University of California, Merced - Lorena Anderson

Unraveling Cancer’s Neural Connections: NIH-Funded Study Investigates How Stem Cell Regulation Influences Tissue Renewal, Cancer Development

Anonymous — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:02:33 +0000

By Lorena Anderson, ��ϰٿ�

November 3, 2025

The National Institutes for Health are funding Professor Oviedo's research into the signals that regulate early cancer development.

The same cellular renewal that keeps our bodies healthy might also fuel the growth of cancer. A ��ϰٿ� biologist has found that the brain could hold the key to stopping it.

Professor Néstor Oviedo, a molecular and cell biologist and affiliate of the Health Sciences Research Institute, received more than $2 million from the National Institutes of Health to investigate signals mediating the earliest stages of cancer development. His findings could one day change how doctors think about treating cancer and age-related diseases.

“Our initial data suggest that key cancer symptoms can be selectively removed by activating signals from the nervous system,” Oviedo said. “In other words, by turning down brain molecular switches, we can control cancer.”

The five-year project, funded through the NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences, focuses on a biological paradox: The same cell-renewal processes that keep tissues functioning also create endless opportunities for mutations to occur. Every day, the body replaces billions of cells, but with each division comes a chance for error.

That constant renewal is one reason more than 90% of human cancers begin in epithelial tissues, such as the skin or the lining of the gut — places where cells are replaced most frequently.

“Understanding how cancer emerges during this renewal process is extremely challenging,” Oviedo said. “Different tissues regenerate at different speeds, and the signals they receive from surrounding tissues can profoundly influence how cells behave.”

One of the earliest steps in cancer development is DNA damage, particularly double-strand breaks — the most dangerous type. But scientists still don’t fully understand how some damaged cells manage to survive, multiply and become tumors.

A Simple Organism, a Powerful Model

To tackle that question, Oviedo and his lab turned to an unlikely organism: planarian flatworms. These small, freshwater worms are famous for their regenerative abilities — cut one in half, and it can grow into two complete animals.

Planarians owe that regenerative power to their stem cells, called neoblasts, which can become any cell type in the body. Oviedo’s lab has spent years developing genetic tools to study how these cells behave — making planarians a surprisingly powerful model for understanding cancer.

By disrupting a tumor-suppressing gene known as PTEN — one of the most frequently inactivated genes in human cancers — the researchers can trigger a cancer-like condition in planarians within just 12 days.

“It was fascinating to see many traits of cancer evolution develop in less than two weeks,” Oviedo said. “Other models take much longer and are far more costly. The planarian model lets us induce cancer-like symptoms and track, in real time, how normal cells transition to cancerous ones.”

The changes were dramatic. Shortly after PTEN disruption, the worms showed unchecked cell growth, tissue invasion and tumor-like formations — all hallmarks of cancer.

Neural Signals That Stop Cancer

Then came the surprise: When the team interfered with neural signals, the worms’ cancer-like symptoms began to disappear.

“Remarkably, by altering communication between the nervous system and stem cells, we could suppress these cancer traits,” Oviedo said. “That finding opened an entirely new area of investigation — one where the brain itself may play a protective role against cancer.”

This discovery could help explain why some tissues are more prone to cancer than others and how stress, aging or neurological health might influence cancer risk.

The research team will now combine genetic, cellular and genomic analyses to study how damaged stem cells survive and proliferate, and how neural pathways might control that process.

“It’s still too early to apply these findings clinically,” Oviedo said. “But we expect to begin testing them soon in mammalian cancer models. To my knowledge, this is the first evidence showing that modulation of neural signals can specifically eliminate cancer cells without affecting normal cells.”

Beyond Cancer

While cancer remains the focus, Oviedo’s work could also shed light on degenerative diseases linked to aging, which may share underlying mechanisms with cancer.

“Many age-related conditions might be affected by DNA changes that can be targeted by disrupting specific neural signals,” Oviedo said. “We believe this approach could eventually be useful in addressing those conditions as well.”

In addition to the cancer project, Oviedo’s research group studies how stem cells are regulated during tissue regeneration and how the immune system responds to fungal infections. The new NIH grant will support that broader work, funding staff, graduate students and new experiments through 2030.

The project’s official title — “Mechanisms of Stem Cell Regulation During Tissue Renewal and Cancer Development” — reflects a wide-ranging exploration of life’s most fundamental processes.

From Basic Science to Big Possibilities

For Oviedo, who has long championed basic biological research, the NIH funding affirms the value of studying simple systems to answer complex questions.

“Planarians might seem like an odd choice for cancer research,” he said with a smile. “But nature often hides its best clues in unexpected places. These worms help us see the connections between systems — between regeneration, the nervous system and disease.”

Those connections, he believes, could ultimately reshape how scientists and clinicians approach cancer — not just as a disease of rogue cells, but as a breakdown in the communication networks that normally keep them in check.

“We are committed to understanding the molecular signals involved in this process,” Oviedo said. “If we can learn to restore the body’s natural balance, we may find new ways to prevent or reverse cancer altogether.”

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��ϰٿ� Leads National Effort to Unlock Quantum Secrets of Twisty Molecules

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:07:20 +0000

By Lorena Anderson, ��ϰٿ�

October 27, 2025

An example of a chiral molecule and 'handedness.' Image courtesy of the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford

A team of scientists led by ��ϰٿ� is embarking on a project to understand how the twisted shapes of specific molecules can influence the spin of electrons — a phenomenon that could revolutionize solar energy, electronics and quantum computing.

The research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) program, focuses on a mysterious effect known as chirality-induced spin selectivity, or CISS.

In simple terms, CISS explains how chiral molecules — those that have a helical shape and show a "handedness," such as left- or right-handed gloves — can serve as filters for electron spin, a quantum property akin to a tiny magnetic orientation.

Chiral molecules appear identical but are arranged differently in three dimensions, so they can't be superimposed on their mirror images, much like our left and right hands. Often, their helical shape is responsible for their handedness. One well-known example of a chiral molecule is thalidomide, a drug whose two mirror-image forms had drastically different effects: One was therapeutic, while the other caused severe birth defects.

