Research
Education
Healthcare
Community
About
May 15, 2026 | UC Irvine School of Medicine
UC Irvine Researchers Discover Cellular ‘Tug-of-War’ That Shapes How Our Genes Are Expressed — With Potential Implications for Cancer Drug Safety
The study shows that two crucial steps in processing genetic messages — splicing and 3′ end processing — actively compete with each other to shape what RNA molecules are generated.
Apr 27, 2026 | NPR
A Controversial Genetic Test Will Return to the LA Olympics. It Also Happened in '84.
The new policy faced immediate pushback from human rights advocates and some experts in the field, including UC Irvine genetic expert Eric Vilain, who has previously advised the IOC on its inclusion policies. He told LAist that the new IOC policy ignores women athletes with sex traits that aren't neatly aligned with the gender binary."
Apr 16, 2026 | UC Irvine School of Medicine
Marielle Valdez’s Life-Long Quest for Answers
Why do our bodies sometimes fail us, and what can we do about it? These questions drive PhD candidate Marielle Valdez and her genomics research in search of targeted therapies that promote health and well-being.
Mar 27, 2026 | Knowridge
Scientists Find Hidden Cause of Stroke in Older People
Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, have discovered a surprising new factor that may contribute to brain hemorrhages. Their study, published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, shows that aging red blood cells themselves may play a direct role in causing these small brain bleeds
Mar 26, 2026 | The New York Times
Olympic Committee Bans Transgender Athletes From Women's Events
Eric Vilain, a human geneticist at the University of California, Irvine, who advised the I.O.C. for almost a decade through 2017 on questions related to gender and sex eligibility, said the science was “not settled at all.” “I wouldn’t mind if they said we are a private organization and want to exclude transgender and DSD athletes and whoever is unhappy can start a new federation, but they are trying to find excuses to back that up."
Mar 25, 2026 | UC Irvine School of Medicine
Unlocking the Cell's 'Gatekeeper': UC Irvine Researchers Discover Critical RNA Quality-Control Factor, LENG8
A study led by Professor Yongsheng Shi’s team has unveiled a previously undefined key mechanism within the cell: the LENG8 protein.
Mar 09, 2026 | UC Irvine School of Medicine
Two School of Medicine Students Advance to Grad Slam Finals
Two of the 10 finalists for UC Irvine’s Grad Slam “research pitch” competition are School of Medicine students Tessa Chou, discussing “HIV’s last wake-up call,” and Celina Yang, explaining “how loneliness rewires the brain.”
Dec 15, 2025 | UC Irvine School of Medicine
UC Irvine Study Offers Insight into Potential Interventions for Cocaine Use Disorder
Researchers from the UC Irvine School of Medicine have identified a protein involved in regulating cocaine intake. The findings suggest that blocking this protein could help address substance use disorders.
Dec 12, 2025 | UC Irvine School of Medicine
PhD Candidate Lauren Otsuka Receives Estée Lauder Epigenetics Fellowship
Lauren Otsuka was awarded the Epigenetics Fellowship in recognition of her doctoral research in the Borrelli Lab, exploring the genetic, epigenetic and metabolic mechanisms contributing to psychiatric disorders.
Sep 25, 2025 | UC Irvine News
Unique Pan-Cancer Immunotherapy Destroys Tumors Without Attacking Healthy Tissue, UC Irvine Study Shows
UC Irvine cancer researchers have demonstrated that a new, highly potent class of immunotherapeutics with unique Velcro-like binding properties can kill diverse cancer types without harming normal tissue. The next step is testing this ‘holy grail’ therapy’s safety and effectiveness in patients.