Four UC Berkeley faculty members joined the California Academy of Sciences as fellows earlier this month, joining the group of about 300 fellows currently at the academy.

Of the 10 new fellows announced Oct. 4, three are UC Berkeley professors Claire Kremen, Mark Richards and Benito Tan, and one is adjunct professor Jonathon Stillman.

Each year, the academy elects up to 15 scientists to join the fellowship, and the number of scientists elected each year depends on the caliber of the scientists in the nominee pool. Existing fellows nominate the researchers, and once researchers are elected to the academy, they stay on as fellows for life.

According to Terrence Gosliner, dean of science and research collections at the California Academy of Sciences, the fellows are selected based on several criteria: having a proven record of scientific excellence and a good track record in collaboration, being able to attract external grants, doing integrative research “that cuts across disciplines” and doing research relevant to current events in society, among others.

“We’re looking for people with a proven record of really advancing their science,” Gosliner said. “It’s not just doing routine publications with scientific approaches but really moving the needle in a particular field.”

A professor in the campus department of earth and planetary science and dean of the division of mathematical and physical sciences, Richards said he plans to continue geological research on the Galapagos Islands as a fellow of the academy in upcoming years.

Richards, who has been researching the Galapagos on and off for two decades, said he plans to study how the islands’ geological and physical aspects are connected to the biological evolution of the islands’ species, which undergo significant evolutionary changes over time after they migrate. Richards’ research also involves studying how islands form and change over time.

According to Gosliner, one of the advantages of becoming a fellow includes networking with other scientists regionally and nationally. Fellows can attract external funding, and they can also contribute to increasing the breadth of scientific knowledge through working closely with the academy.

Tan, a researcher at the University and Jepson herbaria at UC Berkeley, said that as a fellow, he will take care of the academy’s moss collection by checking the specimens and making sure they are properly classified and maintained.

Prior to achieving his fellow status, Tan established strong relations with the academy by collaborating on a research expedition in the Philippines, where he studied moss.

The other fellows include Kremen, a professor within the College of Natural Resources whose research involves studying the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, and Stillman, an adjunct professor of integrative biology whose research involves studying the environmental physiology of marine life.

“Having four (UC) Berkeley faculty members nominated in that limited scope exemplifies how Cal has some of the leading top-notch scientists in the region and beyond,” Gosliner said.

Lydia Tuan covers research and ideas. Contact her at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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The team of researchers found that the neurons that trigger itching, a symptom commonly seen in eczema, are activated directly by TSLP, a small molecule secreted by cells in the epidermis.

The results of the study could open a new area for therapeutic intervention, said Diana Bautista, a campus assistant professor of cell and developmental biology who led the research, which started about three years ago. UC Berkeley graduate student Sarah Wilson, doctoral student Lydia The and several undergraduates also contributed to the study.

One of the experiments involved blocking nerve cells in mice and human cell culture. By blocking nerve cells in mice, researchers were able to prevent the itching symptom.

According to The, one in 10 people suffer from eczema, and effective over-the-counter remedies have yet to be found. Allergic itching is alleviated using over-the-counter antihistamines, which stop allergy symptoms. Children who develop severe eczema at an early age have an 80 percent chance of developing asthma, Bautista said.

Bautista hopes drug developers can use her research to screen for new drugs that can block TRPA1, an ion channel that senses pain and cold sensations, which would then block TSLP and stop the itch.

“I think that the number of people who suffer from chronic itch is on the rise, and all of the drugs on the market are ineffective,” said Bautista, who has dedicated four years to studying itch and touch. “Chronic itch is such a big problem, and little is known about the molecular mechanism.”

Currently, eczema is treated using over-the-counter creams, but patients also can seek holistic treatment, which involves acupuncture and herbal medicines.

“Usually, I get desperate patients who have been through everything else and haven’t had results,” said Jill Stevens, a licensed acupuncturist at Whole Family Wellness Center in Emeryville.

Stevens said she treats eczema patients by stimulating acupuncture points, using Chinese herbs and changing their diets.

