News & Events

Frédéric Chédin will step into the role of dean of the College of Biological Sciences, or CBS, on Sept. 1. Chédin, a faculty member and chair in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, said the college’s strengths are its singular focus on the life sciences and its exceptional faculty, students and staff. 

Having spent his career at UC Davis, Chédin credited the CBS community as the reason for his long tenure on campus.

The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) has elected Dan Starr, professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, as a 2026 ASCB Fellow.

Starr is one of 15 scientists elected this year in recognition of exceptional contributions to cell biology and the society. ASCB Fellows are selected by their peers and approved by the ASCB Council, recognizing careers distinguished by scientific excellence, leadership and service to the cell biology community.

As the planet warms, how will plants respond? For a clue, evolutionary ecologists like Sharon Strauss can move a plant outside of its comfort zone.

Strauss, a distinguished professor emerita of evolution and ecology, has conducted numerous experiments growing plants under conditions where they aren’t usually found, with the aim of studying how they’ll respond.

Mariel Vazquez, an internationally recognized applied mathematician who held a joint appointment as a professor in the Departments of Mathematics, and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG), passed away on July 5, 2026, at the age of 55. She is survived by her husband Javier Arsuaga, a professor of mathematics and molecular and cellular biology, and their children Eithne and Cedric Arsuaga-Vazquez, as well as her parents Maria Elena and Rolando Antonio Vazquez and a large extended family. 

Three College of Biological Sciences research core facilities are among 20 across UC Davis selected to receive funding through the university's new Research Cores Central Investment (RCCI) Program. The one-time awards will help sustain essential shared research infrastructure, supporting advanced imaging, plant growth facilities, and other specialized resources that enable discoveries across the biological sciences.