Health Sciences Research Institute

Address Stigma, Build Strength: UC Merced Co-leads Project to Lower LGBTQ2S+ Use of Nicotine

April 7, 2025

LGBTQ2S+ individuals use tobacco and nicotine products at significantly higher rates than straight and cisgender people, research shows. Reasons can include stress and other health problems brought on by systemic and social prejudice, along with barriers to support for breaking the habit. UC...

Research Week Offers Opportunities to Learn More about Intriguing Subjects

California’s drought is a major topic, including on the UC Merced campus. It will be among the subjects explored during this year’s Research Week, from March 10 through 14. The annual event...

New Study Connects Smoke-Free Laws, Dentists’ Advice to Quit

Smoke-free laws may help encourage dentists to recommend that their patients kick the smoking habit, according to new research co-authored by UC Merced Professor Mariaelena Gonzalez. The paper,...

Professor Studies How Information Consumption Impacts Health Behaviors

From sunrise to sunset, people consume all kinds of information from television, online and from other sources. UC Merced public health Professor A. Susana Ramirez wants to know how that...

UC Merced, UCSF Fresno and Fresno State Join Forces to Address Valley Fever

Seeking to combat a debilitating and sometimes fatal disease commonly found in the San Joaquin Valley, three regional institutions are uniting to improve the area’s health. The University of...

UC Merced's First Ph.D. Grad Now Leading the Class

UC Merced’s first Ph.D. graduate is back on campus. But this time, Ricardo Cisneros isn’t enrolled as a student; he’s a professor instead. Cisneros, who earned his doctorate in Environmental Systems...

Graphic Labels Discourage Smoking in Young Adults

Graphic cigarette warning labels are better at discouraging smoking in young adults than text-only labels, according to research recently published by a UC Merced professor. Health psychology...

Researchers Studying Valley Fever to Help Region

In an effort to combat a debilitating disease commonly found in the region, UC Merced researchers are collaborating with area medical leaders to better understand valley fever. Through the campus’s...

Research Week Highlights Cutting-Edge Work

Researchers at the university in your backyard are delving into issues of great importance to the San Joaquin Valley, the state, the nation and the world. You can learn more about their work at the...

Professor Working to Stop Melanoma in its Tracks

Professor Fabian Filipp is trying to put up roadblocks. But instead of stopping cars, he’s trying to keep cancers from growing. Filipp, a systems biology professor who started at UC Merced this fall...