“Understanding how chiral molecules control electron spin could open the door to new technologies in energy harvesting and spintronics,” said Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Chair Professor Christine Isborn, the project’s principal investigator. “But the physics behind this effect is still not fully understood.”

The multi-institutional team includes experts in chemistry, physics, engineering and applied mathematics from ��ϰٿ�, the University of Michigan, Rutgers University- Newark and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Together, they aim to develop powerful new computational tools to simulate the movement and interaction of electrons and atomic nuclei in real time.

A Quantum Puzzle with Big Implications

CISS has captured the attention of scientists worldwide because of its potential applications. It could improve solar panels by converting sunlight into electricity more efficiently, enable new types of sensors and memory devices and even help separate mirror-image molecules in pharmaceuticals.

Despite its promise, CISS remains poorly understood. Existing computer models struggle to replicate the strength of the effect seen in experiments. That’s where the ��ϰٿ�-led team comes in.

“We’re developing scalable, high-accuracy simulations that go beyond current methods,” said applied mathematics Professor Harish Bhat, who, along with chemistry Professor Henrik Larsson, is a co-investigator. “Our goal is to model the quantum dynamics of electrons and nuclei in chiral systems with unprecedented detail.”

Three-Pronged Approach to Discovery

The project is organized into three main research thrusts:

Quasi-Exact Modeling: Using advanced wavefunction methods that attempt to solve the Schrödinger Equation, the team will simulate electron behavior in small chiral molecules with near-perfect accuracy. These simulations will serve as benchmarks for testing more scalable approaches. Larsson and Paul Zimmerman, a chemistry professor at the University of Michigan, lead this thrust.
Machine Learning Meets Quantum Physics: By analyzing data from the high-accuracy simulations, researchers will train machine learning models to improve the performance of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), a widely used method in quantum chemistry. This will help capture the complex spin dynamics in larger systems. Bhat heads up this effort.
Exascale Computing: The team will harness the power of supercomputers — capable of performing billions of calculations per second — to simulate electron and nuclear motion in realistic materials. These simulations will help scientists understand how environmental factors such as temperature and molecular vibrations influence CISS.

“We’re combining the best of physics, chemistry, and computer science to tackle a problem that’s both fundamental and practical,” said Vikram Gavini, an engineering professor at the University of Michigan and thrust lead for exascale computing.

A National Collaboration with Global Impact

The project is supported by an $8 million grant from the DOE’s Basic Energy Sciences and Advanced Scientific Computing Research programs. This is the first ��ϰٿ�-led SciDAC project and the only project selected this year to be led by a university. It leverages cutting-edge mathematical software and computing facilities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including the El Capitan supercomputer, one of the world's fastest.

Applied mathematicians and computer scientists from the Modular Finite Element Methods team at Lawrence Livermore, part of the SciDAC FASTMath Institute, will collaborate with scientists on the research project to accelerate understanding of the fundamental physics of CISS.

“This is a true team effort,” Isborn said. “We’re bringing together experts in quantum dynamics, machine learning, and high-performance computing to solve a problem that could reshape how we think about electron spin, energy and information.”

The researchers plan to make their software and data publicly available, enabling other scientists to build on their work. They also aim to host workshops and webinars to share their findings with the broader scientific community.

Training the Next Generation

Beyond the science, the project has a strong educational component. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers will gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge computational methods, preparing them for careers in academia, industry and national labs.

“We’re not just solving a scientific puzzle, we’re training the next generation of researchers,” Larsson said.

Looking Ahead

If successful, the project could lead to new materials and devices that use electron spin in novel ways, from ultra-efficient solar cells to quantum computers that store information in spin states.

“CISS is one of the most intriguing effects in modern chemistry and physics,” said Neepa Maitra, a physics professor at Rutgers University-Newark. “By understanding it at a fundamental level, we deepen our understanding of the correlated quantum motion of electronic charge, spin, and their coupling to nuclei, and could unlock new possibilities for technology.”

The research is expected to span four years, with major milestones in algorithm development, simulation accuracy and experimental validation.

“This is a bold and ambitious project,” said Isborn. “But with the right tools and the right team, we believe we can crack the code of CISS.”

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Two Weeks, One Challenge, Lifelong Impact: Bobcats Dive into Data Science Challenge

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 16:19:45 +0000

By Lorena Anderson, ��ϰٿ�

October 6, 2025

This summer's cohort of Data Science Challenge students and Professor Suzanne Sindi (red scarf) gathered in front of the University of California Livermore Collaboration Center. . Photo by Lawrence Livermore National Labratory

Kathy Chau believed she knew what her future would look like. The first in her family to attend college, she had long been advised to aim for a safe and stable job — one that might not light a fire in her soul but would pay the bills.

“I resigned myself to working a corporate job. I didn't like the sound of it, but I didn't hate it, either,” she said.

That was before she spent two weeks immersed in the Data Science Challenge at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a hands-on program that brings together undergrads, graduate students and lab mentors to solve a real-world data science problem.

Chau experienced a turning point in thinking about her future, she said, when LLNL Director Kimberly Budil visited the participants and told them how scientists at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility had achieved fusion ignition after decades of trial, error and scientific grit.

“Her account echoed a passion I had seen in each of the staff members I met,” the Hayward native said. “They had this unity in pushing the boundaries and working toward a common goal, and it struck me that I wanted to be somewhere where I, too, could speak about my job with such passion and excitement.”

Suddenly, her plan for a safe, stable job in some nameless corporation seemed even less appealing.

“I knew then that I wanted to work at the lab,” Chau said.

Training, Tours and Takeaways

This year, the program’s sixth, 43 students attended the program from ��ϰٿ�, UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz and California State University, Bakersfield, the largest number of participants and schools yet.

This year’s challenge focused on using computer vision techniques to analyze synthetic data — training models that could support automated laboratory work, such as controlling robotic arms or processing hazardous samples. At the end of the two weeks, each team presented its findings at a scientific poster session.

Days at the DSC are packed. Students dive into the Challenge problem, attend professional development sessions and hear from scientist-mentors. They tour high-tech facilities, including the jaw-dropping National Ignition Facility, where researchers push matter to pressures and temperatures that make the sun’s core look tame.

