23 UC innovators who are changing the world

UC is a worldwide leader in discovery, as the No. 1 public university for academic research with the most influential scientists and a world record for Nobel prizes.

And with the world's most startups and most patented inventions, no other university does more to transform discoveries into real-world solutions that generate jobs, grow the economy and make life better for everyone.

UC's real-world impact is exemplified by the winners of the inaugural UC Regents Innovation Awards. Announced this week, the awards honor 23 people in five categories, chosen from a group of nominees representing all 10 UC campuses and three affiliated national labs.

These 23 exceptional UC innovators are curing diseases, tackling climate change, launching new industries and connecting people all over the world.

Gamechanger Award for the most impactful product introduced to the market

Michael Leon, UC Irvine

Michael Leon developed MemoryAir, a medical device that delivers natural scents to older adults during sleep. His olfactory-enrichment method improves deep sleep and boosts memory outcomes, offering an accessible, noninvasive therapy for patients living with dementia.

More from UC Irvine: Improving human memory by 226%

Kevan Shokat, UC San Francisco

Kevan Shokat discovered a hidden binding pocket on the KRAS protein. This breakthrough led to the first FDA-approved drugs to inhibit out-of-control cell growth caused by mutated forms of the KRAS gene, reshaping how scientists develop therapies for some of the world's deadliest cancers.

More from UC San Francisco: From undruggable to unstoppable: A new cancer cure target emerges

Fyodor Urnov, UC Berkeley

Fyodor Urnov leads the development of on-demand gene-editing treatments for children born with rare genetic disorders. His team established a framework that cuts the development cost of personalized CRISPR cures by 90%, opening the door to new, scalable and accessible treatments for families around the world.

More from UC Berkeley: Infant born with deadly disease now thriving thanks to customized CRISPR treatment six months after birth

Disruptive Research Award for research with best potential to be developed into new or improved technologies, products or services that will improve lives

Chang Liu, UC Irvine

Chang Liu invented OrthoRep, an artificial DNA replication system that accelerates targeted protein evolution. His system compresses biological evolutionary timelines from years to days, allowing researchers to rapidly engineer new therapeutic proteins and cancer-fighting antibodies.

More from UC Irvine: Directing biomedical evolution

Susan Lynch, UC San Francisco

Susan Lynch established a new paradigm for preventing food allergies, asthma and other conditions caused by immune system malfunctions. In clinical trials of a living microbial therapy that boosts healthy gut microbes in infants, atopic dermatitis decreased by 64% and food allergies by 77% in high-risk infants.

More from UC San Francisco: Newborn gut microbiome predicts later allergy and asthma, study finds

Aydogan Ozcan, UCLA

Aydogan Ozcan is a leading researcher in AI-powered computational imaging, sensing and optical computing. His work harnesses the physics of light to perform AI computations, paving the way for more sustainable, energy-efficient AI and expanding access to next-generation intelligence beyond traditional data centers.

More from UCLA: Sustainable generative AI: UCLA develops novel light-based system

Best Startup Award for the new company using UC research to address societal needs

Joseph DeRisi, UC San Francisco

Joseph DeRisi founded Delve Bio to pioneer a metagenomic test that diagnoses complex central nervous system infections when conventional testing fails. Its flagship service, Delve Detect, reduces unnecessary procedures, shortens hospital stays and gives hospitals nationwide access to advanced infectious disease diagnostics and expert neurological consultation.

More from UC San Francisco: One genomic test can diagnose nearly any infection

Jean-Pierre Hubschman, UCLA

Jean-Pierre Hubschman founded Horizon Surgical Systems to create an AI-assisted robotic platform that automates complex eye surgeries. His technology standardizes surgical precision, expands access to sight-restoring procedures, and has created 60 high-skill jobs in Southern California.

More from UCLA: UCLA research achieves first robotic-assisted cataract surgery

Erika La Plante, UC Davis

Erika La Plante co-founded Equatic, a company behind an industrial process that uses seawater to capture atmospheric carbon while producing clean hydrogen fuel. The technology is a scalable system for permanent ocean carbon removal and green energy production.

More from UC Davis: Startup accelerates ocean's natural ability to absorb and store carbon

Community Changemaker Award for improving social and economic prosperity by supporting UC's innovation enterprise

Bud Colligan, Philanthropist

Bud Colligan established the Colligan Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory at UC Santa Cruz to provide regional COVID-19 testing and support pediatric disease research. Through early investments in Digital NEST and Central Coast Angels, he channels capital into California's Central Coast to create technology jobs for local youth.

