The University of California (UC) has achieved a significant milestone this week, with faculty and alumni winning five Nobel Prizes across medicine, physics, and chemistry. This accomplishment brings the total number of Nobel Prizes awarded to UC faculty to 75. For the first time in Nobel history, four faculty members from one institution have received the award in a single year.
On Monday, Frederick J. Ramsdell, an alumnus of UC San Diego and UCLA, won the Nobel Prize in medicine alongside collaborators from Seattle and Japan for research identifying cells that prevent the immune system from attacking its own tissues.
The following day, John Clarke (UC Berkeley emeritus professor), John Martinis (UC Santa Barbara emeritus professor), and Michel Devoret (UC Santa Barbara professor) were recognized with the physics prize for their work on experiments foundational to quantum computing.
On Wednesday, Omar Yaghi, a UC Berkeley professor, shared the chemistry prize with colleagues from Australia and Japan for developing a new type of molecular structure capable of removing pollutants from air or collecting water in arid environments.
“These awards are not only great honors — they are tangible evidence of the work happening across the University of California every day to expand knowledge, test the boundaries of science, and conduct research that improves our lives. I’m proud to see their work recognized,” said UC President James B. Milliken.
All these projects have relied heavily on federal funding sources such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD), and National Security Administration. For example, Ramsdell’s key study was supported by NIH; Clarke’s team received funding from NSF and DOE; Yaghi has been awarded more than a dozen federal grants for his research efforts.
Federal investment remains crucial for scientific advancement in America. The U.S. government is responsible for about 40 percent of basic research spending nationally. Academic institutions conduct nearly half of all basic research performed in the United States each year.
W. Patrick McCray, a science historian at UC Santa Barbara stated: “This whole history isn’t just about the money, but the ambition behind it. The United States built big particle accelerators, big research vessels, big telescopes. Those were all attractive things for people in other countries to come here to get their degrees, and then maybe stay and start a company that builds U.S. prosperity.”
Omar Yaghi emphasized how federal grants enabled him to pursue innovative ideas early in his career: “Allowed us…to not just do rigorous science but also creative science…federal grants played a major role in the initial discoveries that led to this amazing field.”
Despite these successes, there are growing concerns about reductions in federal support for scientific research nationwide. In 2025 alone thousands of grants have been delayed or canceled at universities across America due to budget uncertainties—affecting ongoing studies into health issues such as aging and Alzheimer’s disease among others. The current administration has proposed significant cuts—up to 50 percent—to some science agencies’ budgets.
“This is going to cripple science, and it is going to be disastrous if this continues,” said John Clarke regarding potential long-term impacts on U.S.-based scientific progress.
In response to these challenges—and motivated by recent achievements—the University of California is urging citizens and lawmakers alike to advocate for renewed investment in scientific research.