For many students, the DSC is their first exposure to the world of research beyond the university, as well as internship opportunities and possible careers at national labs. Lab mentors are carefully selected to represent different career stages, from postdoctoral researchers to senior staff, so they can discuss their career paths with participants.

“My goal is to share tangible, real-world information about careers that might not be well-known, especially those related to national labs,” said ��ϰٿ� applied math Professor Suzanne Sindi, a DSC co-founder. “Career development is a major part of this; it's about professional growth and learning. For me, success is measured through the career trajectories of individual participants.”

Sindi's passion is deeply rooted in her own life journey.

"I wasn’t the first in my family to go to college, but I was the first to go into a STEM field. I loved problem-solving and majored in math,” Sindi said.

That led her to undergraduate research and eventually to graduate school, where, late in her studies, she learned that many of her peers had completed internships at places like the Jet Propulsion Laboratory near her Southern California home.

“I didn’t know you could do an internship there,” she said. “I’m happy in academia, but I think about all the other doors a STEM degree can open — if students know where to look.”

From Nerves to Networking

Hosted just outside the LLNL gates at the University of California Livermore Collaboration Center, the DSC aims to “remove barriers and set up students with the skills and training employers want, and give them as many options as possible,” Sindi said.

Sometimes the barriers aren't about knowledge of opportunities, they are about nerves. Working with professional scientists can feel intimidating at first, participants said. But everyone agreed that the staff members at LLNL were warm, welcoming and always available for help or to talk.

Tahira Williams, a fourth-year graduate student originally from Kingston, Jamaica, applied to be a team lead for the 2024 Data Science Challenge at the urging of a friend and fellow graduate student.

“At first, I was nervous,” she said. “Most of my machine learning background is based on experience, not formal classes.”

She leaned into what she knew: biology, technical presentations and science communication, and was accepted as a team lead, guiding three undergraduates through a project using machine learning to predict heart health based on ECG data.

Challenges? There were plenty, especially when it came to finding enough data to train their machine learning model. Also, team members — last year, the undergraduates came from ��ϰٿ�, UC Riverside and Case Western Reserve with varying levels of experience — had never worked together before. But she said the team divided the work according to each member’s strengths and took the lead on their respective parts of the project and final presentation.

“It was great to see them empowered and confident,” Williams said.

Moitrish Majumdar, a third-year Ph.D. student in applied mathematics, also served as a team lead last year. When another team lead didn’t show up, Majumdar’s small group merged with it, doubling its size.

“The team was a mixed bag,” they said. “Some had a lot of programming experience; some didn’t. It took time to understand the dynamics, but it helped me learn about managing and leading, which are two very different things.”

Majumdar said they appreciated the availability of help from the organizers and other team leads. They also said the DSC’s networking opportunities helped them overcome an initial shyness.

“We were encouraged to talk to everyone and ask a lot of questions,” Majumdar said. “It was sort of like exposure therapy — intimidating at first, but very effective.”

For many students, the DSC is their first chance to work on a real-world research problem. It’s also their first time interacting daily with professional scientists—and sometimes realizing those scientists aren’t so different from them. Everyone who participated stressed the importance of taking advantage of networking opportunities, not only with the professionals but with peers who, as Chau said, have their own experiences and insights.

Majumdar and Williams both landed internships this summer: Williams at LLNL as a Computing Scholar Fellow, and Majumdar at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Both credit the DSC with helping them get there by networking and boosting their resumes, and plan to apply for more internships and fellowships.

Williams’ advice: Talk to the scientists. Ask about internships. Be honest about what you’re hoping to learn and where you want to go.

“When I applied for my internship, I reached back out to scientists I’d met during the Challenge,” she said. “I asked if they remembered me, and they did.”

That network — and the self-assurance that came with it — has stayed with her.

“You get to do something you’re not confident in, and that’s where you experience the most growth,” she said. “The DSC is one of those experiences that will be with me forever. I came in just knowing the basics, and I left being able to communicate with people who have been doing this for years.”

A Launchpad for Careers — and Friendships

Ryan Milstrey, a spring graduate from Folsom, joined this year’s Challenge to build his technical experience in deep learning for computer vision. Chau wanted to experience working in a high-pressure situation. Majumdar and Williams wanted the growth and networking experience.

They all got more than they expected.

“The key thing I gained from this experience was the connections I made — with the DSC staff, with my peers, and with the scientists at the lab,” Chau said. “Brian (Gallagher, DSC co-director) told us not to overlook the value of our peer network. Thanks to conversations with other students, I learned about research programs I hadn’t heard about before, such as URISE and CITRIS, and the staff gave us tips on preparing resumes and applying for the lab’s summer internships.”

Majumdar, who studies computational and mathematical biology, said, “The DSC gave me the opportunity to apply related skills in a different context.”

“I learned so much, and I got a chance to talk about science that I wouldn't normally talk about in my own thesis work,” Williams said. “The DSC was a great leadership development opportunity.”

“I expected people would be secretive about their ideas, but they were very open and the discussion was valuable and interesting,” Milstrey said. “Competition between the teams was minimal. It is a really low-stress learning environment.”

It's also a collegial environment. The students not only work together all day but stay at the same hotel, share meals and spend free time together.

Some students visited Yosemite National Park for the first time, while others explored the Bay Area. Williams and Majumdar, who remain close friends, took a weekend trip to Point Reyes National Seashore during their DSC.

“It was so beautiful,” she said. “We saw whales in the distance — I had never seen a whale before. It was just wonderful.”

“I've never been to summer camp, but to me it feels like summer camp because everybody starts off nervous and just getting to know each other,” Sindi said. “And then by the end of this intense time working together, there's a camaraderie that I hope is carried forward with them.”

Not everyone had the career epiphany that Chau did. For Milstrey, the DSC cemented his interest in pursuing computer vision applications of deep learning research as a career.

The others are still considering their options.

“The organizers introduced me to scientists who had biology backgrounds and shifted into computational work,” Williams said. “That helped me see a path for myself.” She hasn’t decided on a career path yet, but is sure she wants to use data science to improve health outcomes.

“The DSC opened up my horizons, showing me what it's like to work at the lab and informing me about the different types of roles that exist within it, as well as how the lab is very collaborative,” Majumdar said. “I haven’t decided what I want to do, but the DSC has helped me decide that I want to work in a national lab or industry.”

