News

CBS Grad Students Snag First and Second Place in Grad Slam

tks792 — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 22:01:12 +0000

CBS Grad Students Snag First and Second Place in Grad Slam

Talk on "grandma’s genes" named top presentation

tks792 April 12, 2023 Trishna Sharma

The final round of the UC Davis Grad Slam had a flurry of PowerPoint slides, a giant deck of cards and a stuffed monkey, but in the end the top prize went to someone talking about genetic “ghosts.”

The winner of the rapid-fire research showcase Thursday (April 6) was Julia Mouat, a Ph.D. candidate in the College of Biological Sciences’ Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group. Her talk, “Grandmas, Ghosts and Genes,” explained her research into whether women’s smoking during pregnancy raises the risk of autism in their grandchildren. The “ghosts” in question are molecules on DNA that are believed to be responsible for switching certain genes on and off.

She will now represent UC Davis at UC’s systemwide Grad Slam, May 5, in San Francisco.

Second place and $1,500 went to Nalina Aiempichitkijkarn, a Ph.D. student in animal behavior. Her research focuses on the ways social connections among long-tailed macaques contribute to the spread of disease among the primates.

She helped make her point — and explain how she collects samples from monkeys — with the aid of a plush monkey. She said she rolled up a sock to create a tail for the monkey, which was helpful to demonstrate how the animals act when they poop — an important behavior to monitor when the aim is to collect a stool sample from a specific one.

Read the full story here.

3 CBS Graduate Students in Top 10 at 2023 Grad Slam

tks792 — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:46:18 +0000

3 CBS Graduate Students in Top 10 at 2023 Grad Slam

Animal Behavior and Integrative Genetics and Genomics graduate students will compete April 6 in semi-final round

tks792 March 21, 2023 Trishna Sharma

Three graduate students in the College of Biological Sciences are among this year’s finalists for the UC Davis Grad Slam competition.

The CBS finalists are Nalina Aiempichitkijkarn and Josephine Hubbard, Ph.D. candidates in the Animal Behavior Graduate Group, and Julia Mouat, a Ph.D. candidate in the Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group. They will compete at the semi-final round of UC Grad Slam on Thursday, April 6 at the Graduate Center against the other UC Davis finalists for the chance to win $2,500 and advance to the UC-wide competition in May.

Read the full article here.

UC Davis to offer mobile mammograms for underserved communities

Najwa Marrush — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 17:10:05 +0000

UC Davis to offer mobile mammograms for underserved communities Najwa Marrush October 11, 2021

From the Davis Enterprise; Story by Caleb Hampton

The UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is set to launch two new initiatives next year to improve breast health and early cancer detection in underserved women in rural communities, UC Davis Health announced Thursday. The new tools for early cancer detention will include a “mammovan” and free genetic testing.

The cancer center is funding the new initiatives with $10 million it received from a class-action lawsuit against Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. “The lawsuit alleged Wyeth misrepresented the benefits and risks of its hormone replacement therapy medications for women,” UC Davis Health reported. “In cases where money remains after eligible class members receive their claim payments, courts can distribute those funds to charitable causes in what’s referred to as a cy pres award.”

According to UC Davis Health, the cancer center prioritized projects focused on women in marginalized communities who have typically been underrepresented in research and are at higher risk for cancer and other diseases. Altogether, four proposals from the UC Davis School of Medicine received funding from the lawsuit, including two projects focused on breast cancer.

Read Full Article Here

Graduate Studies Announces the First Faculty Academy of Graduate Student Well-Being

Najwa Marrush — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 17:24:28 +0000

Graduate Studies Announces the First Faculty Academy of Graduate Student Well-Being Najwa Marrush September 14, 2021

Graduate Studies is pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of the Faculty Academy of Graduate Student Well-Being, a program designed to train faculty to teach graduate student seminars on mental health and well-being. Congratulations to the 19 faculty members listed below who will represent the first cohort of the academy.

The inaugural cohort was selected from a competitive pool of individuals and represents a variety of departments across campus. As part of the academy’s program, the selected participants will learn relevant scholarship on mental health and develop facilitation skills to lead conversations and seminars on well-being. These faculty members will go on to facilitate a graduate-level seminar within their departments to help graduate students enhance their well-being and professional success.

Empowering Faculty to Deliver Well-Being Seminars for Graduate Students

The Faculty Academy of Graduate Student Well-Being is based on the success of a course created by Public Health, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences Professor Carolyn Dewa M.P.H., Ph.D. The course “Tools for Becoming a Successful Professional and for Enhancing Your Well-Being and Work Environment“ introduces graduate students to the scientific evidence regarding stress and tools for self-care.

