UC Davis Advancing Health Worldwide News

Identifying Genetic Causes of Blindness in People and Macaques

Andy Fell — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:25:30 PDT

An inherited form of blindness directly comparable to a common inherited optic nerve disease in humans has been discovered in rhesus macaques at the California National Primate Research Center at the University of California, Davis. The work, published April 15 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to a better understanding of autosomal dominant optic atrophy, or ADOA, and potentially to new treatments.

Penguin ‘Toxicologists’ Find PFAS Chemicals in Remote Patagonia

Katherine E Kerlin — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 PDT

Penguins can serve as living monitors of their environment by using small, chemical-detecting leg bands, according to a study from UC Davis and SUNY-Buffalo.

Common Disinfectant Chemicals Far More Toxic When Inhaled, Study Finds

Amy M Quinton — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:00:00 PDT

Mouse study finds inhaling disinfectant chemicals (QACs) may be far more toxic than swallowing them, raising concerns about lung injury and disease.

4 Elected as AAAS Fellows

Andy Fell — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 PDT

Four faculty from the University of California, Davis, have been elected as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, class of 2025. They are among nearly 500 scientists, engineers and other innovators that the society recognized this year for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements.

Here are the new fellows, with their fellowship citations:

Global Strategies to Protect Seals and Sea Lions from Avian Influenza

Katherine E Kerlin — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:02:00 PDT

When the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus was discovered on a poultry farm in Asia in 1996, there was little indication that it would become so widespread and so destructive. Within 30 years, it reached every continental region except Oceania, infecting more than 400 million poultry, tens of thousands of elephant seals and sea lions, about 1,000 people and many other mammals and wild birds.

Pinnipeds, which include seals and sea lions, have been hit unusually hard by the virus.

Plant Cell Structure Could Hold Key to Cancer Therapies and Improved Crops

Andy Fell — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:22:25 PST

Can the bend of a banana give us insight into cancer? What does the shape of a rice grain have to do with infertility? The proteins that give plants their shape and structure are also involved in human disease. A team led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, has mapped out the structure of a key player, augmin, in exhaustive detail.

First Cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Northern Elephant Seals Confirmed in California

Katherine E Kerlin — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:00:00 PST

Note: March 12, 2026: This outbreak is ongoing. For the latest updates and materials, please visit the Institute for Pandemic Insights information page.

Seven weaned elephant seal pups in California’s Año Nuevo State Park tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed Tuesday evening.

What is Gut Health?

Amy M Quinton — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:51:11 PST

An international panel led by UC Davis professor Maria Marco defines “gut health” for the first time, offering a scientific framework for medicine, research and consumer claims.

H5N1 Causes Die-off of Antarctic Skuas, a Seabird

Katherine E Kerlin — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:00:00 PST

More than 50 skua deaths in Antarctica from H5N1 mark the first confirmed die-off of wildlife from bird flu on the continent, reports study from UC Davis and Erasmus MC.

Cat Disease Challenges What Scientists Thought About Coronaviruses

Amy M Quinton — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:54:47 PST

A UC Davis study shows a deadly cat coronavirus infects multiple immune cells, helping explain persistent inflammation and long COVID–like illness.

Federal Funding Protects California’s Future

Jocelyn C Anderson — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:00:20 PST

Federal grants support UC Davis research in FIP treatment, Alzheimer’s technology and water-efficient farming that protects communities and the environment.

New Field of Ecological Medicine Emphasizes Health Benefits of Connectedness

Andy Fell — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:48:43 PST

Ecological medicine is a new approach to health science that draws on a very old idea: connecting with each other, with animals and plants, and with the natural world fosters health and well-being for people and the planet.

Hayfeeders and Other Tools Can Improve Health, Welfare of Stabled Horses

Amy M Quinton — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:00:00 PST

UC Davis research finds items like hay feeders, giant rubber activity balls and shatter-proof mirrors can improve the health and welfare of stabled animals while also reducing frustration behaviors

GLP-1 and Health: Beyond Weight Loss in the Ozempic Era

Andy Fell — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:13:19 PST

This week, the White House announced a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to lower the cost of their GLP-1 weight loss drugs, Wegovy and Zepbound. The move could significantly expand access to these treatments for people with diabetes and obesity.

Federal Contract for up to $40 Million Fuels Research to Revolutionize Clean Indoor Air and Defend Against Next Pandemic

Andy Fell — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:05:23 PDT

When a public building catches fire, its built-in systems automatically respond: Smoke alarms blare, sprinklers kick on, and occupants quickly evacuate.

But what if the life-threatening danger isn’t fire but invisible airborne contaminants that can make occupants sick? Could a similar smart-building system monitor and improve the quality of the air indoors, where Americans spend 90 percent of their time?

Newly Recognized Pathway Could Protect People with Diabetes from Hypoglycemia

Andy Fell — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 11:15:09 PDT

A new study by the University of California, Davis, shows how cells work together to avoid a sudden drop in blood sugar. Understanding these feedback loops could improve the lives of people with diabetes and help them avoid dangerous hypoglycemia.

The work was published Sept. 16 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Psilocybin May Present è�� Risks During the Postpartum Period

Andy Fell — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 13:14:22 PDT

Magic mushrooms may not be the answer to postpartum depression, new research from the University of California, Davis, suggests.

Landmark Discovery Reveals How Chromosomes Are Passed From One Generation to the Next

Andy Fell — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 17:00:52 PDT

When a woman becomes pregnant, the outcome of that pregnancy depends on many things — including a crucial event that happened while she was still growing inside her own mother’s womb. It depends on the quality of the egg cells that were already forming inside her fetal ovaries. The DNA-containing chromosomes in those cells must be cut, spliced and sorted perfectly. In males, the same process produces sperm in the testes but occurs only after puberty.

Valley Fever Is Spreading Across the Arid West, Affecting People and Dogs

Jocelyn C Anderson — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:22:56 PDT

A soil fungus fuels valley fever, now reaching beyond California and Arizona due to climate change. UC Davis doctors and veterinarians trace the threat.

Federal Grants Support Research on AI-driven Protein Design

Andy Fell — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 10:26:06 PDT

Two projects at the University of California, Davis, that use artificial intelligence to design and engineer proteins for industrial and health applications have been funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).