University News

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.

Study Improves Understanding of Food Safety Risks in California Central Coast Produce

Amy M Quinton — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:05:00 PST

UC Davis researchers found harmful strains of E. coli, including types that can cause serious human illness, in animal and environmental sources in the Salinas Valley.

Hawk Study Shows Potential Lessons of Bird Flight

Andy Fell — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:58:50 PST

Birds have an ability to fly through obstacles by shifting their shape in flight, which is difficult to reproduce in uncrewed aerial vehicles, commonly known as UAVs or drones.

More Than Specialty Care

Kat Arthur — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:00:00 PST

The top-ranked UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine may be known for its specialty care, but they also offer primary care for your animals. The Primary Care Service at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, or VMTH, provides treatment to make sure that your canine or feline friend receives the routine care they need.

State of the Campus: Resilient

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:30:00 PST

UC Davis has continued to improve lives amid the challenges facing universities across the country, Chancellor Gary S. May said at his annual State of the Campus address last week.

“We are not immune to these national forces, but we are prepared, engaged and resilient,” May said.

2026 UC Davis Alumni Awards Celebrate Leadership, Service and Global Impact

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:00 PST

The University of California, Davis, Cal Aggie Alumni Association has announced the recipients of its 2026 Alumni Awards, honoring exceptional alumni and friends whose leadership, innovation and service have strengthened communities locally and around the world.

2025-26 Chancellor’s Fellows Rise to the Top

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:01:19 PST

They are experts in a parasitic amoeba, scientific history, the health effects of stress and more, and now these eight faculty members can add a new title: Chancellor’s Fellow.

The recognition is given each year to early career academics doing exemplary work, and the 2025-26 class will be recognized at a reception next week.

Transformative Gift Propels UC Davis’ Leadership in Ag Tech

Amy M Quinton — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:09:12 PST

UC Davis receives a $25 million gift from the estate of Dan G. Best II to fund endowed chairs, scholarships and agricultural innovation in honor of C.L. Best.

Amy Brooks-Kayal Wins 2025 Women & Philanthropy Impact Award

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:00:00 PST

Over the course of her accomplished career in academia and health care, Amy Brooks-Kayal has gone above and beyond to level the playing field in neurology.

On Feb. 20, Brooks-Kayal received the 2025 Women & Philanthropy Impact Award in recognition of her commitment to elevating others. The award ceremony was hosted by members of the Women & Philanthropy Advisory Council.

CHANCELL-ING: A United UC Davis Advances Our Region’s Health

Cody Kitaura — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:00:00 PST

Some think of UC Davis and UC Davis Health in Sacramento as separate entities that are divided by the Yolo Causeway. The truth is, our collaboration isn’t bound by geography, especially when it comes to health.

Together, our campuses join forces to conduct research that leads to medical breakthroughs that benefit not just Davis residents but everyone. Through our medical training programs and dissemination of research, we further spread new knowledge, innovations and best practices to the wider health care workforce.

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

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.

UC Davis Marks Anniversary of From Labs to Lives Campaign With Campuswide ‘Takeover’

James Michael Nash — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 06:00:00 PST

Over the past year, tens of thousands of people have watched and listened to University of California, Davis, researchers describe how federally funded research advances human and animal health, enables farmers to grow higher-yielding and sustainable crops, and enhances our understanding of our planet and cosmos.

Record Number Apply for Undergraduate Studies

Julia Ann Easley — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:05:50 PST

For the third consecutive year, a record high number have applied to UC Davis for undergraduate studies, and a record number of California residents are among them.

Funding the Future of Maternal Health

Anila Mary Lijo — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:08:05 PST

Federal funding supports much of the research aimed at improving maternal health outcomes and reducing long-standing inequities, according to Leigh Ann Simmons, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

She is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May, where she described how public research dollars make it possible to study pregnancy not only as a short-term medical event but as a predictor of lifelong health.

A Respectful Debate on Research Funding

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:00:00 PST

After watching two visiting economists debate at UC Davis last week over whether the federal government should be funding scientific research, many changed their views — but not everyone was convinced.

Among the Academies: A Fresh Look at Food

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:00:00 PST

Stroll through a grocery store and pick up a plastic container of strawberries. How do manufacturers know where to put holes in the clamshell for the best airflow?

Questions like those have been at the heart of food engineer R. Paul Singh’s research at UC Davis for the past 50 years, but the answers aren’t always easy to find.

“Food is actually a very, very complex material,” Singh said.

UC Davis Medal Awarded to Campus Leaders Robert D. and A. Kathleen Grey

James Michael Nash — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:34:45 PST

The 2026 UC Davis Medal, the University of California, Davis’ highest honor, will be awarded to Robert D. and A. Kathleen Grey. The couple have dedicated their lives and careers to the university and the surrounding community for nearly six decades, playing an integral role in the university’s transformation into the world-class research institution it is today.

Adolescent Social Health May Foretell Loneliness, Aggressive Behavior, Study Suggests

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:27:10 PST

Teens who are lonely and those who experience conflict in their home life are more likely to act aggressively toward peers or become victims themselves. These are some of the findings in a new University of California, Davis, study that creates a detailed picture of children’s social lives by identifying patterns and predictors of adolescent social health.

UC Davis Fashion Students Learn from Scottish Artisans

Jocelyn C Anderson — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:00:03 PST

UC Davis students, left to right, Brandon Mammon, Sara Lindstrom, Izzy Goldschneider, Carmen Franco and Perla Guzman show off their

Bird Flight Research Advances Drone Technology and Wild Raptor Care

Jocelyn C Anderson — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:59:18 PST

UC Davis’ new Center for Animal Flight and Innovation studies raptor flight. Researchers use high-speed cameras to improve drone technology and help injured birds.