Staff & Faculty News

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...

Public Radio Highlights Natural Reserves, New Program for Undergraduates

The latest installment of North State Public Radio’s Blue Dot podcast focuses on the UC Natural Reserve System and the national parks and features a segment about the UC Merced ¿field...

Active-matter Researcher will Further Modeling, Education with NSF CAREER Award

Department of Physics Professor Kinjal Dasbiswas has received a CAREER award for his work on the theory and modeling of shape-changing active solids. He is the 38th researcher from UC Merced to...

A forest fire is pictured in a photo from "California's Watershed Healing"

New Film Profiles Immediate Actions to Restore California's Wildfire-vulnerable Forests

The new film "California's Watershed Healing" documents the huge benefits that result from restoring forests to healthier densities. UC Merced's Sierra Nevada Research Institute...

Journal Published UC Merced Public Health Professor's Study on Violence and Suicidal Behavior

A study conducted by a UC Merced researcher found that people injured through violent acts have a substantially higher risk to die by or attempt suicide. The study, conducted by public health...

Images from left to right: Hisako Hibi, “Study for a Self-Portrait,” ca. 1944.; Miki Hayakawa, “Untitled (Woman with Blue Hair),” ca. 1930s; Miné Okubo, “Portrait Study,” ca. 1937.

Wang Curates New Traveling Exhibition of Three Trailblazing Japanese American Women

A new art exhibition curated by Professor ShiPu Wang is reintroducing the diverse art of three California painters to a national audience by bringing representative works from each together for the...

New chief campus counsel Cesar Alvarado-Gil is shown, with the entrance to UC Merced.

New Chief Campus Counsel Selected for UC Merced

Cesar Alvarado-Gil joins UC Merced as chief campus counsel, bringing his broad background in the law, deep affinity for education and firm ties to Merced. "Higher education is critical for...

Betsy Dumont Named Provost at UC Merced

Elizabeth "Betsy" Dumont, Ph.D., has been named executive vice chancellor and provost of the University of California, Merced after a robust process that drew candidates from across the...

Professor Claire Lukens, right, and recent graduate Kolleen Peyakov measure the geochemistry of a rock using an XRF spectrometer.

Lukens’ Latest Research Tracks Sediment’s Journey in the Eastern Sierra

Rocks, from ponderous boulders to tiny grains of sand, are subject to the whims of moisture, weather and time as they tumble from surrounding slopes into rivers, pools and lakes. UC Merced...

Two New Officers Added to UC Merced Police Department

The sworn ranks of UC Merced’s police department grew by two on Monday. UC Merced Police Chief Chou Her administered the oath to new officers joining his department. Angela Henke and...

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