Former and current UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry graduate students, members of the Organization for Cultural Diversity in Science (OCDS), co-authored a recent paper in Nature Reviews Chemistry titled “Empowering the Next Generation of Scientists,” in which they describe how OCDS is promoting an inclusive environment in STEM and supports underrepresented scientists. The Organization for Cultural […]

Professor Keriann Backus is among 17 trailblazing female scientists featured in the special “Women in Proteomics” issue of the journal Molecular and Cellular Proteomics (MCP). Released on February 12, 2026, the special issue celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.  The issue highlights the leadership and achievements of women in proteomics, celebrating […]

Professor Michael Lawson has been awarded a highly prestigious Early Stage Investigator Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (ESI MIRA) R35 grant from the National Institutes of Health / National Institute of General Medical Sciences. This award will support Lawson’s research focused on the interplay of protein synthesis and messenger RNA decay over a five-year period. The […]

Research by a team led by Professor Richard Kaner and Dr. Maher El-Kady shows how 21st-century nanotechnology has finally enabled a clean-energy vision that Thomas Edison first proposed more than 125 years ago. From UCLA Newsroom (By Wayne Lewis): How UCLA scientists helped reimagine a forgotten battery design from Thomas Edison Key takeaways An international […]

The College of Arts & Sciences at Utah State University has selected Professor Anastassia Alexandrova for a 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of her “extraordinary academic and scientific accomplishments and her lasting contributions to the field of chemistry.” Known for her groundbreaking work in theory and computation, Alexandrova is the Charles W. Clifford Jr. […]

Cholesterol plays a central role in cell health, influencing membrane fluidity, curvature, and signaling. To maintain proper cholesterol levels, cells rely on tightly regulated transport systems that move cholesterol between membranes and organelles. However, many of the proteins involved in sensing, binding, and trafficking cholesterol—and how they dynamically interact—remain poorly understood. A team of researchers, […]

A research team led by Professor Paul Weiss and chemical biology Ph.D. candidate AJ Addae (P. Weiss/Caram groups) has developed a mineral sunscreen formulation that significantly reduces the white, chalky cast that keeps many people from wearing sun protection daily. From UCLA Newsroom (by Denise Heady): A novel shape of zinc oxide helps reduce chalkiness […]

Open to all first-year chemistry and biochemistry majors in the fall quarter, the course is designed to help students build academic skills, navigate challenges, and thrive in their chemistry and biochemistry studies and beyond.  As students embark on their journey as a chemistry or biochemistry major, it is crucial that they not only master the […]