The one thing they all agreed on was that anyone who's even just a little bit curious about data science or working at a national lab should apply for the DSC, even if they don't think their skills or resume match 100%. Organizers are already working on plans for next year's challenge, and applications will be available on the program’s website.

“Don’t be afraid. You’re there to learn and grow,” Williams said. “Leverage the opportunity you're given.”

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From Soil to Climate Solutions: Berhe Leads Sierra Nevada Research Institute into its Next Chapter

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:33:07 +0000

By Lorena Anderson, ��ϰٿ�

September 11, 2025

Professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe. Image courtesy of Professor Berhe.

When Professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe arrived at ��ϰٿ� in 2009, she and her husband, Professor Teamrat Ghezzehei, were leaving major research institutions to join a brand-new campus in California’s Central Valley. It was a leap of faith — one made easier by the Sierra Nevada Research Institute.

“SNRI folks were a really big part of why we decided to come to ��ϰٿ�,” Berhe said. “They welcomed us, supported us in establishing our research programs, and served as our unofficial mentors.”

Now, more than a decade and a half later, Berhe has taken the helm of the institute that helped launch her career. As the newly appointed director of SNRI, she brings a deep understanding of its roots and a bold vision for its future — one grounded in climate resilience, interdisciplinary collaboration and community impact.

A Leader for a Growing Mission

Berhe’s appointment became official July 1 after an internal search led by previous SNRI directors and the Office of Research and Economic Development. SNRI Executive Director Molly Stephens helped coordinate the transition. As executive director, Stephen is tasked with the institute’s administrative duties. Berhe will oversee all the research conducted through SNRI.

“Asmeret is a respected voice for science, both basic and applied,” Stephens said. “She’s equal parts optimism, persistence, strategic thinking, humanity and high expectations, with a dash of dreaming. She is a force.”

Berhe’s credentials are formidable. She served as director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Science in Washington, D.C., and built a research career that focuses on soil, climate solutions and equity in STEM. She holds the Ted and Jan Falasco Chair in Earth Sciences and Geology, has delivered two TED talks and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. She is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America, and was named a Great Immigrant, Great American by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Colleagues say she is known for her ability to listen, engage and cut straight to data-driven solutions.

Also, “she’s really passionate about soil,” Stephens said. “Did I mention soil?”

Berhe follows in the footsteps of respected directors. SNRI was founded in 2007 by now-retired Vice Chancellor for the Office of Research and Economic Development Samuel Traina and was later led by Professor Roger Bales, who served as director for the longest period and expanded it into a hub for interdisciplinary environmental research. Professors Stephen Hart and Martha Conklin served as interim directors, and Professor Tom Harmon completed a five-year term just before Berhe’s appointment.

“It’s important to pay homage to the incredible institute that Sam, Roger, Martha, Steve, Tom and all the other faculty members built,” Berhe said. “I feel inspired because I’ve been inspired by their leadership, and now I get the opportunity to lead this outstanding institute into its next great chapter.”

More Than Mountains

Despite its name, SNRI has always been about more than the Sierra Nevada.

“The goal of SNRI research and researchers has always been to cover the vast and diverse ecosystems that extend from the crest of the Sierra Nevada to the Pacific Ocean,” Berhe said, “the nature, properties and management of all those natural ecosystems, their sustainability and human-environment relationships.”

SNRI researchers use a variety of methods, from field-based inquiry to lab and modeling work, to study drought, wildfire, pollution, land use, renewable energy and more — blending natural sciences, engineering and social sciences. The aim, Berhe said, is not just to conduct research but to turn it into real-world solutions.

“We’ve always worked to balance fundamental research with policy implications,” she said. “It’s about pushing the frontiers of knowledge forward to improve our understanding of natural processes, anthropogenic impacts and development of advanced technologies, and helping communities, stakeholders and policymakers understand and apply what we’re learning.”

A Climate-focused Evolution

One of Berhe’s first major tasks is overseeing the merger of SNRI with ��ϰٿ�’s Climate Institute, a state-funded institute established two years ago.

The integration is designed to streamline operations and amplify the impact of both institutes.

The merger might end up changing SNRI’s name through a planned rebranding effort, but it doesn’t change SNRI’s mission; it simply sharpens it.

“I think of it more as a progression or evolution of what has always been,” Stephens said. “We’re just being clearer about the role climate change plays in our motivation and sense of urgency.”

The combined institute will continue supporting research in hydrology, environmental contamination, sustainable land management, wildfire, precision agriculture, ecology and biodiversity, and also houses the UC Center for Climate Justice, led by Professor Tracey Osborne.

The Climate Institute adds three specialized centers to SNRI’s existing strengths:

Fire Resilience Center, led by Professor Crystal Kolden
Energy Center, led by Professor Sarah Kurtz
Center for Resilient, Equitable and Sustainable Futures, led by Professor Rebecca Ryals

The center directors expressed excitement about Berhe’s leadership of SNRI.

“Professor Berhe is a visionary leader who brings not only an incredible scientific resume but also has been a powerful advocate for climate and environmental justice,” Kolden said. “We are lucky to have her at ��ϰٿ�, and I’m thrilled to have her at the helm.”

Kurtz added, “It will be very special to work with Asmeret. Her expertise is very different from mine, but our goals are aligned. We’re working together to make the world a better place.”

Leadership for a Warming World

For Berhe and Stephens, SNRI is uniquely positioned to lead right now.

“We’re facing unprecedented environmental challenges that are being exacerbated by many overlapping challenges,” Berhe said. “The need for science-based solutions has never been greater — and the need to communicate those solutions effectively has never been greater.”

Kurtz agreed the merger is timely.

“Solving today’s problems requires an interdisciplinary approach. It is very useful that the merger between SNRI and the Climate Institute can bring such a breadth of expertise together, leveraging a well-established program to quickly launch a new one,” she said.

Stephens said the institute is already building strategic research teams, diversifying support and developing ways to inspire hope and action.

“We have to balance the risk of pushing too hard with the risk of not pushing hard enough,” she added. “California and ��ϰٿ� researchers are poised to generate critical, actionable science that makes a real difference, but we have to move quickly.”

