Campus News

Biracial Americans of Asian and white descent are twice as likely to be diagnosed with a psychological disorder compared to monoracial Asian Americans, according to a new study from the Asian American Center on Disparities Research at UC Davis.

The human brain creates memories by linking complex details into manageable chunks. It remembers a set of words as an acronym, and recognizes someone by the face as a whole instead of a separate set of eyes, nose and mouth. UC Davis researchers showed in a recent study that an area of the brain called the perirhinal cortex (PRc) is involved in forming these simple associations so they will be familiar to us in the future. The finding may resolve a major debate among researchers about how brain areas important for memory are organized.

UC Davis received nearly $216.8 million in philanthropic donations in 2007-2008, marking a 114 percent jump from the previous year and the first time that donations have exceeded $200 million.

UC Davis Health System researcher Paul S. Knoepfler was awarded over $2 million in grant money by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) earlier this month for his research into the safe application of stem cells for medicinal procedures. “This is extremely exciting, it’s very competitive and a big honor,” Knoepfler said. “It’s definitely a major boost for my research and career, my whole lab is really excited and energized even more than we were before.”

The UC Davis Arboretum will soon be getting a facelift intended to improve visitor experience, thanks to a federal grant from Museums for America. The $150,000 grant will go toward building a trail through the arboretum’s prestigious oak collection, expanding educational programs and improving resources for researchers.

UC Davis researchers will begin large-scale screening of newborns this fall for the gene mutation that causes fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited culprit for a wide spectrum of developmental disorders including mental retardation and autism.

University of California President Mark Yudof announced last week that former UC Davis administrator Robert Grey will serve as interim provost for the UC system while the search for a permanent replacement continues. Grey will take office in September to replace current UC Provost Wyatt R. Hume, who announced his intention to step down earlier this summer.

President Bush’s low approval ratings may be more the result of personal experiences than of political beliefs,arecent UC Davis study suggests. UCD political science professor Scott Gartner found that individuals who have experienced a personal loss in a conflict – such as the IraqWaror the9/11terrorist attack – are more likely to disapprove of their leader than those who have not.

Like many children,as a10-year-old Rebekah Shepard wanted to be an astronaut.Her involvement in the Pavilion Lake Research Project is bringing her ever closer to that dream,as she joined researchers from NASA in their exploration of the development of ancient life forms.

Aging veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War now have more reason to worry about prostate cancer,according to a UC Davis study. UC Davis Cancer Center physicians announced the results last week of the largest study to date that shows Agent Orange exposure is a high risk factor for developing the disease in veterans.

Information and Educational Technology at University of California Davis announced that registration for the new campus Gmail accounts will begin in the second week of October. The entire student body should be switched over by the end of fall quarter.

This fall will mark 100 years since UC Davis first opened its doors, and the university is celebrating its centennial with a salute to its past and an enthusiastic look forward to its future. UC Davis will kick off the centennial celebration at this year’s California State Fair in Sacramento, where it will unveil a 6,000 square foot pavilion dedicated to the university’s journey from a small agricultural school to one of the top public universities in the country. Fairgoers can visit the State Fair exhibit at Cal Expo starting Aug. 15 through Labor Day, Sept. 1.