The world is a better place because of the work of our Chancellor’s Fellows — early-career faculty members working to improve health, understand the challenges facing endangered species, cut greenhouse gas emissions and more.

This year’s class of Chancellor’s Fellows comprises 11 associate professors or recently promoted full professors — rising stars in their fields who have now received one of the university’s highest honors and will retain the title for five years.

“I continue to be awe-struck by the excellence and creativity of UC Davis faculty, and inspired by the brilliant leading-edge work they do, every day, in their teaching and research,” Interim Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter said. “I am honored to welcome this select group — distinguished by especially high accomplishment — to the ranks of the Chancellor’s Fellows.”

Funding for the program — $25,000 for each fellow to advance their research projects and other scholarly work — comes from private donations to the UC Davis Annual Fund and the UC Davis Special Giving Fund. See all of our Giving opportunities.

“We can’t thank our donors enough for supporting UC Davis’ early-career faculty members who are making a positive impact on our students and the entire university community, in addition to the world,” said Shaun Keister, vice chancellor of Development and Alumni Relations. “Without them, the Chancellor’s Fellows program would not be possible.”

The program was started in 2000, and this class brings the total number of faculty members who have received the honor to 120.

Associate Professor Aldrin Gomes, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior was among the fellows named this year.

Aldrin Gomes, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences; and Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, School of Medicine

How can we better understand cardiovascular diseases? Gomes’ research studies the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction and how biological pathways within cells control the degradation of proteins. “Dr. Gomes is an ideal recipient of this recognition; he is an outstanding colleague, teacher and researcher,” said W. Martin Usrey, neurobiology, physiology and behavior department chair. “His research is at the forefront of defining and understanding cardiac proteasomes in connection with primary diseases such as diabetic and inherited cardiomyopathies.” Gomes joined UC Davis in 2008 and has active grants with the National Institute of Health and the American Heart Association. He is a fellow of the American Physiological Society and a Hellman Fellow. Gomes conducted his postdoctoral work at the University of Miami Medical School from 1999 to 2004 and served as junior faculty at UCLA from 2004 through 2007. He received a doctorate in biochemistry and a bachelor’s degree, both from the University of the West Indies-St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.