What can a worm or fish tell us about our bodies? How do fruit flies or yeast help our researchers make sense of the world?

Because all modern life arose from a common ancestor, certain species can strengthen our understanding of human biology. These model organism hold secrets that will help us build the foundations for revolutions in health.

The College of Biological Sciences is home to hundreds of different research species. From development to aging and disease, it’s truly a menagerie of model organisms. This diversity allows us to explore so many questions about life. I encourage you to explore more about how we use model organisms.

We’re also home to some amazing graduating seniors. These talented students shine academically and through their scientific research. You could even call them “model” students. You can hear it directly from these Aggies by viewing research interviews in our new video series.

Baskin Research Award winner Lynne Hagelthorn studies terpines to understand how plants survive, thrive and communicate. Colllege of Biological Sciences Medalist Joleen Cheah stretches cells to understand the physical forces that lead to diseases like cancer. We’re so proud of these students and all of the Class of 2019.

Go Ags!

Lindsay Cameron and other researchers at UC Davis are actively exploring drugs capable of restoring health in the brains of those with mood disorders. Some dark horse candidates are psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin and DMT.

For her outstanding research activities and scholarship, Joleen Cheah was awarded the College of Biological Sciences Medal. “Joleen has been instrumental in the lab,” said Associate Professor Soichiro Yamada. “She is motivated, works very hard, and she enjoys new discoveries—she’s made quite a few in fact!”

Victoria Morgan uses genetics to understand how land crabs adapted to living on land. Her research has taken her all the way to Christmas Island, home to the annual Christmas lsland Red Crab migration. But how to keep track of these crafty crustaceans?

Senior biochemistry and molecular biology student Lynne Hagelthorn is one of the recipients of this year’s Baskin Research Award. “I think her time in my lab is a great example of how volunteering in a lab can be beneficial for undergraduate students to...explore what it is like to be a scientist and mentor and find out where their career path in the broader science community might lead to," said Associate Professor Philipp Zerbe.

Plant Biology Ph.D. student Katie Murphy became the first UC Davis winner of the UC Grad Slam, judged the best at summarizing her research in three minutes, for a general audience. Known as the Corn Queen, her talk demonstrated how plant biochemistry can help feed the world.

In a study appearing in Endocrinology, Associate Professor Karen Ryan and her colleagues identified the hormone fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) as a control for regulating dietary protein intake in male mice. They found that male mice injected with the hormone increased their intake of dietary protein over carbohydrates and fats.

To inform pest management techniques and fight threats like Citrus Greening disease, Distinguished Professor Walter Leal and his colleagues use reverse chemical ecology to identify sex pheromones in insects. From Brazil to Japan to Davis, Calif., Leal's research path has been unique.