Entries by sheena28

Assistant Professor Val Tornini is featured in the Los Angeles Times

Assistant Professor Val Tornini (UCLA Integrative Biology & Physiology; Institute for Society and Genetics) is featured in the Los Angeles Times discussing her pioneering study on how the combined effects of urban heat and noise exposure impact brain health and behavior. Partnering with South L.A. community groups, Tornini’s team is bringing together neuroscience and lived experience to understand how environmental stressors affect Angelenos’ daily lives

Read the full article, “How exposure to noise and heat affects your brain” (Los Angeles Times, Sept. 9, 2025).

Faculty in the News

As you are all aware, UCLA has been thrust into the midst of a national political battle over federal research funding, with significant implications for our campus and trainees. In The Chronicle of Higher Education, Chair Crosbie is quoted on the profound effects of the funding freeze, noting how it disrupts graduate and postdoctoral training in neuromuscular research. The piece underscores both the personal and institutional challenges facing our community.

Read the full article: “Caught in a Political Fight, UCLA Professors Grapple With Uncertainties Large and Small”.

Professor Grace Xiao is featured in the UCLA Newsroom

Professor Grace Xiao’s recent publication “Genetic variants affecting RNA stability influence complex traits and disease risk”, is featured in the UCLA Newsroom, “How fast mRNA degrades linked to autoimmune disease risk”.

*photo credit Warren Umoh, Unsplash

The UCLA-HBCU Neuroscience Pathways Program has been awarded three years of funding from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP)

The UCLA-HBCU Neuroscience Pathways Program has been awarded three years of funding from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), continuing its mission to foster inclusive excellence in neuroscience research and mentorship. Led by Dr. Ketema Paul, Professor of Integrative Biology and Physiology and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA, this competitive summer research training initiative brings talented undergraduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to UCLA for immersive neuroscience experiences—combining hands-on research, career development, and long-term mentorship.
Hosted by the UCLA Brain Research Institute (BRI), the program has supported aspiring neuroscientists in building foundational skills and gaining access to graduate school pathways. With the renewed support from UCOP, UCLA reaffirms its commitment to creating equitable opportunities for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEM.

Learn more about the UCLA-HBCU program here: https://bri.ucla.edu/outreach/ucla-hbcu-neuroscience-pathways-program

Picture caption:
2025 UCLA-BRI Summer Research Cohort during a visit to Charles Drew University in South Los Angeles. Pictured are students from the UCLA-HBCU Neuroscience Pathways, UCLA-BRI SURE, and UCLA-HSI SOMA programs, joined by the Honorable Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kelvin Filer; Pat Lowe, Chief Financial Officer of the UCLA Brain Research Institute; and Dr. Ketema Paul, Director of the UCLA-HBCU Neuroscience Pathways Program.

Drs. Xia Yang and David Walker selected for the 2025 cohort of the UCLA Faculty Mentoring Honorary Society

Coordinated by the UCLA Office of Faculty Development, the Faculty Mentoring Honorary Society recognizes UCLA faculty for excellence in mentoring. The Society, which is supported by a University of California Office of the President (UCOP) grant for faculty development, honors the time and effort that faculty mentors have contributed to the professional development of early and mid-career faculty at UCLA.