Julio Frenk to take the helm of UCLA as its 7th chancellor

Dr. Julio Frenk, a respected figure in public health and higher education, will become chancellor of UCLA on January 1, 2025, making history as the first Latino to hold the position. With an extensive background in academia and public service, Dr. Frenk currently serves as president of the University of Miami and previously oversaw Harvard’s school of public health and Mexico’s national health ministry. As a distinguished global public health researcher and higher education leader, Frenk has championed health, education, and well-being worldwide and has been recognized with numerous awards and memberships.  Read Chancellor-Designate Julio Frenk’s full biography.

In the period between Chancellor Block’s departure on July 31, 2024 and Dr. Frenk’s arrival on January 1, 2025, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt, a long-time campus leader, will serve as the interim chancellor.

Frenk's selection as UCLA's next chancellor follows an extensive international search led by the University of California Office of the President, with involvement from UCLA's student body, faculty, staff, and alumni. The appointment was announced on Wednesday June 12, during a UC Board of Regents meeting at the UCLA campus.

Related: UC regents approve UCLA’s first Latino chancellor, the president of University of Miami | Los Angeles Times

Dr. Julio Frenk named first Latino chancellor of UCLA | UC Newsroom

‘Democracy Workshops’ promote active civic engagement

A “Democracy Workshop” series, organized by student organization BruinsVote and UCLA Campus Life, recently helped students become more informed about their political choices. The event, designed as an interactive, in-person version of online voter guides, was developed in partnership with nonprofit newsroom LAist. The workshop included a mock-ballot exercise to research and discuss the candidates and issues. Students who participated said they found the experience helpful in understanding the complexities of voting and the importance of research. The organizers plan to continue hosting events focused on voter registration, education, and turnout leading up to the fall election.

Despite slower growth, UCLA Anderson Forecast sees no recession on horizon

UCLA economists forecast subtrend growth in the second and third quarters of 2024, but they see no recession in the coming months, the result of expansionary fiscal policy, a new national industrial policy, and strong consumer spending. According to these economists, inflation is expected to stabilize at 2.2% to 2.7% annually, and the Federal Reserve is anticipated to adopt a neutral stance while economic growth rebounds next year. Despite California's robust economy in 2023, the state is expected to be affected by a national economic slowdown in 2024. Nevertheless, forecasters anticipate that California will experience higher-than-U.S. economic growth in the following two years.

Capturing carbon on the ocean floor

New UCLA research provides crucial insights that can guide ongoing efforts to address climate change through marine carbon sequestration. The carbon cycle, which plays a critical role in regulating Earth's climate, is significantly influenced by the shape and depth of the ocean floor. In fact, according to the new research, as much as 50% of the changes in carbon sequestration over the past 80 million years can be attributed to this factor.

Wild megalopolis: Study shows unexpected pockets of biodiversity pepper Los Angeles

Berry Gordy, music trailblazer, visits UCLA

The new UCLA Berry Gordy Music Industry Center, established through Gordy's recent $5-million pledge to enhance UCLA’s music industry degree program, will provide career support for students, support research on current music industry trends such as AI technology and streaming algorithms, and introduce new courses in songwriting and production.

Berry Gordy, the legendary founder of Motown Records, expressed his commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent in a rapidly evolving music industry by collaborating with the UCLA Herb Albert School of Music to guide these efforts. The center, scheduled to launch this fall, is set to play a pivotal role in developing future innovators, artists, and executives who will lead the music industry in the 21st century.

Celebrating the inspirational students of the class of 2024

Join us in honoring UCLA’s class of 2024! Enjoy the stories of some of the 15,000 exceptional Bruins who are graduating this commencement season as they launch the next chapter of their lives.

Related: The economic clout of a UC degree | UC Newsroom

LABEST 2024: View keynote speakers, panels and more

The LABEST conference, held at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center in May, highlighted the cutting-edge work of researchers and entrepreneurs in California. With a special emphasis on enhancing the bioscience landscape in Los Angeles, the event presented a captivating panel discussing the remarkable progress and prospects at UCLA Research Park . This forward-thinking public-private collaboration harnesses UCLA's expertise and resources, supported by the state, philanthropists, and corporations, to drive innovation and economic growth in the bioscience sector.

Related: LABEST summit looks to boost L.A. bioscience ecosystem | Spectrum 1

Empowering the future of bioscience in the L.A. region  | CIRM

Latino Data Hub: New features, more insights

Significant updates to the Latino Data Hub offer data upgrades and functional improvements to its bilingual digital platform. The latest features allow users to combine geographies, access updated educational categorizations, and gain a more nuanced understanding of disparities at the intersection of race and Latino ethnicity. Additionally, users can now select multiple counties and states simultaneously to obtain combined data for a broader region. These enhancements aim to better serve community-based organizations, policymakers, and researchers.

Sustainable Move Out: UCLA's collaborative effort for environmental responsibility

UCLA is collaborating with local non-profits, L.A. City Council District 5, the L.A. Sanitation Department, and multiple campus partners to host the second "Sustainable Move Out" event on June 22. Following the first Move Out event last weekend, this activity encourages UCLA students to donate household items and furniture to reduce their carbon footprints as they move from their Westwood residences. The initiative provides opportunities for students to give their gently used items a new home, while also offering coordinated disposal zones for items that cannot be repurposed. The June 22 Move Out event will include five off-campus drop-off locations; it will rely on volunteers who will assist in determining whether items can be donated or need to be discarded, highlighting the university's commitment to sustainability and civic engagement.

‘Off-the-shelf’ cancer immunotherapy for the clinic

UCLA researchers have developed a new method for engineering invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT cells) that can be used to treat multiple patients with an "off-the-shelf" cancer immunotherapy. This breakthrough could significantly reduce the cost and time associated with tailoring treatments to individual patients.

The novel technology, described in a study published by Nature Biotechnology, allows for the mass production of cell therapies, such as CAR-T cell therapy, making these life-saving treatments more affordable and accessible to a broader range of patients. The updated method can produce large quantities of iNKT cells from blood stem cells, overcoming previous manufacturing and regulatory challenges and bringing the potential for a universal cell product to advance to a clinical trial closer than ever.

Related: UCLA scientists receive $17.4 million in CIRM grants to advance novel stem-cell based treatments

Cannabis use common among patients, with most using it to manage a symptom or health condition

Genetic risk for autism connected to changes in the brain

Scorching schoolyards: California groups want more trees, less asphalt at schools | KBPS

A less-visible side of the Latino homelessness crisis | LAist

Mexico elects its first female president | KABC-TV

Why do I keep getting colds every few weeks? | NBC’s “Today”

Blaming drivers less, design more for accidents | Los Angeles Times