Last month, we welcomed the Class of 2019 to the Aggie alumni family. The College of Biological Sciences was proud to recognize some of our top graduating seniors, like genetics and genomics student Cole Williams, who designed an algorithm to better understand the genetic relationships of some of the oldest and most diverse tribes of Africa.

We also acknowledged Biological sciences and psychology student Wenzhe Li, who found her muse in cytoplasmic dynein, a motor protein used for intracellular transport. She studies how these proteins function to transport molecules that are essential for neurological development.

We’re excited to bring you video profiles of these students alongside the faculty mentors who’ve help guide their research experiences. I encourage you to view these videos and follow our YouTube channel to learn more about how our students are finding solutions to shape the future of health for humans, animals and our environment. 

Go Ags!

An assistant professor of teaching in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Marina Crowder teaches hundreds of UC Davis students each quarter. From BIS 101 "Gene and Gene Expression" to MCB23 "History of Cancer," Crowder doesn't just want her students to learn the material from class; she wants them to engage with it.

“Every day it’s surreal for me when I teach BIS 101 because I identify that course as completely changing my career and my life.I really hope that my class can have some kind of impact like that on some of the students I teach.”

-Marina Crowder

In Richard McKenney’s lab, Wenzhe Li studied the motor protein cytoplasmic dynein. Aided by her interest in psychology, Li aims to link cellular and molecular biology processes to mind and behavior. Li likens dynein to the U.S. Postal Service of the cell, only more efficient.

In Brenna Henn's lab, Cole Williams studied familial relationships in African hunter-gatherer and pastoralist groups, some of the most diverse human populations. But he ran into a problem. The publicly available algorithms couldn’t make sense of his study's genomic data, so he decided to write his own algorithm.

After six years serving as the College of Biological Sciences' Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Professor John Harada stepped down from the post at the end of June. He'll continue his research on seeds and the gene networks governing their development.

In a new study, UC Davis postdoctoral researcher Didem Sarikaya and her colleagues analyzed egg-laying strategies of 65 different Hawaiian Drosophila species and found that egg-laying capacities diverged in response to their unique environments, which directly affected the number of cells involved in each species’ ovarian development.

For the 2019-2020 academic year, the Phi Sigma Honor Society, Delta Gamma Chapter is hosting multiple socials during the fall quarter for current and prospective Phi Sigma members. It's a great way for students to connect with their peers in the life sciences.

Educators from Osaka University and UC Davis are proud to announce the launch of a new biotechnology research and training program between Japan and the United States. Graduate students from both universities will gain access to world-class research facilities and professional training across many areas.