progress.
April 16

Research Pathways to Impact: Breakthrough Strategies to Accelerate Team Research
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, including highlighting the potency of team-based research. Join research leaders from across North America as we explore the concept of codifying a framework to accelerate research impact.
April 29

Highlighted Grants

UC Davis Leads $3 Million Community-based Project in Yolo County Targeting Adverse Childhood Experiences

UC Davis Receives $3.2 Million Award to Study Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Researchers Share in Eight Multicampus Grants

State Grant Provides $450,000 to Enhance California’s Specialty Crops


Researcher Spotlights

Women in Leadership: Dr. Diana Farmer

Farmer, who is the chair of UC Davis Health’s Department of Surgery, is internationally acclaimed for her expertise in surgery on fetuses in the womb to repair birth defects and on babies shortly after birth, saving countless infant lives and improving quality of life for many others.

Siobhán Brady Uses Big Data to Investigate Plant Development

Brady is a pioneer in teasing apart the changes in gene expression that drive root development.


Honors and Awards

UC Davis Ranked Among Best in World, Nation for Veterinary Science, Ag

UC Davis Leads the Nation in 2021 NSF Early Career Grants

 View more awards and rankings
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