Looking Ahead

Reflecting on the past few years, Stephens said SNRI has focused on “steadying the ship” through COVID and campus transitions. Now, the institute is turning outward — building networks, engaging communities and co-producing solutions.

“In five years, I’d like our campus to be a leader in research that co-produces solutions for rural communities together with those communities,” she said. “That increases accessibility and sustainability of energy and food systems. That increases the resilience of human and ecological communities.”

Berhe agrees. For her, the work is personal — and urgent.

“We can’t afford to lose on the kind of issues that we work on in SNRI,” she said. “The work we do — and the people and researchers we support — is becoming more important with time.”

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Research into Hidden Chemistry Shaping Future Air Quality Earns Zhang an NSF Award

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:27:37 +0000

By Lorena Anderson, ��ϰٿ�

September 8, 2025

Professor Xuan Zhang recently became the campus's 43rd recipient of the CAREER award.

As nations cut emissions that once fueled urban smog, scientists are discovering unexpected chemistry taking place in the atmosphere.

��ϰٿ� Professor Xuan Zhang is leading a project to uncover how these chemical shifts could affect the air we breathe and the climate. The project is supported by a National Science Foundation CAREER Award.

Zhang is the 43rd researcher from ��ϰٿ� to earn a CAREER award from the NSF.

CAREER awards are among the NSF’s most prestigious. They are given through the Faculty Early Career Development Program to recognize untenured faculty members as teacher-scholars. Early-career faculty members are selected based on three factors: the strength of their research proposals; their potential to serve as academic role models in research and education; and their leadership in their field and organizations.

Zhang will receive about $621,000 over the next five years for the project “Dynamics of Peroxy Radicals at Extended Lifetimes: A Key Missing Piece in the Canonical Mechanism.”

The project focuses on peroxy radicals — short-lived molecules formed whenever fuels, plants or fires release volatile organic compounds. Traditionally, scientists thought these radicals quickly disappeared by reacting with nitrogen oxides or hydrogen compounds. But as pollution drops worldwide, the radicals are lingering longer and behaving in ways not captured by current models.

"This project is about understanding how our atmosphere is changing as pollution controls take effect worldwide,” Zhang said. “By studying key chemical reactions in the air, we hope to improve predictions of air quality and climate.”

The research will examine how peroxy radicals generated from aromatic compounds — key pollutants from combustion — transform into different versions of themselves and form highly oxidized organic molecules. These reactions are believed to be important in creating tiny airborne particles that damage lungs and trap heat in the atmosphere.

Findings from the study will feed into large-scale climate models, helping policymakers evaluate the effectiveness of emissions controls and design strategies that protect health and the environment.

Zhang and her lab focus on atmospheric chemistry, including the toxicity and health impacts of organic aerosols, such as on Alzheimer’s disease, atmospheric composition measurement, air pollution, and interactions between air quality and climate. She is a member of the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences in the School of Natural Sciences.

"I’m deeply honored to receive the NSF CAREER award,” Zhang said. “It not only supports my research on atmospheric chemistry but also gives me the chance to mentor students and engage local communities in conversations about air quality and climate.”

The project also carries a strong educational mission, a required part of each CAREER proposal. Six undergraduates will participate in a nine-week bridge program that immerses them in atmospheric research and mentorship at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

In addition, ��ϰٿ� will host summer workshops to help high school teachers incorporate cutting-edge climate science into their classrooms, and the team will produce animations for a YouTube channel aimed at making air chemistry more accessible to the general public.

By combining advanced research with education and outreach, the project not only addresses urgent questions about future air quality but also opens doors for students and communities that are often left out of scientific conversations.

"I see this award as an opportunity to connect atmospheric research with education,” she said. “By linking discoveries about how our air is changing to the classroom, workshops and outreach, we can both improve climate science and empower students and teachers in communities such as Merced that are most affected by poor air quality.”

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Hellman Fellowships Welcome Three New Members from ��ϰٿ�

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:22:05 +0000

By Lorena Anderson, ��ϰٿ�

September 4, 2025

This year's Hellman Fellows: Adeyemi Adebiyi, Qian Wang and Meredith Van Natta

As the Hellman Fellowships celebrate their 30th year, three more researchers, one from each of ��ϰٿ�’s schools, have joined the prestigious ranks of recipients.

Electrical engineering Professor Qian Wang, sociology Professor Meredith Van Natta and Earth systems Professor Adeyemi Adebiyi will receive funding through their fellowships for projects they have proposed.

Van Natta plans to investigate how the collection of migrants’ biometric data by immigration enforcement agencies shapes their experiences with the U.S. legal and political systems, as well as their broader sense of social belonging.

“This project will evaluate the ethical, legal and social issues related to autonomy, equity, privacy and fairness for migrants and potential spillover effects on U.S. citizens,” she said.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected for a Hellman Fellowship this year,” Van Natta said. “It’s an immense privilege to have my research supported in this way.”

Quantum computing is the focus of Wang’s fellowship project. It’s a growing field with the potential to solve problems that traditional computers can't handle, she said.

Cloud access to public quantum computers allows researchers to run quantum circuits remotely. However, relying on third-party compilers and cloud platforms poses serious security risks, especially when protecting quantum circuits.

Wang’s project will develop a robust technique to safeguard the functionality and integrity of quantum circuits, addressing these emerging threats.

“With support from the Hellman Fellowship, we aim to gain access to a state-of-the-art quantum computing platform to start the quantum circuit security analysis, enabling large-scale simulation and evaluation on real quantum machines,” Wang said. “This effort will contribute significantly to ��ϰٿ�’s growth in this promising and rapidly evolving field. I am deeply honored to be selected as a Hellman Fellow. I sincerely thank the committee, as well as my home department and school for their support. This award means a great deal to me as I begin my research in quantum computing.”

Adebiyi will use his fellowship to further investigate the growing issue of dust.

He plans to investigate whether human-induced dust pollution has increased in California and the western U.S. in recent years and estimate the impacts of these anthropogenic dusts on the regional climate.

“Ultimately, this project will help us answer the question of whether recent changes in anthropogenic dust warm or cool the regional climate, and what consequences that would have in an already warming climate,” he said.

