Distinguished Lecture Series in Physiology

Each year the Department of Physiology invites distinguished researchers to present their work on topics broadly related to physiology. Topics range from those closely aligned with the research interests of the department to areas of interest to researchers across the UC Davis campus and the UC Davis School of Medicine. Seminars will be on Thursdays at 12 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) in GBSF Auditorium and Zoom.

Contact: Jorge Contreras <jecontrer@ucdavis.edu>, Theanne Griffith <tgriffith@ucdavis.edu>.

2026 Seminars

January 22, 2026

Speaker: Alexei Kananenka, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware

Title: "Studying ion channels using two-dimensional vibrational spectroscopy" (PDF)

Host: Igor Vorobyov, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology

February 26, 2026

Speaker: Byung Chang Suh, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology

Title: "Dynamic Regulation of Voltage-Gated Ca2+ Channels by Membrane PIP2" (PDF)

Host: Jie Zheng, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology

March 26, 2026

Speaker: Kara McKinley, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University

Title: "Regeneration in the uterus" (PDF)

Host: Elisa Zhang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology

June 4, 2026

(Carlson Lecture)

Speaker: Kafui Dzirasa, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Duke University Medical Center