Bios Magazine: College History

The College of Biological Sciences is home to more than 6,000 students, 130 faculty members, 400 staff members and an alumni base of more than 40,000. As one of the nation’s top colleges dedicated exclusively to life sciences, its departments span the breadth of biology. Get quick facts about the creation of the college.

Campus and Community

Aggie Hero: Professor Jonathan Eisen

Perhaps the best way to sum up Professor Jonathan Eisen’s philosophy is to note his belief that “It is important to fix that which is easily fixable.” Eisen “uses his powers of national influence for good,” according to his Aggie Hero nominator.

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Bios Magazine: Strengthening the Science Muscles

Biological sciences senior Diana Quintero likes to use the gym as an analogy for the Biology Undergraduate Scholars Program (BUSP). Initially, new fitness enthusiasts might feel like they don’t measure up to their peers. But with training and persistence, they can acclimate to the rigors of hard work.

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EVENT RECAP: College Celebrates Faculty and Staff at Fall Welcome

The College of Biological Sciences celebrated its annual Fall Welcome event last Friday, commemorating the start of a new academic year. Faculty, staff, students, friends and family gathered in the Life Sciences Courtyard for food, beverages and celebration.

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Professor Mariel Vazquez Named Faculty Director of the Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science

Professor Mariel Vazquez has been appointed as the new faculty director of the Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science, or CAMPOS, succeeding the founding faculty director, Mary Lou de Leon Siantz, professor emeritus at the Betty Irene More School of Nursing.

Campus and Community

VIDEO: College of Biological Sciences BioLaunch Mentor Collective

The BioLaunch Mentor Collective helps make the transition to the UC Davis campus easier for freshmen and transfer students. New students are paired with a returning UC Davis student, who can offer them advice and support across many areas of campus life.

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Developing Next-Gen Neuroscientists: EEOP Receives $1.2 Million to Advance Diversity in Research

This fall, the College of Biological Sciences will launch the Advancing Diversity in Neuroscience Research (ADNR) Program to help grow diversity in biomedical, behavioral and clinical neuroscience research professions.

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Remembering Kendra Chan

Chancellor Gary S. May issued the following statement on Kendra Chan, a UC Davis alumna, and her father Raymond “Scott” Chan, of Los Altos, who were among the victims of the tragic Conception dive boat fire off the coast of Southern California.

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Nature Reviews "How to Build a Dragon or Die Trying"

Professor Paul Knoepfler, UC Davis Genome Center, studies the epigenetic and transcriptional control mechanisms that direct stem cell fate and tissue growth. He's also a writer, recently co-authoring the book How to Build a Dragon or Die Trying: A Satirical Look at Cutting-Edge Science with his daughter Julie Knoepfler. Helen Pilcher recently reviewed the book in Nature.

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Changing the Culture around Mental Health for Ph.D. Students

Plant Biology Graduate Group student Leonardo Jo thought his anxiety was normal, an expected part of the graduate school experience. His peers grappled with similar issues: imposter syndrome, researcher pressures and financial insecurity, to name a few. And they all seemed to suffer in silence at the cost of their own mental health.

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Student Ventures Win Financial Support

Two student groups at UC Davis have each won competitive $5000 awards through the VentureWell Foundation’s Stage 1 E-Team program. These awards help early-stage innovators create ventures and provide training that helps students explore ways to bring their solutions to market.

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Nurturing Seeds and Growing Minds: John Harada Steps Down as Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

After six years serving as the Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for the College of Biological Sciences, Professor John Harada stepped down from the post at the end of June. He'll continue his research on seeds and the gene networks governing their development.

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Discovering Curiosity: The Cycle of Mentorship with Assistant Professor of Teaching Marina Crowder

An assistant professor of teaching in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Marina Crowder teaches hundreds of UC Davis students each quarter. From BIS 101 "Gene and Gene Expression" to MCB23 "History of Cancer," Crowder doesn't just want her students to learn the material from class; she wants them to engage with it.

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Meet the 2019-2020 Officers of the Phi Sigma Honor Society, Delta Gamma Chapter

For the 2019-2020 academic year, the Phi Sigma Honor Society, Delta Gamma Chapter is hosting multiple socials during the fall quarter for current and prospective Phi Sigma members. It's a great way for students to connect with their peers in the life sciences.

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Aggie Hero: Marwa Zafarullah

The culture shock hit Marwa Zafarullah right away. The native of Pakistan landed in the United States for the first time just four years ago, knowing little English and not having any family or friends to lean on for support.

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