“Being named a Hellman Fellow for this year is an incredible honor, and I am grateful for the recognition,” Adebiyi said. “This award not only underscores the significance of my research but also enables me to train a graduate student and advance the critical research of dust and its impacts on the climate.”

This year’s awards bring ��ϰٿ�’s total number of Hellman recipients to 68. The Hellman Fellows Fund was established through an endowed gift to the University of California in 1995 from Chris and Warren Hellman and their family, providing annual support to faculty as they launch their careers. ��ϰٿ� began receiving some of that funding in 2011, and in 2020, the Hellman Foundation endowed a fund at ��ϰٿ�.

Each fellowship recognizes promising untenured faculty members who show capacity for great distinction in their chosen fields.

“Their discoveries, commitment to their work, and great potential continue to inspire us year after year,” said Frances Hellman, president of the Hellman Fellows Fund.

Each year, the selection committee reviews a wide variety of proposals and applications for the awards. In the 2024-25 school year, there were 25 applicants from ��ϰٿ�.

Each awardee receives between $10,000 and $50,000, based on their project needs.

Each of this year’s recipients now joins the Society of Hellman Fellows. Past Hellman Fellows are recognized internationally for their research, and many are now leaders in their fields around the world.

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Simple Chemical Treatment Makes Next-Gen Electronics More Reliable

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 21:45:01 +0000

August 19, 2025

Mechanical engineering Professor Mehmet Z. Baykara.

A team of international researchers has discovered that a simple chemical treatment can enhance the strength and reliability of one of the world’s thinnest materials for use in future electronics.

The study, published in Nature Communications, demonstrates that treating monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) with a specialized acid not only repairs tiny defects in the material but also enhances its durability and electrical conductivity consistency.

These improvements are crucial for using MoS₂ in next-generation devices such as flexible smartphones, ultra-efficient transistors and wearable sensors.

“As we are approaching the physical limits of miniaturization in silicon-based electronics, leading semiconductor companies and academic labs are actively exploring new materials to replace or complement existing technology,” ��ϰٿ� mechanical engineering Professor Mehmet Z. Baykara said. “While 2D materials like MoS₂ are attractive in this regard, major challenges remain in terms of scalability, integration and reliability.”

Baykara and his students collaborated on the project with colleagues at the University of Toronto as well as researchers from Japan and China. Baykara’s lab played a key role in imaging the material at the atomic level.

MoS₂ is just 3 atoms thick and has attracted attention for its potential to replace silicon in electronics. But tiny defects — missing atoms called vacancies — can weaken the material and cause it to fail under stress or behave unpredictably in circuits.

To address this issue, the team employed a non-oxidizing superacid known as TFSI. This treatment filled in the atomic gaps and smoothed out the material’s electrical behavior. Treated samples were twice as resistant to long-term stress and lasted 10 times longer in wear tests compared to untreated ones. They also demonstrated a significantly more even flow of electricity, which is crucial for preventing device failure.

The researchers employed advanced tools, including atomic-resolution microscopes and computer simulations, to gain a deeper understanding of how the treatment worked. They found that the acid not only repaired the defects but also altered how cracks form and spread, making the material more resilient.

“Our collaborative work shows that a simple chemical treatment aimed at defect healing leads to drastic improvements in the mechanical reliability and electronic homogeneity of MoS₂, significantly improving its potential to be used in industrial-scale electronic device applications,” Baykara said.

These findings could help pave the way for more reliable and longer-lasting electronics, especially in areas where devices need to be thin, flexible and energy-efficient. The team hopes to apply the same approach to other ultra-thin materials and explore how it could improve everything from solar panels to medical sensors.

“We are aiming to enhance our atomic-resolution imaging methodology with machine learning approaches in the near future, facilitating the rapid detection and classification of atomic-scale defects that tightly control the properties of 2D materials,” Baykara said.

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A New Adventure for Two Founding Faculty Chemists: Retirement

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 15:42:33 +0000

By Lorena Anderson, ��ϰٿ�

August 18, 2025

Professors Anne and David Kelley, third and fourth from left, with a group of graduate students.

Starting a university from scratch isn’t for the faint of heart — or the slow of foot. Lucky for ��ϰٿ�, Anne Myers Kelley and David Kelley are neither.

Anne, a former Olympic marathon trials qualifier, and David, a competitive cyclist, were no strangers to long, grueling efforts when they packed up their lab gear and headed west from Kansas State University in 2003.

They weren’t just changing jobs — they were helping build a university from the ground up. Now, more than two decades, hundreds of students, and countless research hours later, the founding duo is gearing up for a slower-paced adventure.

Well, maybe just a little slower now that they are retiring.

The Kelleys’ footprints are all over the School of Natural Sciences, particularly in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, a keystone research area for ��ϰٿ�’s rise to an R1 university designation.

Building Labs and a Department

“I said they were very brave to come here when there was nothing, but Anne said that it wasn't bravery at all; they were overjoyed at being able to find two senior positions in the same field of experimental physical chemistry at a research university in California,” Professor Christine Isborn said.

Anne and David Kelley were the fourth and fifth faculty members hired. As experimental physical chemists, they came prepared for hands-on work, and they got it.

“They gave us very nice little offices and these big open spaces and said, ‘Here are your labs,’” Anne said. “It was like being asked to build a lab in our garage. We just unloaded the moving truck and got to work.”

Beyond their labs, the Kelleys were central to shaping what eventually became the department — developing the curriculum, building its structure and policies and hiring faculty.

“One of the things that has been rewarding is helping to build a really strong program in theoretical and computational chemistry here,” Anne said. “We have managed to hire some exceptional people who have performed very well.”

“Doing faculty searches every year is hard work, but also fun and interesting,” she added. “It makes you feel like you’re moving forward and things are improving.” Professors Andy and Patti LiWang were among their first hires. Anne said they have been instrumental in building the biochemistry program.

Patti LiWang said Anne often took on administrative duties so junior faculty had more time to teach, research and flourish.

“Anne put in countless hours of service for the department, school and campus. Some years, she’d drive to Oakland for UC meetings, return for campus business, and teach — all within a day or two,” she said.

“At times, it seemed like she was the only one keeping the department going.”

Isborn praised Anne’s approach as department chair.

