An Enzyme Created with Synthetic DNA May Enable the First Treatment for Celiac Disease
A therapeutic enzyme that got its start with an international competition for undergraduates may end up being a game-changer for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that affects about one in every 100 Americans. UC Davis Professor Justin Siegel is one of the co-founders of PvP Biologics, which is planning to start clinical trials of the enzyme, KumaMax, later this year.

Research Highlights
CDC Awards $8M to UC Researchers to Fight Vector-Borne Diseases
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded an $8 million grant to University of California researchers to launch the Pacific Southwest Regional Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases to enhance public health preparedness for diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks.

Team Uncovers Treatment for Tumors in Dogs that May Help Humans
A team of clinicians and researchers from the UC Davis Comparative Oncology Program have demonstrated the effectiveness of a novel triple therapy approach in dogs that may also benefit humans.

UC Davis Joins DARPA-funded “Safe Genes” Program
UC Davis joins the Safe Genes program led by the federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to explore innovative genetic techniques that support bio-innovation and combat biological threats.


Mice Provide Insight Into Genetics of Autism Spectrum Disorders
While the definitive causes remain unclear, several genetic and environmental factors have been found to increase the likelihood of autism spectrum disorder.

UC Davis Team Delivers Nutrition Proposal with ‘Transformative Potential’ for Haiti
Researchers' analysis estimates that the simple step of adding iron and folic acid to wheat during the milling process could prevent 140 infant deaths and more than 250,000 cases of anemia among women and children in Haiti.

Close-Up View of DNA Replication Yields Surprises
Researchers at UC Davis developed a technique that allows them to watch individual steps in the replication of a single DNA molecule for the first time, giving new insights into a process essential for life.

Tahoe State of the Lake Report Released
The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center released its annual report which provides insight into critical markers of the health of the lake and surrounding area after the hottest temperatures on record and a winter with unprecedented levels of rain and snow.

Discovery of Moroccan Fossils Push Back Date of Human Origin
New fossil finds push back the origins of our species by 100,000 years. They also reveal what was on the menu for our oldest-known  Homo sapiens  ancestors 300,000 years ago: Gazelle meat, with the occasional wildebeest, zebra and other game.

Innovation News
Stem Cell Treatment for Children With Spina Bifida Helps Dogs First

UC Davis surgeon Diana Farmer, together with stem cell scientists Aijun Wang and Dori Borjesson, has successfully treated a pair of English bulldog puppies with spina bifida using a unique therapy intended to help preserve lower-limb function in children with the disease.

High-Frequency Chip Offers Next Generation Capabilities for Communication, Sensing and Imaging Applications

A novel, high-frequency electronic chip with the potential to transmit tens of gigabits of data per second — a rate that is orders of magnitude above the fastest internet speeds available today — has been developed by engineers at UC Davis.

Pianist, Wheat Geneticist Receive 2017 Innovator of the Year Awards

Lara Downes, artist in residence at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, and Jorge Dubcovsky, distinguished professor of plant sciences and Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher, were named the 2017 Innovators of the Year by UC Davis Interim Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter.

UC Davis to Enhance Campus Innovation and Entrepreneurship with $2.2 Million from State Assembly Bill 2664.

UC Davis received $2.2 million in one-time funding from Assembly Bill 2664, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Expansion bill authored by Assembly member Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, and signed last fall by Governor Jerry Brown. AB 2664 is designed to propel new innovation and entrepreneurship efforts across the University of California through investments in infrastructure, incubators and entrepreneurship education programs.

Nine Grants Awarded by UC Davis Venture Catalyst to Advance Promising Innovations Towards Commercialization
UC Davis Venture Catalyst announced the recipients of nine proof-of-concept grants totaling $328,000 to help campus innovators advance their research and technologies towards commercialization. This funding creates an important bridge across the so-called "valley of death" that plagues so many innovators prior to commercial investment.

Researcher Spotlight
Irwin Donis-González Shares His Passion for Bringing People Together Through Food
Irwin Donis-González, a cooperative extension specialist in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, is passionate about improving postharvest engineering. He sees food as what brings people together, what unites different cultures and makes his job meaningful.

Featured Events

International Society for Seed Science, 2017 Conference
Triennial conference to foster and promote research, education, and communication in the scientific understanding of seeds. Hosted by the Seed Biotechnology Center.
September 10 - 14
 
Meteorology and Climate: Modeling for Air Quality
The conference will cover a wide range of research topics related to predicting meteorology relevant to air quality. The primary focus will be on understanding and improving meteorological modeling, understanding what is “under the hood” in the models, how experimental data can be used to improve them, and the importance of meteorology in air quality modeling applications.
September 13 - 15
 
Liver Research Day 
Includes keynote speaker Bernd Schnabl, and associate professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology from UC San Diego, and Joshua R. Korzenik, and assistant professor and director at the Crohn’s and Colitis Center, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Harvard Medical School Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
October 4
Honors and Awards
U.S. News Ranks UC Davis Medical Center Among the Nation's Best in Eleven Specialties, No. 1 in Sacramento
UC Davis ranked among the top 50 hospitals in 11 adult medical specialties including cancer, cardiology and heart surgery.

UC Davis Tops World Rankings in Agricultural Economics and Policy
UC Davis is ranked first in the world in agricultural economics and policy — and among the top ten in 17 other subjects — based on the number of research articles published by its affiliates in top-tier academic journals.

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