“We get really great results when we follow that protocol,” she said.

The next step for the researchers is to run clinical trials, which Bautista hopes will yield positive results in humans.

Lydia Tuan covers research and ideas. Contact her at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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William Powers Jr. entered UC Berkeley just as the Free Speech Movement began in 1963.

Since then, Powers has held many titles, ranging from professor of law to 28th president of the University of Texas at Austin — and, now, 2014 UC Berkeley Alumnus of the Year.

“He’s a great leader, a visionary,” said UT Austin spokesperson Gary Susswein. “He’s very easy to talk to and open-minded. He listens to students and faculty to make sure everyone has a voice.”

Powers joins a list of prolific Alumnus of the Year recipients, including writer Joan Didion and former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.

During his undergraduate years at UC Berkeley, Powers was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry in 1967. After graduating, Powers joined the U.S. Navy for three years before graduating from Harvard Law School magna cum laude.

In 1997, Powers joined UT Austin as a professor of law before becoming dean of the law school in 2000 and the university’s president in 2006.

“He’s been one of the best presidents in UT Austin history,” Susswein said. “He’s not only committed to (UT Austin) but to higher education in general.”

Even though Powers has moved to Texas, he remains in touch with his California roots.

Powers met UC Berkeley physics professor and former chancellor Robert Birgeneau through the Association of American Universities when he became president of UT Austin. Their friendship grew stronger when Birgeneau discovered Powers was a UC Berkeley alumnus.

“I admire a lot of the work he’s done,” Birgeneau said. “He’s set a very high standard for the alumnus of the year.”

One of Powers’ many contributions to the Texas campus as president was founding the School of Undergraduate Studies, Susswein said. The school allows students to experiment with different courses before officially declaring their major.

Powers also worked to raise the four-year graduation rate of UT undergraduates and to increase diversity among the student population.

Powers’ support of holistic admissions and affirmative action was taken as far as the U.S. Supreme Court in Fisher v. University of Texas, a case that considered the constitutionality of using race in university admissions.

He committed to making the student body at UT Austin a more accurate representation of the diversity of the state, Birgeneau said.

Birgeneau said that when he served as chancellor of UC Berkeley, he and Powers would discuss the best ways to balance intercollegiate sports and academics.

“I like him because he’s a very straightforward person. He’s not pretentious. He’s a really decent human being whom you can trust,” Birgeneau said. “That’s the kind of Berkeley undergraduate all of us really admire.”

Contact Lydia Tuan at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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Kevin Chen/Staff

A study conducted by UC Berkeley researchers is helping food banks develop better ways to provide healthy options to those they serve.

The study, carried out by researchers Elizabeth Campbell, Michelle Ross and Karen Webb at the campus Center for Weight and Health, is the first project to extensively examine the nutritional value of emergency food and recommend improvements to food bank practices.

“It’s kind of groundbreaking of us,” Webb said.

In the past, food banks couldn’t afford to turn anything away, even less nutritious products, Webb said. Now, they are beginning to look for ways to provide healthier options.

In one portion of the study, researchers looked at nutritional policies by surveying 200 food banks across the country. Another segment focused on examining inventory data spanning from 2007 to 2010 from six California food banks. The last part discussed the implications of the research on food bank managers in helping them develop nutrition policies in order to offer fresher, more nutritious foods.

The team discovered food banks generally focused on supporting nutrition and had goals in place to improve the nutritional quality of food offered to their clients. They also noted that some food banks had received increased amounts of donations over the four-year period and a small decline in sugar-sweetened beverages and snack foods.

Berkeley Food Pantry, a local nonprofit food bank that was not studied in the research, has faced similar struggles in providing healthy options while also encouraging more people to donate, according to Tami Groves, the food bank’s director.

The food bank caters to about 200 to 250 people a day and encourages donors to give nutritious foods or provide monetary donations so the food bank can have greater control over the quality of foods provided.

“We take (junk food) because people enjoy donating, and we want to take the chances that they might donate something of value if they donate again,” Groves said. “It’s a numbers game.”