Led by Professor Dewa and mental health consultant Kathy Holmes-Sullivan, LCSW, the Faculty Academy is designed to empower faculty across campus to instruct similar courses within their own graduate programs. The Faculty Academy uses a “train-the-trainer” model that will build a cohort of faculty that can lead initiatives to promote graduate student well-being. Faculty participants will learn the scientific evidence on mental health and develop facilitation skills to lead conversations on well-being.

“We are so pleased to deliver this program in support of graduate student well-being,” said Elizabeth Sturdy, Director of Mentoring and Academic Success Initiative. “When we discovered Professor Dewa’s course, we knew it would be a critical resource to students and programs. However, we needed a model that allowed us to scale up and serve a high number of graduate students. The Faculty Academy will not only result in an increase of course offerings, but will really empower our faculty to serve as well-being leaders for their graduate programs."

The Faculty Academy will meet September 7-16 to discuss the latest mental health scholarship, practice facilitating well-being conversations, and gain familiarity with the course materials. The program will be highly interactive and participants will receive consultations throughout the year. The well-being course will be taught in graduate programs during 2021-2022 academic year.

Learn more about the Faculty Academy of Graduate Student Well-being and other Graduate Studies mentoring programs on the Mentoring Initiatives website.

Congratulations to the Inaugural Cohort

Congratulations to the following individuals who have been selected to participate in the Faculty Academy of Graduate Student Well-being:

Michele Barbato, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Rachel Bernhard, Assistant Professor, Political Science
Magali Billen, Professor, Earth and Planetary Sciences
Anujit Chakraborty, Assistant Professor, Economics
Jim Clark, Professor, Veterinary Medicine
Mark Cooper, Assistant Professor, Human Ecology
Elva Diaz, Professor, Pharmacology
Georgia Drakakaki, Professor, Plant Sciences
Bruce Draper, Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Deborah Fetter, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Nutrition
Marjorie Florestal, Lecturer, Law
Susan Kauzlarich, Professor, Chemistry
Pamela Lein, Professor, Molecular Biological Sciences
Angelique Louie, Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Elizabeth Rice, Professor, Nursing
David Segal, Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
Ned Spang, Associate Professor, Food Science and Technology
Tamara Swaab, Professor, Psychology
Astrid Volder, Professor, Plant Sciences

Full Article Here

Luis G. Carvajal-Carmona selected as HACU Leadership Academy fellow

Najwa Marrush — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 17:21:50 +0000

Luis G. Carvajal-Carmona selected as HACU Leadership Academy fellow Najwa Marrush September 14, 2021

Program is designed to increase Hispanic representation in higher education leadership positions

(SACRAMENTO) —

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) today announced that Luis G. Carvajal-Carmona has been selected as a fellow for the third cohort of the Presidential Leadership Academy (La Academia de Liderazgo). The prestigious one-year HACU program is designed to prepare the next generation of culturally diverse leaders for executive and senior-level positions in higher education.

Luis G. Carvajal-Carmona

HACU launched the Leadership Academy in 2019 in response to a declining rate of Hispanic university presidents — from 4.5% in 2006 to 3.9% in 2016. At the same time, colleges nationwide have seen unprecedented growth in Hispanic student enrollment.

Carvajal-Carmona is a professor and the Auburn Community Cancer Endowed Chair in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. He is the associate director for basic science at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and the co-director of the Community Engagement Program at the Clinical and Translational Science Center.

Carvajal-Carmona is also the founder and director of the Latinos United for Cancer Health Advancement (LUCHA) initiative, which aims to increase Latino participation in cancer screenings, research studies and clinical trials. LUCHA’s ultimate goal is to improve cancer health outcomes among Latinos by using community-driven and culturally- and linguistically-appropriate and respectful approaches.

Current research in Carvajal-Carmona’s laboratory, funded by the National Cancer Institute, is focused on gastric and liver cancer genetics and precision medicine in minority populations.

Before joining UC Davis, Carvajal-Carmona was a senior research fellow at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at the University of Oxford.

Carvajal-Carmona is the third faculty member from UC Davis selected for the program. Previous fellows from UC Davis include law professor Raquel Aldana, a member of the 2019 cohort, and history professor and associate vice chancellor for academic diversity Lorena Oropeza, a member of the 2020 cohort.

Program has goal of increasing leadership

The Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo seeks to increase the number of talented individuals who aspire to leadership positions at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and emerging HSIs. Fellows participate in an array of leadership development activities to prepare them for leadership roles in the full spectrum of institutions of higher learning with an emphasis on HSIs and emerging HSIs.

More than a dozen nationally recognized current and emeriti presidents and senior-level administrators serve on the faculty. Mentorship with a university president is a key component, as well as the development of a special project designed to have an impact at the fellow’s current institution.

More information about the HACU Leadership Academy/ La Academia de Liderazgo is available here www.hacu.net/leadershipacademy.