More from UC Santa Cruz: Clinical pediatric cancer lab at UC Santa Cruz is cleared to accept and test patient samples

Josh Green, UCLA Ventures

Josh Green established UCLA Ventures as an entrepreneurial community. Leveraging a unique equity-pledge model, UCLA Ventures connects early stage founders with investments and resources. His mentorship network accelerates regional startups and channels financial resources back into university research.

More from UCLA: How a UCLA grad and a UCLA dad joined forces to support budding Bruin entrepreneurs.

Elizabeth Redman Cleveland, City of Berkeley

The City of Berkeley's Chief Strategist for Sustainable Growth, Elizabeth Redman Cleveland, expanded the city's innovation sector to nearly 370 technology companies. Through her Berkeley Ventures Berkeley Values initiative, she builds pathways for youth to access STEM careers and connects civic-tech growth with community prosperity.

More from UC Berkeley: A home for innovation in Berkeley

Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for innovations that have led to long-term positive impacts on the lives of others and inspiring UC inventors and entrepreneurs

John Bowers, UC Santa Barbara

John Bowers integrated laser technology directly onto silicon chips, multiplying fiber-optic data transmission rates by a factor of one thousand. He founded seven technology startups, leads the Institute for Energy Efficiency and co-founded the nonprofit Unite to Light to distribute solar power to off-grid communities.

Jean-Claude Falmagne, UC Irvine

Jean-Claude Falmagne pioneered modern cognitive theory that explains how students achieve mastery. That work led him to found ALEKS, an online learning platform used by over 50 million students that quickly assesses what students already know and what they are ready to learn in math, chemistry, statistics and more.

Richard Green, UC Santa Cruz

Richard (Ed) Green's innovations in DNA sequencing have led to breakthrough discoveries about human evolution - including a draft sequence of the Neanderthal genome - and forensic applications that have helped solve cold cases around the country through his company, Astrea Forensics. Green also founded two startups, Dovetail Genomics and Claret Biosciences, at the UC Santa Cruz branch of the California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), which he now leads.

Stephen Hauser, UC San Francisco

Stephen Hauser's discovery of the central role of B cells in multiple sclerosis has been the basis for three revolutionary drugs to treat the disease: rituximab (Rituxan), ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) and ofatumumab (Kesimpta). Hauser is also a senior medical advisor for Neurona Therapeutics, a UC San Francisco-founded biotech company developing neural cell therapies for neurological diseases.

Michael Jung, UCLA

Michael Jung's research led to the invention of two FDA-approved prostate cancer drugs, Xtandi and Erleada, which have extended the lives of over a million men worldwide. Licensing revenues from his discoveries continue to fund student scholarships and scientific research across the university.

Jay Keasling, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - Joint BioEnergy Institute

By engineering microorganisms to produce biofuels and chemicals, Jay Keasling not only helped launch the field of synthetic biology but also created artemisinin, a powerful antimalarial drug. He has founded or co-founded 12 startups that have raised more than $2.37 billion in funding and holds a total of 75 issued patents.

Mikeal Roose, UC Riverside

Mikeal Roose used citrus genetics to develop several new mandarin varieties, including the virtually seedless Tango, an easy-to-peel fruit often found under the name Wonderful Halos, Cuties or Delites that has put the mandarin on pace to be the best-selling U.S. citrus. His research also targets huanglongbing (citrus greening), a major threat to the citrus industry worldwide.

Justin Siegel, UC Davis

Justin Siegel's research focuses on the design and discovery of enzymes for a wide range of applications, including therapeutics development and fuel or chemical production. He is co-inventor on more than 100 global patents and a founding member of six companies, including PvP Biologics, whose gluten-digesting enzyme technology was acquired by pharmaceutical giant Takeda, and Peak B, which developed natural blue food coloring for the food industry.

Jennifer Smith, UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Jennifer Smith's research develops cutting-edge techniques for studying and restoring marine ecosystems, such as 3-D imaging of coral reefs. She co-founded the California Seaweed Company, a culinary seaweed startup, and is developing commercial-scale seaweed aquaculture, including cultivation of a red seaweed with CH4 Global that can reduce methane emissions from cattle. 

Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, UC Berkeley

Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli pioneered tools that launched the electronic design automation industry. By co-founding Cadence and Synopsys and sharing his software models globally, he enabled the automated chip design that powers modern computing, communication, transportation, consumer and health care devices.

Christopher Spadaccini, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Christopher Spadaccini has developed more than 50 patented technologies to create new materials conventional manufacturing cannot achieve, such as materials that are both lightweight and exceptionally strong. He has founded several LLNL fabrication laboratories and led an 18-month collaboration with Autodesk to advance next-gen 3-D printing on objects like protective helmets.