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Commencement 2026

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News

PhD candidate Katelyn Mooney in the Deters’ lab receives prestigious National Institute on Aging (NIA) F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award

PhD candidate Katelyn Mooney in the Deters’ lab receives prestigious National Institute on Aging (NIA) F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award

UCLA Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program PhD candidate Katelyn Mooney in the Deters' lab has been awarded a prestigious National Institute on Aging (NIA) F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award. Her project, *"Investigating APOE-TOMM40 Haplotypes, Social Factors, and Vascular Risk Factors on Cognitive Decline,"* examines how genetic risk, social experiences, and vascular health interact to influence cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease risk in older adults. This research aims to improve our understanding of Alzheimer's disease and support more equitable approaches to prevention and treatment.
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Xiao lab Postdoc, Yuyun Zhang, Receives Pilot Grant from BrightFocus Foundation and Alzheimer’s LA

Xiao lab Postdoc, Yuyun Zhang, Receives Pilot Grant from BrightFocus Foundation and Alzheimer’s LA

Yuyun Zhang, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the laboratory of Xinshu (Grace) Xiao, PhD, has received an early-stage pilot grant from the BrightFocus Foundation to study how "jumping genes," which make up nearly half of our genome, sneak into the RNA of Alzheimer's risk genes in the human brain. Using genomic data from more than a thousand brain donors, her work asks what these hidden RNA changes mean for Alzheimer's risk.
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Professor Stephanie Leal Receives BRI’s Excellence in Academic Mentoring 2026 Award

Professor Stephanie Leal Receives BRI’s Excellence in Academic Mentoring 2026 Award

Professor Stephanie Leal is awarded the PI 2026 Brain Research Institute (BRI) Excellence in Academic Mentoring Award.  This is an annual award that recognize BRI members who have demonstrated persistent and impactful mentoring.  Professor Leal's efforts were recognized for exceptional commitment to mentoring, trainee development, and fostering the success of students and early-career researchers across the UCLA neuroscience community.
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Professor Valerie Tornini awarded the 2026 Life Sciences Excellence Research Award for Assistant Professor

Professor Valerie Tornini awarded the 2026 Life Sciences Excellence Research Award for Assistant Professor

The Life Science Excellence Awards award individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievemEnt, innovation, leadership, and dedication across research, education, inclusion, and service within the Life Sciences community. This year’s nominees reflected the extraordinary breadth of talent, commitment, and impact across the division. We extend our sincere congratulations not only to this year’s recipients, but to all nominees whose work continues to strengthen our teaching, research, operations, and community.
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Educational Programs

The department is proud of its long history in training the next generation of thinkers and leaders in science and medicine. The department offers an Undergraduate Program (B.S. in Physiological Science) as well as a two-year, research-oriented Master’s Program (M.S. in Physiological Science). We are a co-founder and home to the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP) Interdepartmental Ph.D. Program, which is one of 11 Ph.D.-granting programs in the Graduate Programs in Biosciences (GPB) at UCLA. The department is also highly engaged with the Undergraduate Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program (UNSIDP). Specifically, IBP provides administrative expertise and support for UNSIDP’s leadership; staff; instruction; curriculum; courses; teaching assistants; and financial support for selected activities.

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