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Latest News

The Keto Diet’s Muscle and Brain Boost

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).

How Dragonflies Catch Prey in Midair

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

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.

Karen Zito Elected as a 2021 AAAS Fellow

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.

A Life of Movement: Remembering Professor Emeritus Edmund Bernauer

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. 

NPB Major Madeline Bright Awarded University Medal

by Julia Ann Easley

 

Questions Drive Top UC Davis Graduate Will Pursue Career in Medical Research

 

When Madeline Bright was young, she was told she asked a lot of questions.

Today that same curiosity is leading her toward a career in medical research where she hopes to find life-saving answers.

Professors Crystal Rogers and Wilsaan Joiner Respond to Ongoing Injustices Against Black Americans

The recent murders of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, David McAtee, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others have sent shock waves throughout the country. In a recent interview, UC Davis professors Dr. Crystal Rogers and Dr. Wilsaan Joiner offered their thoughts, feelings, and recommendations for ways UC Davis can support our Black community members during these scary and uncertain times.

MARC Program Receives $2.2 Million to Advance Underrepresented Students in Biomedical and Behavior Research Fields

Quick Summary
  • MARC is a two-year program that provides underrepresented students with research experiences, academic support and professional development opportunities
  • The program helps students transition more easily into higher degree programs, with the intent of ushering in a new era of leaders in the biomedical an behavior research fields
  • It's one of several initiatives led by Educational Enrichment and Outreach Programs

Investigating Age-Related Muscle Mass Loss with Arik Davidyan, ’14 B.S. in Exercise Biology and ’20 Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology

Summary
  • Skeletal muscles decay with age, a natural process known as sarcopenia 
  • During his time at UC Davis, alum Arik Davidyan investigated testosterone's role in muscle mass gain, maintenance and decay
  • Today, Davidyan is a postdoctoral fellow at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, where he investigates the role mitochondrial dysfunction plays in aging

Your muscles ensure your survival.