“What I appreciated most about her as chair was that she didn’t use her position to push the department in her direction,” she said. “She’d state her opinion, listen respectfully to other perspectives, and work collaboratively to decide how the department should move forward.”

David brought the same depth and commitment to his role. Although he declined to hold administrative positions, he was active in service to the department and the campus, including chairing and serving on many faculty search committees as well as in the Academic Senate. He also maintained an active, well-funded research group, advised a number of successful Ph.D. students and published extensively in well-regarded journals.

“Dave has an amazing breadth and depth of physical chemistry knowledge,” Isborn said. “He is famous within the department for asking tough, but interesting, questions of every seminar speaker, always sitting in the front row and making little notes on a napkin.”

He’s also known for his trademark “Question Authority” T-shirt — often worn while practicing just that.

Rigorous and Respected

The Kelleys are not just researchers, teachers and mentors; they are part of the university’s bedrock.

“They were very proud to come here and help start the first research university of the 21st century,” Patti LiWang said.

They are also standard bearers.

“They are committed to academic rigor. They expect a lot of themselves, of their colleagues and their students, but they are also supportive,” said Department Chair Professor Ryan Baxter. “I think it's difficult for most people to have both of those characteristics at the same time.

“They have very well-thought-out reasons for their opinions. But if someone raises a point that makes them reconsider, they're quick to acknowledge it. That's really admirable.”

The Kelleys are known for their keen intelligence, even in a department full of brilliant people.

“One year, Anne was running the department while keeping the Academic Senate functioning. She had not only multiple papers, but some of them were single-author papers, meaning she collected all the data herself in the lab,” Patti LiWang said.

“If it wasn’t obvious before, it was obvious then: The woman is brilliant.”

Laser Labs and Sharp Minds

Anne is best known in her field for pioneering new techniques in resonance Raman spectroscopy and related areas — powerful tools for understanding molecular behavior.

Her methods, as Baxter explained, are critical for investigating high-speed photochemical processes, such as the way the eye processes light.

“Her work is fundamental to understanding these types of properties, but the applications of it are widespread,” he said. “Many scientists can use the information she developed through her techniques to gain a deeper understanding of systems that involve photochemical processes.”

“She is very well-known in the spectroscopy community,” Isborn said. “I remember reading some of her papers as a grad student.”

Early in her time at ��ϰٿ�, Anne was focused on organic molecules. Meanwhile, David had established a well-regarded research program on the ultrafast photophysics of semiconductor quantum dots.

Eventually, the potential overlap was too interesting to ignore.

“I gradually started working on the same stuff that he works on,” Anne said. “We’ve pretty much had combined and very collaborative research programs for the past 10 years or so.”

David has also established long-standing relationships with industry partners, such as Nanosys, a company working on light-emitting nanoparticles.

“It has been a terrific collaboration,” David said. “They provide world-class synthetic expertise, and we were able to secure a very large industrial/academic Department of Energy grant that has funded a good part of the work that both my group and Anne’s has done over the past several years. Very much a win-win situation.”

“Much of his fundamental work helps industry partners refine the application space they're exploring and develop better devices,” Baxter said.

Up until a couple of years ago, Anne said she was doing a fair amount of lab work herself.

“Most faculty at my career stage never go into the lab anymore,” she said. “I’m glad I have kept the ability to go in there and do it myself. Doing research is always fun.”

Retirement doesn’t mean being involved in science is over for either of the Kelleys. Anne just began a four-year leadership term with the American Physical Society.

“I’m vice chair of the Division of Chemical Physics,” she said. “For the next four years, I will have something keeping me active in science.”

David plans to stay engaged in science by continuing his consulting activities. He is actively involved in several research projects at Nanosys that may result in dramatic advancements in display technology.

New Trails Ahead

Retirement will open up time for their continuing athleticism.

Anne, once a fixture on the Central Valley marathon and half-marathon scene, still runs and races regularly, albeit at a slower speed these days.

David is still a strong enough cyclist to “terrorize” riders a third his age, Anne said.

“Among bikers, people want to know who the big dog is,” Patti LiWang said. “That is still Dave Kelley.”

They have reached emeritus status, but the Kelleys will continue to mentor one graduate student each over the next year or so. After that? The mountains are calling.

And for the first time in more than 20 years, they will be able to take advantage of peak Sierra backpacking season — mid-August through September.

“We don’t know exactly where we’ll live,” Anne said. “We’re looking at somewhere in the eastern suburbs of Sacramento, maybe the Auburn area. We want to stay close to the Sierras for backpacking and hiking.”

They’re looking forward to a life where hiking boots and bike tires are more useful than lab coats, but not alone.

“Our dogs love to go backpacking with us,” Anne said.

The couple consider their dogs their kids, colleagues said. At their retirement party, they were presented with laser etchings of photos of their pups.

A student also gave David a copy of the book “The Last Man Who Knew Everything: The Life and Times of Enrico Fermi.”

“Dave seemed very happy with the book because he aspires to know everything as part of his retirement,” Isborn said.

The Kelleys might have crossed the finish line of one marathon, but they’re learning the route for their next one.

Only this time, the map is all theirs.

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Vaping Produces a Chemical that Destroys Human Tissue, Research Shows

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 19:19:11 +0000

August 7, 2025

By Lorena Anderson, ��ϰٿ�

Chemicals produced during the vaping process are extremely harmful to human tissue, study indicates. Photo courtesy of UCLA.

In addition to being used recreationally, marijuana and cannabidiol, or CBD, one of the cannabinoids produced by the marijuana plant, are thought to have medical benefits such as helping with chemotherapy-induced nausea, treating epilepsy, relieving pain and helping with a variety of mental health issues.

But how people get cannabinoids into their bodies can make the difference between helping and hurting. A new study by Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Chair and Professor Ryan Baxter and colleagues shows that conditions common to vaping marijuana or CBD oxidizes the CBD to create cannabidiol hydroxyquinone or CBD-Q. This highly toxic chemical kills human tissue.

Baxter and chemical and materials engineering professors Kara McCloskey and Roberto Andresen Eguiluz, both affiliated with the Health Sciences Research Institute, have been studying the safety profiles of components in commercially available vape cartridges to identify hazards and develop mitigation strategies.