Full article here

Grains in the Rain: Study Opens the Door to Flood-Resistant Crops

Mona Finucane — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 17:29:25 +0000

Grains in the Rain: Study Opens the Door to Flood-Resistant Crops Mona Finucane September 24, 2019

Of the major food crops, only rice (Oryza sativa) is currently able to survive flooding. Thanks to new research, that could soon change -- good news for a world in which rains are increasing in both frequency and intensity.

The research, published today in Science, shows how other crops compare to rice when submerged in water. It found that the plants – a wild-growing tomato (Solanum pennellii), the garden tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and a plant similar to alfalfa (Medicago truncatula) – all share at least 68 families of genes with rice that are activated in response to flooding.

Read the article here.

Interplay between DNA sequence and negative superhelicity drives R-loop structures

Mona Finucane — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 20:00:25 +0000

Interplay between DNA sequence and negative superhelicity drives R-loop structures Mona Finucane March 22, 2019

IGG students Robert Stolz and Maika Malig, published groundbreaking work describing the first modeling of so-called R-loop structures, the most abundant non-B DNA structures in mammalian genomes. Using a “first-principle” mathematical approach backed by experimental validation, the group from the Chedin and Benham labs at UC Davis elucidated the relative contributions of DNA sequence and DNA topology to R-loop formation. This work illustrates the power of mixing quantitative mathematical approaches with careful biological follow-up experimentation to advance fundamental biological problems. The work revealed R-loops as novel regulators of the DNA topological state, a concept with important ramifications for our understanding of gene regulation and genome dynamics.

Read the paper online here.

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

Mona Finucane — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 19:54:58 +0000

Discovering Curiosity: Building Mini-Organs to Fight Pancreatic Cancer with New Faculty Chang-il Hwang Mona Finucane March 22, 2019

On the hunt for methods to aid early detection and better therapeutic treatments, Assistant Professor Chang-il Hwang developed pancreatic cancer organoids, miniature organ models that allow him to study pancreatic cancer from its earliest stages. David Slipher/UC Davis

When a healthy cell turns cancerous a cascade of events enables the cancer to spread throughout the body. But its origin lies within a single progenitor cell.

“What goes wrong with that particular cell?” asked Assistant Professor Chang-il Hwang, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. “Something happens at the molecular level. One DNA molecule, or one protein molecule changes.”

Click here to read more!

Outstanding Student - Sydney Wyatt

Lori Bergum — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 00:26:00 +0000

Outstanding Student - Sydney Wyatt Lori Bergum January 10, 2019

NSF GRFP Awardee 2018
UC Davis T32 Training Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology Awardee
Involved in Outreach and Communication with Science Says and UCD Bioscope

A biomarker for the rare neurodegenerative disorder Fragile X -Associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS)

Lori Bergum — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 00:21:59 +0000

A biomarker for the rare neurodegenerative disorder Fragile X -Associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) Lori Bergum January 10, 2019

Marwa Zafarullah is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Integrative Genetics and Genomics (IGG) graduate program. She earned her bachelor’s in agricultural sciences at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan and her master’s in IGG at UC Davis. She is currently working toward the development of a biomarker for the early diagnosis and progression of the nNeurological disorder called Fragile X -Associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS).

Click here to learn more about Marwa!

Winner Best Poster award in "5th Annual Human Genomics Symposium" held on Nov 16, 2018 at UC Davis
Among 4 selected for Keller Pathway Fellowship this year.

Anthropogenic habitat alteration leads to rapid loss of adaptive variation and restoration potential in wild salmon populations

Lori Bergum — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 00:16:53 +0000

Anthropogenic habitat alteration leads to rapid loss of adaptive variation and restoration potential in wild salmon populations Lori Bergum January 10, 2019

Human activities alter and reduce phenotypic variation in many species, but the long-term consequences (e.g., ability of previous variation to reemerge), and thus the need for conservation action, are unclear.

Click here to read more!

Three Incredible Tales of Microbial Symbiosis

Lori Bergum — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 00:07:41 +0000

Three Incredible Tales of Microbial Symbiosis Lori Bergum January 10, 2019

Imagine you want to write a superhero comic. Obviously you need the superhero, the star of the show. But what else do you need? How about a sidekick, someone who helps the hero out? What about people to save? Maybe an evil villain to fight?

In biology, the relationships between the superheroes and each of these characters (a sidekick, people to save, and a villain) are called “symbioses.”

Click here to read more!

Meet an IGI Scientist: UCD Student Benny Ordoñez

Lori Bergum — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 18:00:20 +0000

Meet an IGI Scientist: UCD Student Benny Ordoñez Lori Bergum January 02, 2019

Benny Ordonez is a graduate student in the Comai lab at UC Davis. Her work harnesses the genome editing power of CRISPR-Cas9 technology for crop development in an effort to improve agriculture.