The researchers hope their study can positively influence food banks nationwide.

According to Webb, the team has plans to work with nine more Southern Californian food banks directly for 18 months to develop online resources for food banks to improve nutrition policies. They will provide ways to source healthier foods and an online resource kit for food banks all over the country.

“Our research has influenced mainly a number of people who are helping food banks out,” Webb said. “It’s clarified for us for what kind of directions we need to be helping food banks with.”

Contact Lydia Tuan at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study/Courtesy

A team of researchers from across the nation has discovered that calcium can restore tree deterioration caused by acid rain.

The study, which involved researchers from UC Berkeley, Cornell University, University of Michigan and Syracuse University, began 15 years ago when researchers noticed that trees in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire stopped growing. The team hypothesized that the pause in growth was due to excessive amounts of acid rain, which had greatly impacted the environment since the 1960s.

“The goal was to make this important link that pollution or any kind of environmental stress can have lasting effects,” said John Battles, a UC Berkeley professor of forest ecology in the department of environmental science, policy and management who headed the publication of the research. “The take-home point is that this legacy of damage lingers in the forest.”

The study, released in the Environmental Science and Technology Letters journal on Sept. 19, confirmed loss in tree health was not due to natural causes but to long-term exposure to acidity and that the problem could be reversed with calcium. The researchers discovered that wollastonite, a naturally occurring soil mineral commonly used in whitening products, could provide the calcium that would restore tree health lost from decades of exposure to acid rain.

In 1999, the researchers dumped wollastonite pellets via helicopter into the watershed of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, a forest maintained by the U.S. Forest Department and dedicated for ecological research. The trees then absorbed the calcium over time, restoring nutrients lost from acid rain.

According to Battles, adding calcium to restore tree health is not yet a possible solution for widespread use. The experiment cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, Battles said.

However, groups like the U.S. Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the EPA and the state of New York have discussed the idea of adding calcium to acid-impacted trees — even though it currently stands as a last resort and decisions have yet to be made.

“People have objections to foreign things being added to a wilderness area, even though it’s a naturally occurring thing,” said Charles Driscoll, a professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering at Syracuse University who headed the research. “But it could be done. There’s no reason why it can’t be implemented on a wide scale. The only problem is that it costs money.”

According to Driscoll, adding calcium to forests, a process commonly known as liming, has been done on a very large scale in Sweden and Germany. Currently, the researchers are conducting liming experiments in the Adirondacks to recover native fish species.

According to Battles, developing countries like China, where a lot of acidity is produced from coal-producing power plants, could benefit from this type of solution. Battles said although this solution is not suitable for widespread use, it would be useful in places where acid rain harms more than just trees.

“They might use it on forests that are near water supplies, a forest in a national park or a historical preserve,” Battles said.

Driscoll gave a talk in China on Sept. 18 in which he shared his ideas on liming experiments. He said his ideas garnered a lot of interest there.

“The acid rain story is a real environmental success story,” Driscoll said. “The results have been huge.”

Contact Lydia Tuan at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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James Parham/Courtesy

California researchers have discovered four new legless lizard species, raising the total number of known legless lizard species to five.

The researchers realized the specimens they were studying were legless lizards, not snakes, because they were able to lose their tails in the presence of predators and close their eyes — characteristics not displayed by snakes.

The lizards can grow to 10 inches in length and are thinner than a pencil, according to Theodore Papenfuss, a research scientist at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at UC Berkeley. He began the study in 1998 and later was joined by James Parham, an assistant professor of geological sciences at California State University at Fullerton and a faculty curator of paleontology at the John D. Cooper Archaeology and Paleontology Curation Center.

Researchers placed more than 3,000 pieces of cardboard and plywood across the western coast and Central Valley of California to attract the lizards, which are likely to be found burrowing in loose, sandy soil.

“It’s a huge amount of effort, both physical effort, planning and logistical effort,” Parham said. “We didn’t expect to discover four new species.”

