News | College of Biological Sciences

Katherine Ralston Wins Innovation Award for Amoeba 'Cell Nibbling'

Katherine Ralston, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Biological Sciences, is the recipient of the UC Davis Early Career Faculty Award for Creativity and Innovation for 2019.

Awards and Recognition

Tech-Based Naturalists: Inspiring Citizen Science with the City Nature Challenge

Designed with data collection in mind, iNaturalist acts like a pocket repository for all things wildlife and will be used during the upcoming City Nature Challenge, an event held from April 26 to April 29 that encourages people to explore and record the natural world around them, from the city streets to the riparian woodlands.

Campus and Community

Assistant Professor Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez Named Faculty Assistant to the Dean for Science Communications

“Sharing discoveries with heart and humor.” That’s the philosophy behind Assistant Professor Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez’s science communications work. And now, she’ll bring that passion to the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences as the faculty assistant to the dean for science communications.

Campus and Community

Aggie Hero: Shradha Shah

Since age 7 when she lost her father to addiction, Shradha Shah has been passionate about mental health care advocacy. A fourth-year major in neurobiology, physiology and behavior, she served on the Chancellor’s Mental Health Care Task Force and co-chairs the Student Mental Health Coalition in an effort to destigmatize mental illness and increase access to resources.

Plant Biochemistry to Feed the World via the “Corn Queen” Katherine Murphy

Plant biology Ph.D. student and UC Davis Grad Slam winner Katherine Murphy studies medicinal terpenes found in corn that could help bolster other crops' defenses. She’ll compete in the University of California Grad Slam Finals on May 10 in San Francisco.

Food, Agriculture and Plant Biology

Discovering Curiosity: Fighting Neuromuscular Disorders with New Faculty Lucas Smith

In his new lab at UC Davis, Assistant Professor Lucas Smith, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, investigates how the accumulation of scar tissue affects muscle mechanics. His aim is to develop therapies that alleviate neuromuscular disorders and restore healthy muscle regeneration.

Human and Animal Health

Sharing Life Sciences with the World: Five #SciComm Writing Opportunities for UC Davis Students

At UC Davis, we’re not just interested in science research. We’re interested in sharing it with the world. Outside of the classroom and the laboratory, our students have ample opportunities to practice their #scicomm skills and publish written works thanks to the various student-run life science journals and blogs on campus.

Campus and Community

Woman, Professor, Artist and Mother: Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez Charts an Original Path in iBiology Video

Assistant Professor Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, is the subject of a new video from iBiology's "Background To Breakthrough" series.

Awards and Recognition

Aggie Hero: HOME, Where Friends Become Family

Social activities, de-stressing events and community service are the essential ingredients that have helped make the student group HOME, Where Friends Become Family, an Aggie Hero. Best friends Awais Khan and Chun Kit Ho started the group shortly after transferring to UC Davis in fall 2017.

Campus and Community

Discovering Curiosity: Building Mini-Organs to Fight Pancreatic Cancer with New Faculty Chang-il Hwang

While it only accounts for 3 percent of cancers nationwide, 91 percent of pancreatic cancer patients succumb to the illness within five years of diagnosis. Assistant Professor Chang-il Hwang developed miniature organ models that allow him to study pancreatic cancer from its earliest stages with the hope of improving diagnosis.

Human and Animal Health