Faculty

Researchers Rebuild Microscopic Circadian Clock That Can Control Genes

February 10, 2026

Blue-green algae in flasks are used by researchers at UC Merced and UC San Diego to further the understanding of circadian clocks. Image courtesy of UC San Diego.

Our circadian clocks play a crucial role in our health and well-being, keeping our 24-hour biological cycles in sync with light and dark exposure. Disruptions in the rhythms of these clocks, as with jet lag and daylight saving time, can throw our daily rhythms out of whack. But a group of...

Research Explains Why Electric Fields Puncture Biological Cells

An exacting nanosecond jolt of electricity can briefly open a cell’s wall, allowing for the delivery of drugs or DNA. This procedure — called electroporation — is widely used in biology,...

Summer Research Program for Undergrads Aims for the Experience of a Lifetime

Many universities offer the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, but they don’t have what UC Merced has to offer. “Yosemite really draws people in,” said Professor Stephen Hart, one...

Emotional Flexibility of Infant Sounds Proves Critical to Language Development

The squeals, vowel-like sounds and growls made by infants are critical to the development of human language, according a recent paper coauthored by a cognitive scientist at the University of...

Book Reveals Sobering Consequences of the Party Pathway

Many large state universities fail in their mission to create social mobility, instead perpetuating inequality by catering to privileged students rather than focusing on student success, according...

Applied Math Professors Expanding Knowledge About Biology

Professor Suzanne Sindi found her calling in seventh grade, while reading “Jurassic Park.” “I liked the idea that math is a tool for understanding the whole world,” she said. Her School of Natural...

Service Learning Team Working to Increase Kids’ Enthusiasm for Science

One group of engineering students is focusing on tiny ways to make big strides in education. A 10-member Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net) team is developing a piece of...

Campus Hosts Two Commencement Ceremonies to Accommodate Growth

Retired astronaut and engineer Jose Hernandez and acclaimed author and organic farmer David Mas Masumoto will deliver keynote addresses at the University of California, Merced’s eighth commencement...

Professor and Students Study Deformations to Increase Health

People don’t often think of deformation as a good thing. But when it comes to biofilaments – such as strands of DNA – it’s not only good, it’s necessary for the biofilament to complete its functions...

Natural Sciences Dean, Professor Link UC Merced to Knowledge Hub

A collaboration between a dean and a professor and a grant from the National Science Foundation have made UC Merced part of a national nanotechnology-biology hub that will expand both knowledge and...