Social media: Reading between the lines

UC Irvine researchers analyzed nearly 25,000 heat-related social media posts from across California to examine what factors predict people talking about coping with extreme heat or its effects on daily life. People living in RVs, vans or boats appeared to face greater challenges during extreme heat while being less likely to discuss ways of coping with it.…

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How public safety can influence public health

Community-led safety program was associated with increased physical activity at South Los Angeles parks, with the greatest gains among Black visitors. The type of safety intervention was more important than park quality for supporting physical activity The findings suggest that park safety can influence health and health equity. Irvine, Calif., Aug. 26, 2026 — A…

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Lab-grown brain models gain a sense of place

The human brain is often described as one of the most complex structures in biology, and much of its power comes from how it’s organized. Its outer layer, the cerebral cortex, is not one uniform sheet. As the brain develops, it divides into distinct areas that each take on different jobs, from movement and vision…

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Math and medicine join forces to solve a cancer mystery

Irvine, Calif., Aug. 20, 2026 — Immunotherapy has transformed outcomes for many cancer patients. Unlike conventional treatments, these therapies do not attack tumors directly. Instead, they enable the body’s own immune system to identify and kill cancer cells that had previously escaped elimination. For patients with advanced melanoma – a particularly aggressive form of skin…

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Lifesaving cancer treatment without life-threatening side effects

UC Irvine researchers highlight mitochondrial dysfunction as a promising target for reducing a serious neurological complication of CAR T-cell therapy in cancer patients. The study outlines how existing drugs could be repurposed as safer alternatives to steroids in addressing this complication. The research provides a road map for future clinical evaluation. Irvine, Calif., Aug. 18,…

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Large-scale study finds no link between crime and unauthorized immigration

Irvine, Calif., Aug. 11, 2026 — For more than two decades, Charis E. Kubrin has followed the data wherever it leads. As UC Irvine Chancellor’s Professor of Criminology, Law and Society, she has built a career studying one of America’s most politically charged questions: does immigration drive crime? Now, in one of the most geographically…

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Different inflammatory processes tied to the same Alzheimer’s disease-related brain shrinkage and memory loss

Two blood markers of inflammation were associated with different forms of disease markers in the brain. YKL-40 was linked to damage in the brain’s small blood vessels, while GFAP was linked to amyloid buildup. The two routes were associated with a shared pattern involving greater abnormal tau, shrinkage in memory-related brain regions and poorer memory.…

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Flaunting our faculty

Flaunting our faculty

When the University of California, Irvine opened its doors in 1965, it was the youngest campus in the University of California system. Unlike older institutions with generations of established traditions and reputations, UC Irvine began with a blank canvas and an ambitious vision. Over six decades, the campus has matured into one of the nation’s…

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Julie Washington appointed dean of UC Irvine School of Education

Irvine, Calif., July 30, 2026 — The University of California, Irvine has named Julie A. Washington dean of its highly ranked School of Education. She has served as interim dean of the school since April 2025. “Since its founding in 2012, the UC Irvine School of Education has grown into one of the nation’s finest,…

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UC Irvine researchers create California wildfire damage risk map

A new study in Science Advances by UC Irvine researchers reveals that wildfires follow predictable patterns of destruction and that structural elements such as fences, siding and eaves contribute greatly to the risk of fires spreading. A first-of-its-kind, 100-meter-resolution risk map developed by the UC Irvine team can aid in land-use planning, fire mitigation investments…

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