View the full story

IGG Student Joey Owen Featured in Washington Post Article

Greg Watry — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 18:48:30 +0000

IGG Student Joey Owen Featured in Washington Post Article Greg Watry December 19, 2018

A new artcicle from The Washington Post that delves into cutting-edge techniques that could be used to improve animal breeding features UC Davis and IGG student Joey Owen

"Gene-edited farm animals are coming. Will we eat them?"

That's the question probed in a new artcicle from The Washington Post that features UC Davis and IGG student Joey Owen. The article delves inot cutting-edge lab techniques that could be used to improve animal breeding.

Read The Washington Post story to find out more

Primary Category

Food & Agriculture

Zebrafish Reproductive Development May Hold Insights into Ovarian Cancer

David Slipher — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 21:34:47 +0000

Zebrafish Reproductive Development May Hold Insights into Ovarian Cancer David Slipher August 31, 2018

NIH T32 predoctoral training grant recipient Dena Leerberg, '17 Ph.D., and Associate Professor Bruce Draper, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, study reproductive development in zebrafish. David Slipher/UC Davis

With funding from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group member Associate Professor Bruce Draper, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, is studying zebrafish (Danio rerio) to learn about the genetics of sexual reproduction in vertebrates. Draper’s research, published in PLOS Genetics with postdoc and Dena Leerberg, ’17 Ph.D., may advance discoveries into the origins of ovarian cancer.

Humans share some 70 percent of DNA with the fish, and 84 percent of the genes associated with human disease have counterparts in zebrafish. These genetic relationships make zebrafish a valuable tool for researchers.

But what makes the zebrafish species a truly powerful model organism is its transparency. Zebrafish embryos are clear, providing scientists a window into the biological machinery behind the fish’s formation.

Read the full story to explore Draper's research on zebrafish

Primary Category

Human & Animal Health

Diabetes Research in Huising Lab Emphasizes Importance of Reproducibility in Science

David Slipher — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 21:20:01 +0000

Diabetes Research in Huising Lab Emphasizes Importance of Reproducibility in Science David Slipher August 31, 2018

Sharon Lee, a Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology graduate student, and Mark Huising, associate professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior, study the cellular mechanisms of diabetes. David Slipher/UC Davis

In the United States, around 30 million people live with diabetes. It’s among the top 10 leading causes of death in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With no cure, treatment and control remain the only options for diabetes patients.

In a paper appearing in Cell Metabolism, Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group member Associate Professor Mark Huising, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, and Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology graduate student Sharon Lee refute a previous study that claimed an antimalarial drug could be used to treat type 1 diabetes.

Read the full story to learn more about Huising's and Lee's diabetes research

Primary Category

Human & Animal Health

Discovering Curiosity: Art at the Zoo with Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez

David Slipher — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 15:20:24 +0000

Discovering Curiosity: Art at the Zoo with Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez David Slipher June 11, 2018

Assistant Professor Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez discovered her passion for science through a mystery at the Dallas Zoo.

Before delving into the world of endocrinology, Assistant Professor Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, wasn’t following the path of a traditional scientist. She’d studied studio art and psychology at both Skidmore College and Boston College and thought she wanted to pursue the artist’s life.

“When I graduated, it was really difficult to make it in the art world, but I would get odd jobs here and there,” Calisi Rodríguez said. “One of them happened to be at the Dallas Zoo, where they commissioned me to paint this very large mural.”

It was there, among the zoo’s fauna, that Calisi Rodríguez discovered her love for scientific research. And it all started with a mysterious animal behavior.

Read the full story on Calisi Rodríguez's path to a career in science

Connecting the Molecular Dots of Heart Disease

David Slipher — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:30:21 +0000

Connecting the Molecular Dots of Heart Disease David Slipher May 14, 2018

Associate Professor Aldrin Gomes, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, studies the molecular origins of heart disease.

The most common genetic heart disease is also a silent one. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) affects one in 500 adults, and with few symptoms, it usually goes unnoticed. According to the American Heart Association, the disease is a common cause of sudden cardiac arrest among young adults.

Associate Professor Aldrin Gomes, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior in the College of Biological Sciences at UC Davis, studies the underpinnings of heart disease, focusing on the machinery within heart cells responsible for producing the heartbeat. Along with colleagues in the Gomes Lab, he’s searching for molecular clues that will help medical professionals better manage heart disease.

“Heart disease is still the number one killer around the world,” said Gomes, who holds a joint appointment with the UC Davis Health Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology. “How can we reduce the number of people that die from heart disease? A lot of us have family members with some heart disease.”

Read the full story to learn more about Gomes' heart disease research