Department of Pharmacology | UC Davis Health

Welcome to the Department of Pharmacology in the UC Davis School of Medicine. The Department comprises a dynamic group of faculty, researchers and students from diverse backgrounds undertaking investigations to reveal biological mechanisms that will ultimately lead to discovery of novel understanding of physiological and pathological mechanisms, identification of potential therapeutic targets and development of new strategies for a variety of human diseases.

The Department is led by Chair Donald Bers, Ph.D. and the Executive Advisory Group that includes Johannes W. Hell, Ph.D. (Vice-Chair for Academic Development), Crystal M. Ripplinger, Ph.D., (Vice-Chair for Research and Administration) and Heike Wulff, Ph.D. (Vice-Chair for Education). The Pharmacology Department is part of the basic biomedical sciences in the School of Medicine. The Department and its Faculty have strong connections with multiple UC Davis Graduate Groups, other Departments (in multiple colleges) and Research Centers constituting a powerful interactive high-quality research team. The faculty are also committed to excellence in teaching and service (both at UC Davis and beyond). UC Davis Pharmacology is one of the nation's top ranked pharmacology departments in federal research funding and hosts a diverse group of postdoctoral trainees and graduate students from different Graduate Groups.

Two of the strongest research areas within the department are Cardiovascular and Neuroscience at multiple levels, and in a highly collaborative environment of considerable international reputation. Along with other research areas, our work is unified by a common goal - to understand mechanistically the critical building blocks of biological systems from molecules to cells and organ systems, in health and disease, and to identify components that can be modified through pharmacology or other therapeutic strategies to cure disease. Please visit our Research Overview page and Faculty Research pages for details of ongoing work in the individual departmental laboratories.

Spotlight on Our Pharmacology Team

Heike Wulff wins I-EXPLORE Achievement Award

Heike Wulff I-EXPLORE Achievement Award

We are excited to announce that Heike Wulff, Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2024 I-EXPLORE Achievement Award for Learner-Orientated Education. These awards are presented jointly by the Committee on Educational Policy (CEP) and the Office of Medical Education (OME) to I-EXPLORE faculty in recognition of their efforts in the institutional teaching mission and the success of the I-EXPLORE curriculum. This particular I-EXPLORE Achievement Award for Learner-Orientated Education is specifically given to faculty that create efficient sessions that address student needs and preferences, regularly solicit and incorporate student feedback, and minimize extraneous cognitive load for students. Dr. Wulff’s commitment to teaching is above and beyond any expectation. Congratulations Heike!

For more information about these awards, please check here.

Yang Kevin Xiang Promoted to VA Research Career Scientist

Kevin Xiang

We are proud to announce that Yang Kevin Xiang, Ph.D. has been promoted to the rank of VA Research Career Scientist at the VA Northern California Health Care System. Dr. Xiang has been a part of the VA Northern California Health Care System since 2016. Since then, he has held several highly competitive research grants from the VA system to address issues that impact our Nation’s veteran population. Dr. Xiang’s promotion reflects his standing as a leader in the cardiovascular field.

Kevin Xiang and Manuel Navedo elected Fellows of APS Cardiovascular Section

Kevin Xiang and Manuel Navedo

We are proud to announce that Yang Kevin Xiang, Ph.D. and Manuel F. Navedo, Ph.D. have been elected Fellows of the American Physiological Society – Cardiovascular Section. Fellows are elected based on their continuous and meritorious research in cardiovascular physiology. This distinction recognizes Xiang’s and Navedo’s exciting research programs, commitment to the development and progression of the cardiovascular field, and contributions to APS and the cardiovascular physiology community. These recognitions also highlight the excellent research, service, and outreach performed by the Department faculty.