News Article | Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior

Pick Up the Pace: Exercise Intensity Matters More For Your Health Than Steps

May 31, 2023

UC Davis molecular exercise physiologist Keith Baar spoke with UC Davis Health about how our body responds to physical activity and why intense exercise is better for your heart than walking more steps.

The Keto Diet’s Muscle and Brain Boost

February 23, 2023

A new UC Davis Health study led by physiologist Keith Baar, a professor in the Departments of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, found that a ketogenic (keto) diet improves muscle function in older animals by preventing muscle mass loss due to age (sarcopenia).

Wilsaan Joiner Named 2023 Chancellor's Fellow

February 15, 2023

Wilsaan Joiner, a professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, was among this year’s cohort of Chancellor’s Fellows.

How Dragonflies Catch Prey in Midair

January 05, 2023

Despite their small size, dragonflies are arguably one of the most impressive predators in the animal kingdom. According to Rachel Crane, a biologist at the University of California Davis, dragonflies often catch up to 95% of the prey they go after, a rate she described as “wildly high compared to where most predators are.”

Making Prosthetics More Lifelike

December 02, 2022

Professor Wilsaan Joiner is part of a team of engineers, scientists and surgeons at UC Davis working to make life easier for amputees through a combination of surgery, advanced machine learning and smart prosthetics. Their goal is “prosthesis embodiment,” to get these devices to mimic a biological limb so amputees gain better muscle control and sensory feedback without increased complexity.

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NPB Major is the 2022 CBS College Medal winner

October 27, 2022

2022 College of Biological Sciences Medal
Seona Patel - Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior

Congratulations to Tom Hahn who received the Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Scholar Mentorship Award

October 27, 2022

The Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Mentorship Awards recognize the vital role mentoring plays in the academic and professional development of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at UC Davis. A letter of recognition and $1,000 will be conferred to each awardee.

John Wingfield in red shirt kneeling outdoors beside bushes

John Wingfield Receives 2022 Loye and Alden Miller Research Award for Lifetime Research Career in Ornithology

October 27, 2022

The 2022 Loye and Alden Miller Research Award, given annually for lifetime achievement in ornithological research, is presented to Dr. John Wingfield, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at the University of California, Davis. Dr.

Karen Zito Elected as a 2021 AAAS Fellow

January 27, 2022

Nine faculty from UC Davis are among 564 newly elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, announced today (Jan. 26). AAAS fellows are scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their achievements across disciplines ranging from research, teaching and technology, to administration in academia, industry and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public. Karen Zito was selected "For contributions to understanding excitatory synapse formation and the dynamics of postsynaptic density proteins."

recent picture of dr. Bernauer in a red shirt

A Life of Movement: Remembering Professor Emeritus Edmund Bernauer

August 30, 2021

The University of California flag was flown at half-staff at the Memorial Union, Mark Hall and the UC Davis Airport recently to honor the memory of Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior Edmund Bernauer. Born on Sept. 27, 1926, Bernauer passed away on Aug. 12, 2021, at the age of 94.