UCSC Research Improves Lives and Livelihoods

UC Santa Cruz researchers are helping to ensure the United States remains the worldwide leader for innovation.

Email Congress to protect life-saving research

Support groundbreaking research

With federal investment, UC Santa Cruz researchers are conducting cutting-edge research to help:

Detect, diagnose and treat cancer

Accelerate sustainable agricultural practices

Pursue personalized medicine

Develop breakthrough technologies

Eliminate devastating disease

Train the nation’s workforce

For more than 60 years, UC Santa Cruz researchers have played a pivotal role in tackling some of the most challenging problems affecting individuals and communities, while also preparing the next generation of researchers who will help the nation remain at the forefront of discovery. Our research accomplishments are just a few examples of the extraordinary impacts that federal funding has created over the years.

Illustration representing a genome browser and its impact on different kinds of people.

Breaking new ground in cancer detection and treatment

Supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, UC Santa Cruz researchers have made significant strides in cancer research to help inform new detection and treatment strategies.

A leader in the pursuit of personalized medicine

UC Santa Cruz researchers are working across disciplines to unlock the secrets of the human genome—the complete set of DNA instructions contained in our cells that guides how our bodies develop and function.

We believe this will allow us to understand why some people get sick from certain infections, environmental factors or behaviors and usher in a new era of personalized medicine that will enable earlier diagnoses, enhanced interventions and deliver targeted treatments.

Woman in a lab working on a project with protective gear on.

Researcher holding up a sample in a petri dish and smiling.

Seeking cures for devastating diseases

Each of us and our loved ones will face unexpected health challenges at some point in our lifetimes. UC Santa Cruz researchers are dedicating their careers to creating solutions that will help save lives.

Researchers are actively working to develop easier and less expensive screenings for heart disease, uncovering new pathways to treat degenerative disease, and combining gene therapy with optogenetics to create new treatments for epilepsy.

Accelerating sustainable agriculture

At UC Santa Cruz, we’re improving farming in ways that protect people and the environment, while supporting farmer livelihoods and making agriculture a viable career path for the next generation.

Our research helps farmers produce the healthy, affordable food our nation needs through resource efficiency, pollution reduction, and organic alternatives to toxic chemicals. We’re also applying emerging technologies like advanced imaging and sensors in safe and socially responsible ways.

Researcher in a greehouse checking on a plant specimen

Small medical device used for testing samples.

Developing breakthrough technologies

Researchers are pioneering breakthrough technologies that enhance lives and livelihoods across industries. From revolutionizing DNA sequencing to developing smart bandages, their work is driving real-world impact.
Creating energy-efficient AI, improving biodiesel production, and developing powerful new antivirals are just a few areas where UC Santa Cruz researchers are making a difference.