Research

New digital tool shows where exactly California’s water goes

September 9, 2026

The COEQWAL project, led by ESPM Professor Ted Grantham, is helping communities explore how shifting the state’s water priorities could impact agriculture, cities and ecosystems.Read more about New digital tool shows where exactly California’s water goes

GLP-1 treatment extends the lifespan of older, healthy mice

September 2, 2026

A study led by MBN researcher Yufan Feng and Professor Danica Chen showed that semaglutide slowed physiological aging in mice better than calorie restriction alone.Read more about GLP-1 treatment extends the lifespan of older, healthy mice

A promising new weight loss and diabetes treatment helps burn fat while keeping muscle

August 21, 2026
Unlike GLP-1s, which work by suppressing appetite and lowering energy intake, a molecular compound identified by Rausser College scientists helps cells burn extra energy with no change in food intake or exercise, and shows promise in mouse models.Read more about A promising new weight loss and diabetes treatment helps burn fat while keeping muscle

Climate change is redrawing the malaria map in Africa

July 29, 2026
A study co-authored by Professor Tamma Carleton and alum Colin Carlson reveals that climate change is increasing childhood malaria in southern and East Africa—regions with less experience tackling the disease—and reducing risk in today’s hotspots as temperatures become too high for mosquitoes.Read more about Climate change is redrawing the malaria map in Africa

Climate change increases wildfire risks in Yosemite and other national parks

July 29, 2026
Research led by Associate Adjunct Professor Patrick Gonzalez indicates that climate change could severely increase wildfire above natural levels in four National Parks in California and could help park managers reduce wildfire risks by proactively targeting natural fire to decrease understory fuels.Read more about Climate change increases wildfire risks in Yosemite and other national parks

Understanding California’s emerging bioeconomy

July 23, 2026

Alexandra Hill and David Zilberman, professors in the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, contribute to a special ARE Update exploring the state’s evolving bioeconomy.Read more about Understanding California’s emerging bioeconomy

Bridging the wolf-rancher divide

July 21, 2026

National Geographic Explorer and California Wolf Project director Kaggie Orrick is working to ease tensions between Northern California's ranchers and wolves that share the same land.Read more about Bridging the wolf-rancher divide

Denis Titov receives early career award from the Biophysical Journal

July 9, 2026
The Metabolic Biology and Nutrition professor was recognized for research that offers new insights into human cellular metabolism.Read more about Denis Titov receives early career award from the Biophysical Journal

Turning wildfire salvage into construction materials

July 2, 2026

ABC7 News San Francisco spoke to Cooperative Extension professors Paul Mayencourt and Daniel Sanchez about the Wood Products Lab and how their research could help transform wood from California's fire-affected forests into useful building materials.Read more about Turning wildfire salvage into construction materials

Building better climate adaptation products

June 10, 2026
A new study by Energy and Resources Group researchers explores how digital tools, maps, and dashboards could better serve climate-adaption decision makers and planners.Read more about Building better climate adaptation products

Study: Wildfire smoke, ozone belong in the social cost of carbon

May 29, 2026
A review led by Energy and Resources Group researchers finds promising research on wildfire smoke and ozone health impacts that can improve estimates of the metric used to calculate the economic cost of carbon emissions.Read more about Study: Wildfire smoke, ozone belong in the social cost of carbon

Organ-on-a-chip technology replicates decades of human aging in just four days

March 25, 2026
A miniaturized system developed by UC Berkeley researchers can mimic the effects of nearly four decades of aging with high accuracy, potentially enabling rapid drug development and cheaper testing.Read more about Organ-on-a-chip technology replicates decades of human aging in just four days

Estimating the true carbon cost of northern wildfires

March 9, 2026
Johan Eckdahl, a postdoctoral scholar in Berkeley’s Energy and Resources Group, serves as the study lead for research that suggests current climate estimates are failing to fully account for carbon released from smoldering organic soils.Read more about Estimating the true carbon cost of northern wildfires

Irrigation is central to sub-Saharan food security and climate resilience

March 5, 2026

Analysis of over three decades of satellite imagery and irrigation infrastructure investments shows how irrigation leads to significant and sustained increases in crop cultivation and reduces the impact of temperature shocks.Read more about Irrigation is central to sub-Saharan food security and climate resilience

How basic bacterial research led to a unique cancer therapy

March 4, 2026
Daniel Portnoy, a distinguished professor in PMB and MCB, and his colleagues have discovered a way to turn the Listeria bacteria into a potent immune booster—and a potential weapon against cancer.Read more about How basic bacterial research led to a unique cancer therapy

Breakthroughs Magazine: Burn, Learn, Repeat

March 2, 2026
UC Berkeley researchers are collaborating directly with policymakers and forest managers to bridge the gap between the laboratory and the landscape, studying new ways to mitigate wildfire while also using fire as a tool.Read more about Breakthroughs Magazine: Burn, Learn, Repeat

Berkeley researchers identify protein governing liver metabolism and nuclear organization

February 25, 2026
A collaborative team of UC Berkeley scientists has identified a previously unrecognized membrane-shaping protein that regulates whether fat is secreted or stored in liver cells.Read more about Berkeley researchers identify protein governing liver metabolism and nuclear organization

Helping wildlife navigate Wyoming's invisible walls

February 23, 2026

Beyond Yellowstone Research Director Kristin Barker and colleagues at the Stone Center for Environmental Stewardship spoke with Wyoming PBS about their collaborative work to improve migration corridors in the state.Read more about Helping wildlife navigate Wyoming's invisible walls

A tiny plant may provide big insights into how we age

February 20, 2026

Arabidopsis thaliana could serve as a model organism for studying aging at the molecular level, according to recent research from PMB Assistant Professor Ben Williams and postdoctoral researcher Dawei Dai.Read more about A tiny plant may provide big insights into how we age

How wildfires can be leveraged to increase forest resilience

February 18, 2026

A collaborative study co-authored by Cooperative Extension Professor Kristen Shive details how wildfires could be leveraged to increase forest resilience to future high-severity fires across the Western United States.Read more about How wildfires can be leveraged to increase forest resilience