School of Medicine Research Celebration 2026

UC Davis School of Medicine celebrates research achievements and 20 years of the CTSC

The UC Davis School of Medicine research community came together on October 13 to celebrate a year of scientific achievement, collaboration and discovery at the annual Research Celebration, highlighting accomplishments from fiscal year 2026 and recognizing researchers, trainees, mentors and staff advancing the school’s research mission.

group of people gathered on stage
Vice Dean for Research Kim E. Barrett with the team from Wraparound Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program, winner of the Team Research Rock Star Award

Hosted by Vice Dean for Research Kim Barrett, the celebration also marked the 20th anniversary of the Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC), one of the original 12 centers funded through the national Clinical and Translational Science Awards program.

a woman in neutral attire and a man in a gray suit sit at a table watching a presentation
School of Medicine Dean Susan Murin and Vice Chancellor for Human Health Sciences Mark Rosenblatt provided opening remarks.

The milestone comes as the CTSC begins a new chapter. This year, the center successfully renewed its funding for the fifth time, receiving an award that expands the scope of its work and provides support for seven years. Barrett recognized CTSC leaders Ted Wun, Nick Kenyon and Courtney Lyles for their leadership in securing the new award.

woman with dark hair and a blue dress stands behind a podium
The Honorable Doris O. Matsui, U.S. Representative for California's 7th District, provided opening remarks for the event.

Vice Chancellor for Human Health Sciences Mark Rosenblatt and School of Medicine Dean Susan Murin also addressed attendees, along with U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, a longtime supporter of UC Davis research and early advocate for Aggie Square.

Showcasing clinical and translational research

man in professional attire stands behind a podium
Derek Bays, associate professor of internal medicine, presented his research at the celebration.

The anniversary provided an opportunity to highlight the breadth of clinical and translational research taking place across UC Davis.

Following remarks from Wun, associate dean for clinical and translational research and CTSC director, six CTSC-affiliated researchers gave flash talks showcasing their work:

  • Derek Bays, associate professor of internal medicine
  • Abhijit Chaudhari, professor of radiology
  • Angela Gelli, professor of pharmacology
  • Valentina Medici, professor of internal medicine
  • Oanh Meyer, professor of neurology
  • Meagan Talbott, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences

Together, the presentations highlighted the range of expertise contributing to clinical and translational research across the university.

Celebrating the 2026 Research Rock Stars

The celebration also recognized the recipients of the School of Medicine’s second annual Research Rock Star Awards. Presented by Melissa Bauman, associate dean for research infrastructure, the awards recognize outstanding contributions to the research mission across multiple areas.

Trainee Award: Yao Ke
A postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Ke was recognized for the quality and productivity of her research.

Mentor Award: Daniel Herman
Herman, professor and associate director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Training Program and co-director of ARC-MD, was recognized for his dedication to teaching and mentorship.

Basic Science Award: Ching-Hsien Chen
Chen, from the Department of Internal Medicine, was recognized for her independent research program, scholarship and mentorship.

Clinical/Translational Research Award: Maitreyee Wairagkar
A project scientist in the Neuroprosthetics Laboratory, Wairagkar was recognized for her work developing the brain-computer interface used in the groundbreaking BrainGate trial.

Population/Community Research Award: Oanh Meyer
Meyer, from the Department of Neurology, was honored for research with underserved communities, particularly populations affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Research Staff Award: Christopher Pivetti
A lab manager in the Department of Surgery, Pivetti was recognized for his work establishing the Center for Bioengineering in Medicine in its new home at Aggie Square.

Research Team Award: Wraparound Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program Research & Evaluation Team
The inaugural Research Team Award went to the team led by Nicole Kravitz-Wirtz and Shani Buggs. The program examines the causes, consequences, experiences and potential solutions to gun and community violence-related harms.

The event also the announcement of the grand-prize winner of the annual Research Image Competition, selected by attendees from the competition's quarterly winners.

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Guests voted on the winner of the 2026 School of Medicine Research Celebration

A year worth celebrating

From the CTSC's 20-year milestone and new seven-year award to the researchers and teams recognized through the Research Rock Star Awards, the 2026 Research Celebration highlighted the people and partnerships that sustain the School of Medicine research enterprise.

The afternoon concluded with a raffle and reception, giving faculty, staff, trainees and research partners an opportunity to connect and celebrate another year of research at UC Davis.