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Six people stand in a row outdoors in front of a glass-walled building. Five students, holding awards and certificates, pose on either side of a man in a red and black academic robe and cap. The students appear to be honored at a recognition event.

Talent, Curiosity and Dedication: Year-End CBS Awards Honor Top Undergraduates

  • by Evan White

Each year, the College of Biological Sciences honors its top undergraduates at a special awards ceremony attended by friends, family, mentors, and donors. The 2025 recipients were recognized for their academic excellence, commitment to building community, service to campus and peers, and exceptional achievements in research.

From left to right: MCB Club officer Dave Valenzuela, MCB Club President Komal Cheema holding her Adam’s Award for Leadership certificate, incoming president Sierra Demaula, and faculty advisor Professor Ken Kaplan. The group stands smiling in front of a UC Davis backdrop at the 2025 Student Leadership Awards event.

MCB Club Reinvigorated: Komal Cheema Wins 2025 Adam’s Award for Leadership

  • by Kenneth B. Kaplan

After the pandemic the MCB Club had gone dark. Thanks to the work of a new group of students with passion for all things molecular and cell biological, the club is thriving again. This success is due in large part to the work of club president, Komal Cheema. Komal clearly had a vision for bringing in a diverse group of students who either take MCB taught courses, have a general interest in the molecular and cellular aspects of biology or craved more structured social interactions around a common interest.

UC Davis student Avantika Gokulnatha shares a phone screen with Jack McGruder, an older man in a red USC hat. They sit at a table smiling together in a warmly lit community space.

Genetics and Genomics Major Named Top UC Davis Graduate

  • by Julia Ann Easley

Only on annual visits to India was Avantika Gokulnatha able to help care for her now late grandfather as his health failed. But the San Jose resident endeavored to help others near her.

Gokulnatha did just that as she studied biological sciences, majored in genetics and genomics, and researched aging at the University of California, Davis. She volunteered with a local hospice, revived a student organization to help seniors with technology, and led other undergraduate volunteers at a clinic providing free medical care to uninsured and marginalized people.

A row of large stone moai statues standing on a stone platform (ahu) at Ahu Tongariki on Easter Island. The statues face inland, with one wearing a topknot-like stone hat (pukao). The background shows grassy hills and a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Revisiting a Medical Marvel

  • by Douglas Fox

When drug breakthroughs happen, the medical community rejoices. But some people can be left behind. Case in point: Rapamycin. Now a UC Davis professor is investigating how to bring back the benefits of a revolutionary drug to the people who were there from the beginning.

Group photo of six smiling people standing outdoors in front of a building and leafless trees. They are arranged in a line and facing the camera in bright daylight.

CBS Students Name Faculty, TAs Aggie Well-Being Champions

  • by Kate Washington

Faculty members in the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) and graduate student teaching assistants who support CBS undergraduates have been named Aggie Well-Being Champions. The new award recognizes instructors who prioritize students’ well-being and cultivate spaces where undergraduates can thrive.

A composite image featuring three men. Left: a man with glasses and graying hair, smiling outdoors in front of green leaves, wearing a light blue pullover over a collared shirt. Center: a man with short blond hair and glasses, smiling in a laboratory while wearing a white lab coat and gloves. Right: a man with short black hair and glasses, smiling with arms crossed outdoors in front of tall green trees, wearing a dark blue pullover over a collared shirt.

Inaugural “Under the Microscope” Spotlights UC Davis Cancer Researchers

  • by Kate Washington

Researchers in the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) are driving breakthroughs in one of the thorniest problems in science: understanding and combating cancer.

On April 29, the first webinar in a new series called “Under the Microscope” will offer the public an inside look at their innovative research, which is changing our understanding of breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer.

Three men standing outdoors in separate settings, arranged side by side in a composite image. The man on the left wears glasses and a navy blue polka dot shirt. The man in the center is bald, smiling, and wears a dark sweater over a collared shirt. The man on the right wears glasses, a blue button-up shirt, and a gray blazer.

Frédéric Chédin Elected as AAAS Fellow

  • by Andy Fell

Three faculty affiliated with the College of Biological Sciences are among the eight UC Davis faculty newly elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, announced March 27. They are: Frédéric Chédin, a professor and chair in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Dario Cantù, a professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology; and Huaijun Zhou, a professor in the Department of Animal Science.

A collage of headshots

Kassandra Ori-McKenney Named 2024-25 Chancellor’s Fellow

  • by Dateline Staff

Meet the eight faculty members who comprise the newest class of Chancellor’s Fellows, given to early career academics doing exemplary work in their fields. One of the new fellows, Kassandra Ori-McKenney, is a an associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and four others are affiliated with the college's interdisciplinary graduate groups.

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