From Labs to Lives

Real research. Real people. Real impact.

Federal funding turns our engineering research into real-world solutions that improve the lives of all people and the planet. Below, our engineering researchers describe the impact of their work and the consequences if federal support for this cutting-edge research were reduced or eliminated.

View UC Davis From Labs to Lives

“Without federal funding, we hand over AI dominance to foreign nations.”

Raissa D’Souza, associate dean of research and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and computer science, emphasized the crucial role of federal funding for academic research, particularly in this time of developing artificial intelligence.

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Engineering Experts Weigh In

Advances in Children's Healthcare Fueled by NIH Funding

Professor of Biomedical Engineering Ramsey Badawi led a team of UC Davis researchers to develop the world’s first total-body PET scanner, thanks to support from the National Institutes of Health. The scanner is much faster and safer than traditional PET scanners, allowing children to receive their scans without the need for sedation or anesthesia.

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Recent Federally Funded Research News

3D microscopy volume rendering of fluorescent rectangular sample on blue grid, 50 μm scale

New Microscopy Technique Reveals Whole Picture of Cellular Environments

When researchers study cells, they are often unable to see the surrounding tissues, which means key information about health and disease goes unseen. UC Davis biomedical engineers have developed a new imaging technique that shows the full picture, aiming to provide unparalleled insights into cellular health.

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How Cells Hold Together Could Inform New Disease Treatments

Biomedical engineers are investigating how cells know when to stick together and when to separate to allow wounds to heal, laying the groundwork for potential treatments for cancer and heart disease. The research is made possible by a more than $3 million award from the NIH.

Merged fluorescence microscopy of round cells with green cytoplasm and orange foci

Up to $36.5M Funds ‘Cyborg’ Cell Project to Help Life-Saving Cell Therapies Travel Farther

Cheemeng Tan, a professor of biomedical engineering, leads an interdisciplinary and multi-campus research team working on a method for room temperature storage of cellular therapies, aiming to make the life-saving potential of these therapies much more accessible and cheaper than ever before.

Blue-gloved hands holding a petri dish with a beige cross-shaped sample on grid

UC Davis, Mango Materials Partner to Advance Affordable Bioplastics from Methane

UC Davis researchers are partnering with Mango Materials to make sustainable plastics derived from waste methane more affordable, combining university research, industrial-scale biomanufacturing and workforce training to advance the growing industry.

Two smiling researchers in a lab, one in a white coat, complex instruments behind them.

When It Comes to Fusion, Materials Matter

Researchers found that the structure and composition of materials can dramatically increase how often fusion happens at low energies. With a better understanding of the mechanism behind that effect, we may eventually be able to design materials that improve neutron sources or other fusion-based technologies.

Green plastic bottle caught in splashing waves on a sandy shore

UC Davis to Set Standard for Measuring Airborne Nanoplastic Health Risks

UC Davis researchers have received a nearly $4 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to develop the world’s first standardized method for measuring and describing the neurotoxicity of nanoplastics inhaled as part of air pollution. 

From Labs to Lives

Real research. Real people. Real impact.

“Without federal funding, we hand over AI dominance to foreign nations.”

Engineering Experts Weigh In