Health
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How psilocybin reshapes brain circuits
New research at UC Santa Cruz reveals how psychoactive compound in ‘magic mushrooms’ rewires synapses without altering perception, opening new possibilities for non-hallucinogenic psychiatric medications.
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Nicotine exposure during pregnancy increases flu severity later in life
UC Santa Cruz researchers found that nicotine exposure during pregnancy and just after birth alters the stem cells that create the body’s blood cells and other crucial lung immune cells
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Two UC Santa Cruz faculty win NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards
The two awardees are Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Jaron Mercer and Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Andy Yeh
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New detection technique advances early warnings for toxic algal blooms
UC Santa Cruz researchers use passive resin samplers to track chemical cues, extending predictive lead time for harmful algal blooms in Monterey Bay by up to seven weeks.
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How the visual cortex wires itself: targeted from the start, refined over time
A UC Santa Cruz study tracks how the visual cortex builds its long-range connections, finding that they target specific areas from early on, and offers a reference for studying how wiring may go awry in conditions such as autism.
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UC Santa Cruz pediatric cancer lab earns prestigious CAP accreditation
The accreditation is widely regarded as the gold standard for clinical laboratory quality, and cements the credibility of the lab’s unique analyses for pediatric cancer tumors.
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NIH grant supports bringing complete genome sequencing from the lab to the clinic
A $2.9 million R01 research award from the National Institutes of Health will support the efforts of engineers at the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute to further develop and drive down the cost of complete genome sequencing technology.
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Understanding how jellyfish eyes first form and regenerate to reveal paths for new human therapies
National Institutes of Health awards just over $2 million to UC Santa Cruz evolutionary biologist Aide Macias-Muñoz for a five-year study of the genetic mechanisms that lead to complex traits like eye regeneration
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Neerav Handa: Amplifying cancer research and student research opportunities
Neerav Handa, Senior Director of software development at Oracle, established the Manjusha Handa Memorial Scholarship in memory of his late wife, Manjusha Handa. The scholarship supports students pursuing cancer research at UC Santa Cruz.
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UC Santa Cruz Alumni Association announces 2026 Alumni Award recipients
John Torigoe, Melinda Aldrich, James Hein, Peter Coha, Jim Gunderson, and Stephanie Barron Lu are the recipients of the 2026 UC Santa Cruz Alumni Awards.
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RNA researcher on the basics of how mRNA vaccines are made and work
In light of recent wins for mRNA vaccine makers, UCSC RNA Center Co-Director Jeremy Sanford describes the versatility of the mRNA platform and how it quickens vaccine production
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UC Santa Cruz is building better detection for rare form of cancer
New five-year NIH-funded project aims to transform the detection of synovial sarcoma using advanced single-molecule analysis