Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Graduate Group

The American Physiological Society recently named UC Davis Professor Manuel Navedo the 2025 recipient of the Robert M. Berne Distinguished Lectureship. This award is presented annually by the society’s Cardiovascular Section to an established leader in cardiovascular research.

Commitment. Passion. Empathy. These descriptors were just a few of the plaudits the winners of the 2024 Graduate Program Advising and Mentoring Award received in their nomination letters.

“[This professor’s] mentorship is always the perfect balance of pushing you to your full capacity, while also supporting at a level that fosters independence, creativity and self-ownership.”

“[This professor] combines a deep sense of empathy with a steely commitment to student development.”

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.

We all know that exercise and a good diet are important for a healthy body. But how much exercise, and what is a good diet?

A new UC Davis Health study found that a ketogenic (keto) diet improves muscle function in older animals by preventing muscle mass loss due to age (sarcopenia).

The college is very pleased to welcome the newest members of its broad and diverse faculty. With appointments in the Departments of Evolution and Ecology, Plant Biology and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, the new faculty are poised to make an impact on their respective areas of expertise, and on the classroom and laboratory experience of our students across the college.

Assistant Professor
Department of Evolution and Ecology

In Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative dementias, proteins that normally play a role in healthy brain tissue turn bad, clumping together to form insoluble plaques and tangles as neurons wither and die. Exactly how these proteins are connected to disease — and whether they can be targeted in some way to slow, stop or reverse its progression — remains a challenging problem.

Being a parent can be stressful.

For UC Davis biology associate professor Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez, parental behavior has inspired her research as a biological scientists as well as her public advocacy message.

Calisi Rodríguez studies the hormonal shifts that occur in numerous species because of parental instincts. She also is passionate about encouraging the scientific community to be more supportive and accepting of a diversity of people into STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers, especially scientists who are mothers.

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.

Here are the new fellows from CBS, listed with their AAAS commendations:

For the 2021-2022 academic year, the college is proud to welcome three new members to its faculty. Below you’ll learn more about the research interest of each faculty member, and what brought them to UC Davis.

Xiaomo Chen joined the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior as an assistant professor in September 2021. Before joining the UC Davis faculty, she was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University.