“Under certain conditions, the cannabinoids metabolize into really toxic byproducts,” Baxter said. “We have shown how that happens, why that happens and how we could prevent it. If people are going to do it anyway, could we develop an additive that prevents the formation of the toxic byproduct and protects people's lung tissues?”

The study demonstrates how storage conditions and usage vehicles degrade CBD and how QBD-Q kills cells. But the researchers have yet to conduct cell studies to identify the pathways and how CBD is metabolized by cells. Future studies will focus on how vaping conditions impact CBD stability and its degradation into toxic byproducts.

They've detailed their findings in a paper published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, put out by the American Chemical Society.

Marijuana is legal in many states, and most states have no regulations regarding CBD use. Many popular brands of marijuana vapes are sold in dispensaries, and CBD vapes are commercially available in many stores, including gas stations. They're easy to use, easy to carry, produce little to no smoke and often come in tempting flavors.

But with heat and oxidative stress — conditions created when someone sucks on a vape — CBD decomposes into CBD-Q. This chemical has been used in targeted therapies to destroy malignant tumors.

“I wouldn't imagine you would want it just bathing your lungs,” Baxter said.

When someone burns the marijuana plant, several chemicals are naturally present that take some of the oxidative stress off the cannabinoids, including CBD.

“But when you add CBD to an oil suspension and put it in a vape pen, all the oxidative stress is focused on that one chemical,” Baxter said, “so it's actually way worse in that setting. This context is very important because vape cartridges contain high levels of CBD and it doesn't need much heat to degrade into CBD-Q, although some cartridges heat to 200 to 300 degrees.”

While CBD on its own appears to be non-toxic, the researchers also found that how it is stored contributes to the amount of CBD-Q produced.

“Luckily, most of the CBD is stored in oil-based suspensions that protect it from oxidative stress. But a new thing I've seen is adding CBD to beverages, such as sodas or alcoholic drinks,” Baxter said. “Those are water- or ethanol-based, and under those conditions, you end up producing more of this toxic byproduct, just upon sitting. And these things are not regulated at all by the FDA.”

This research project was conducted without outside funding; however, Baxter hopes to continue the work and investigate how vascular tissue is affected by cannabinoids with a grant he has applied for through the Center for Medicinal Research in Cannabis at UC San Diego.

His lab is licensed with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to research cannabis but isn't typically involved with research into chemical compounds for vape cartridges. When Baxter saw this result, he also saw an opportunity to help make vaping safer.

“If we could discover a chemical that we could tell industry they should put in the vape cartridges to protect their consumers, I feel like industry partners would see the opportunity to advertise it as a safer product,” he said.

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Amemiya Awarded for Research, Teaching, Outreach and Service

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 16:13:41 +0000

August 4, 2025

Professor Amemiya, right, with Past President Leslie Pick, left, and President Karen Crow, both of whom nominated him for the Service Award. Photo courtesy of Tetsuya Nakamura, Rutgers University.

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology Professor Chris Amemiya, former interim director of the Health Sciences Research Institute, has been honored by the Pan American Society for Evolutionary Developmental Biology (PASEDB) with the Service Award.

This prestigious award celebrates a society member who has made exceptional contributions to PASEDB and evolutionary developmental biology through research, teaching, education, outreach, service to PASEDB as well as serving the scientific community.

“Chris put his all into our scientific society, doing all the hard work of serving as president and keeping the society strong through very difficult years,” said University of Maryland entomology Professor Leslie Pick, past president of the society. “He did all this with passion, not because he wanted the credit or fame, but because he truly cares.”

Amemiya served as society president from 2019 through 2022, through the COVID-19 pandemic, and remains affiliated with its executive council, providing leadership as past president.

He remains involved in planning the society's biennial meetings and mentoring council members, sharing his knowledge of historical precedents and best practices.

“Before becoming PASEDB president, Chris helped coordinate the 2019 biennial meeting that took place in Miami. As president, he was the lead organizer of the 2022 PASEDB meeting, which he arranged to be co-organized with the Society for Developmental Biology, a first for our society,” wrote Pick and society President Karen Crow, a San Francisco State University biology professor, in their nomination letter. “This meeting took place in Vancouver, Canada, and was one of the first, large post-pandemic meetings for our field and it was enormously successful.”

Crow and Pick are former collaborators with Amemiya. Crow worked with him as far back as her postdoctoral days at Yale University in the 2000s.

“When we swapped stories about the discovery of the Indonesian coelacanth species back in 1997, I knew Chris was going to become a friend as well as a valued collaborator,” Crow said. “Two attributes I appreciate about Chris are his enthusiasm for field work and his interest in a variety of systems beyond vertebrates, his area of expertise.”

Pick and Crow praised Amemiya for his leadership skills and “no-nonsense, get-things-done” attitude, his gentleness with others, his steady guidance, and his willingness to lead or help society and promote developmental biology in general.

They also recognize Chris’ acumen as a leading researcher in the field, particularly as an early driver and advocate of the use of genomics for biological inquiry.

As part of the award, Amemiya presented a keynote lecture at the society’s recent biennial meeting in Miami: “Keeping the Evo-Devo Flame Going: How Service and Cool Research Have Contributed to My Story.”

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University of California, Merced - Lorena Anderson

Unraveling Cancer’s Neural Connections: NIH-Funded Study Investigates How Stem Cell Regulation Influences Tissue Renewal, Cancer Development

���ϰٿ� Leads National Effort to Unlock Quantum Secrets of Twisty Molecules

Two Weeks, One Challenge, Lifelong Impact: Bobcats Dive into Data Science Challenge

From Soil to Climate Solutions: Berhe Leads Sierra Nevada Research Institute into its Next Chapter

Research into Hidden Chemistry Shaping Future Air Quality Earns Zhang an NSF Award

Hellman Fellowships Welcome Three New Members from ���ϰٿ�

Simple Chemical Treatment Makes Next-Gen Electronics More Reliable

A New Adventure for Two Founding Faculty Chemists: Retirement

Vaping Produces a Chemical that Destroys Human Tissue, Research Shows

Amemiya Awarded for Research, Teaching, Outreach and Service

��ϰٿ� Leads National Effort to Unlock Quantum Secrets of Twisty Molecules

Hellman Fellowships Welcome Three New Members from ��ϰٿ