UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute

For the first time, scientists have used ancient DNA preserved in sediment to examine how a volcanic eruption affected animal populations. 🦣🌋 UCSC Ph.D. student Ciara Wanket drilled through permafrost to extract genetic material dating to the Ice Age. news.ucsc.edu/2026/02/volcan…

Associate Professor Olena Vaske, leader of the Colligan Clinical Diagnostics Lab (CCDL) at the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, will be speaking at Science on Tap! ⏱️ March 2 at 6:00 PM. 📍 The Crepe Place: 1134 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz 🎟️ Free & open to the public

We grew some brain tissue in the lab and taught it to balance a virtual pole 🕹️🤯 This isn't just a cool party trick — it's giving us a window into how neural circuits learn and adapt. news.ucsc.edu/2026/02/brain-…

New research from UCSC Genomics Institute affiliate Shaheen Sikandar shows that pregnancy may “reset” how breast tissue ages, reducing cell changes that are linked to higher breast cancer risk later in life. news.ucsc.edu/2026/01/pregna…

It's #WorldCancerDay 🎗️ Thanks to @beadragonmaster and the Degree Defining Experiences program, 80 undergrads are being exposed to childhood cancer research through our TUBI program. They're becoming the next generation of scientists and advocates 👏🏽👏🏿👏 news.ucsc.edu/2026/02/expand…

🧬🏖The deadline for our Next Wave of Faculty in Genomics Symposium is fast approaching. Don't forget to get your applications in by January 15!

🪲 Meet an unassuming climate warrior: the tunneling dung beetle. New research using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding uncovered that dung beetles are quietly reshaping the invisible microbial world in ways that could help pasturelands store carbon: doi.org/10.1002/edn3.7…

🎉 Congratulations to our Scientific Director David Haussler and our emeritus affiliate Dave Deamer on being named fellows of the @AcadofInventors ⚙️ 👏🏿👏🏻👏🏽 news.ucsc.edu/2025/12/nai-fe…

🐝 How did aggressive Africanized honey bees in Puerto Rico become gentle in just decades? New research shows how genetic diversity from admixed populations enabled this change through selection on genes affecting serotonin signaling & behavior. 🧬 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/ev…

📢 We're hiring a Genomics Senior Systems Architect! The incumbent will be responsible for the Genomics Institute's complex computing infrastructure. Learn more and apply at jobs.ucsc.edu using job code 82880.

Our first thoughts begin before we are born 🧠👶🏻 An exciting discovery from @ucsc challenges the popular “blank slate” theory and opens new possibilities for studying early brain function and developmental disorders. 👉 Read in @DiscoverMag : discovermagazine.com/our-brains-may…

POSTDOCS: We're hosting our fourth-annual Next Wave of Faculty in Genomics symposium in beautiful Santa Cruz, CA, to showcase rising talent in genomics research. Travel expenses are covered for selected applicants ✈️😎🏖 APPLY BY JAN 15: genomics.wordpress.ucsc.edu/calendar_event…

Genomics is changing lives, and it's only the beginning. 🧬 At the Genomics Rooftop Mixer with @santacruzworks, our scientists engaged entrepreneurs, investors, and the general public in conversations about the future of precision health. 🔗 news.ucsc.edu/2025/11/leadin…

📢 Our project has received a generous $3K matching gift! Generous donors like you have already matched $2220 - give now to help us match the remaining $780 and DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

You can be the one to introduce a student to a career in genomics! 🔬 With federal funding under threat, we need your help to continue providing meaningful research opportunities to students 🙏 🎗 Give to TUBI: bit.ly/give2treehouse 🧬 Give to RMI: bit.ly/give2RMI

Support diversity and excellence in STEM by giving to our Research Mentoring Internship (RMI) this Giving Day! Federal cuts to DEI grants have made your gifts VITAL to keeping this program alive. Please support student mentorship today: givecampus.com/schools/Univer…

It's Giving Day!!! You can help support 🎗pediatric cancer research AND a "degree-defining experience" for undergraduates by: 💸 Donating to Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative 🗣 Sharing this post to spread the word! 🔗 🎁 bit.ly/give2treehouse

🦟Data available on the UCSC Cell Browser: mosquito.cells.ucsc.edu

Today, @GoogleResearch announced DeepSomatic, a new machine learning model developed with our partners, including @ucscgenomics and @ChildrensMercy, that accurately identifies genetic variants in cancer cells — a critical step for delivering more precise treatments for patients. Learn more about the tool and how it can impact cancer research globally ↓ goo.gle/4nZF4Ig

📢 Announcing the AnVIL Data Explorer! 🧬⚒️ This tool makes it easier to reuse high-value datasets, including those that focus on specific diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, and rare genetic disorders. Over 280 @genome_gov datasets and growing! news.ucsc.edu/2025/08/new-an…