News

Scientists Assemble a Biological Clock in a Test Tube to Study How It Works

October 7, 2021

Daily cycles in virtually every aspect of our physiology are driven by biological clocks (also called circadian clocks) in our cells. The cyclical interactions of clock proteins keep the biological rhythms of life in tune with the daily cycle of night and day, and this happens not only in humans...

UC Merced Leads Innovative Effort to Secure Water for Agriculture and Ecosystems

October 6, 2021

UC Merced’s largest research grant in its 16-year history aims to improve agricultural and environmental water resilience. The new $10 million collaborative focuses on water banking, trading and improvements in data-driven management practices to arrive at a climate-resilient future in water-scarce...

Brain Study 'Turns Off the Brake' to Understand How Sympathy Can Be Increased

October 5, 2021

A new study by faculty members and students in UC Merced's Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences takes a closer look at the sympathy people have for one another. The researchers who conducted the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study found that "turning down" activity in a...

NCPC Hosting Free Webinar on Policy and the Media

October 1, 2021

UC Merced's Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center (NCPC) and the American Heart Association are hosting a free webinar to provide insight on generating media coverage and helping change public perceptions on a variety of issues in the Central Valley. "Policy and the Media - How to Influence Change...

UC Merced Names First Endowed Chair in Medical Education

September 30, 2021

Distinguished UC Merced Director of Medical Education and public health Professor Dr. Thelma Hurd has been appointed the inaugural Thondapu Family Endowed Chair in Medical Education. “I am both gratified and honored,” said Hurd. “It is truly an important step in establishing a long-term medical...

Research Shows Sleep and Social Support Are Vital to Latina Teen Mothers' Mental Health

September 29, 2021

It's no surprise that a good night's rest is one of the most important factors for a person's well-being, but not everyone can say they have the luxury of being able to sleep for eight hours a night. New research from UC Merced is shedding light on the problems this can cause, specifically for the...

Researchers Unraveling Mysteries of Electrosensory Gel in Sharks, Skates

September 28, 2021

Cartilaginous fishes such as sharks and skates have a sixth sense, but it’s not ESP — it’s electrosense. Such fishes use hundreds or thousands of specialized organs to sense prey and mates and to navigate the oceans. A cross-disciplinary group of researchers at UC Merced is making new discoveries...

HSRI Receives $1.2 Million to Research Health Impacts From Vehicle-Related Air Pollution

September 28, 2021

UC Merced's Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI) has been awarded a $1.2 million grant to study the effects of vehicle emissions on public health and the environment. This award is part of a $10 million program by the California Department of Justice to support research on the effects of...

UC Merced Launches Initiative to Aid Fleeing Afghan Scholars

September 22, 2021

The recent takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban forces has caused many Afghans to flee their homes searching for asylum. Responding to the urgency of the current situation in Afghanistan, UC Merced’s Center for the Humanities has joined the rest of the UC campuses in starting a campaign to help...

UC Merced Joins Global COVID-19 Wastewater Data Center Effort

September 21, 2021

As the number of cases of COVID-19 surge again globally as a result of the delta variant, world leaders are searching for ways to make more informed decisions on how to contain the pandemic. Researchers at UC Merced and Michigan State University (MSU) know what can provide early signs of the virus...