The University of California has achieved a new milestone by receiving more Nobel Prizes in a single year than any other university system. In October 2025, UC faculty were awarded four Nobel Prizes over three days, while UC-affiliated scholars received a total of five awards in the fields of medicine, physics, and chemistry.
The recognized research includes advancements in the understanding of the immune system, which have led to new treatments for diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. Other awarded work involved foundational research in quantum computing and the development of molecular materials designed to remove air pollution and extract drinkable water from desert environments.
“These remarkable achievements by five UC-affiliated Nobel Prize winners reflect the very best of the world-changing teaching, research, and public service happening across our University,” said UC President James B. Milliken. “Our nation and world will be better off because of these discoveries. More communities will have clean drinking water, more people will be protected from cyberattacks, and more patients will have access to better treatments for diseases like arthritis and multiple sclerosis.”
The press release notes that these scientific advances were made possible through sustained federal investment in university research. However, it also points out that this support is currently threatened by frozen or reduced federal research funds and proposed budget cuts, which could slow future discoveries.
Earlier in the year, UC began the Speak Up for Science campaign to advocate for renewed federal support for research and to emphasize the role such funding plays in driving innovation and maintaining U.S. leadership in science and technology.
Since 1934, 74 UC faculty and staff have received 75 Nobel Prizes across various disciplines, with 49 Nobel laureates affiliated with UC at the time of their award, the highest number for any institution.
This year’s Nobel recipients include Frederick J. Ramsdell, an alumnus of UC San Diego and UCLA, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for discoveries related to peripheral immune tolerance. John Clarke, John M. Martinis, and Michel H. Devoret from UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for their work on quantum mechanical tunneling and energy quantization in electric circuits. Omar M. Yaghi from UC Berkeley received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for developing metal-organic frameworks.
The research conducted by these laureates was supported by federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, National Security Administration, and Department of Defense.