The new species were discovered in four places across California: in Bakersfield, at the end of a runway at the Los Angeles International Airport, in the extreme southwest of the San Joaquin Valley and in canyons on the western edge of the Mojave Desert.

The lizards found in Bakersfield have purple undersides, whereas those found in the Mojave Desert have yellow undersides. The species found in the southwest San Joaquin Valley have silver-gray undersides and more vertebrae, and those found at the Los Angeles International Airport have fewer chromosomes, indicating they will have greater difficulty reproducing.

“The legless lizards seemed to be an obvious species to study because, based on the types of places they like to live, which is sandy soil, they don’t occur everywhere,” Papenfuss said. “They occur in pockets around the state.”

The lizards are classified as “species of special concern,” meaning they are not yet considered endangered but may be at risk. They require careful monitoring, Papenfuss said.

Papenfuss and Parham named the species after UC Berkeley scientists Joseph Grinnell, Charles Camp, Annie Alexander and Robert C. Stebbins to honor their contributions to natural -history research, the development of museum science and generous donations to and directorship of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at UC Berkeley.

With the release of the study, Papenfuss hopes the new species can raise awareness of growing biodiversity and encourage people to set up more reserves protecting these species.

“Our goal now is to learn more about the distribution of these forms,” Parham said. “It’s logical if something has a small distribution, it’s more likely to be wiped out by human impact.”

Contact Lydia Tuan at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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A bill that would implement a statewide earthquake early-warning system is currently awaiting approval from Gov. Jerry Brown. Earthquake Early Warning, which was developed in part by UC Berkeley researchers, would become the first public earthquake early-warning system in the United States.

UC Berkeley researchers developed the system in collaboration with colleagues from California Institute of Technology, the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Washington and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

“I think this is a much needed investment to protect the lives of Californians,” said Igor Tregub, who serves on the Berkeley Housing Advisory Commission. “The time could not come soon enough.”

Four hundred seismometers and other sensors are located around California’s fault lines to detect the strength of an impending earthquake as well as when its first damaging seismic waves will strike. The system awaiting Brown’s approval can notify people 60 seconds before shaking starts.

Brown has until Oct. 13 to sign the bill.

The system works by detecting P-waves and estimating the magnitude, intensity and location of an earthquake before the S-wave, which causes the ground to shake, strikes.

Because it detects the less destructive P-waves before the shaking begins, the system has time to warn those in the region.

Jennifer Strauss, external relations officer for the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, said researchers at the lab were responsible for creating the ElarmS algorithm, which detects the P-waves and stands for Earthquake Alarms Systems.

Although the idea for an earthquake-warning system was conceived in 2002, the project’s first phase did not begin until four years later. State Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Pacoima, heard about the project and introduced legislation to implement the system throughout California in late January.

“(We want to) develop more ways to alert the public, whether it’s to do Amber Alerts, signs on the freeways or apps on our smartphones,” Padilla said in a recorded audio release.

The system is estimated to cost $80 million for the first five years. This includes the cost of buying and installing more sensors, as well as other operation costs.

UC Berkeley runs part of the seismic network in Northern California and maintains the systems and the data received from those sensors, Strauss said.

Those who see the alert will receive a countdown to an earthquake’s first shake. They also will be informed whether they will be able to feel the earthquake, given their current location. The time of the warning depends on where the receiver of the alert is standing relative to the fault.

“Given the next big one is predicted to strike around Berkeley in the next 30 years, I certainly appreciate the state providing more tools to minimize the damage and the potential loss of life from such an event,” Tregub said.

Contact Lydia Tuan at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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UCB Newscenter/Courtesy

Roderic Park, a former top-ranking UC Berkeley administrator and a professor of botany and plant biology, died in his home last Friday. He was 81.

Those who knew Park say he is best remembered for his contribution to the reorganization of UC Berkeley’s biological science departments in the 1990s. He led the effort that combined smaller departments to form what are now known as the integrative biology and molecular and cell biology departments.

“It takes quite a good diplomat to try to get faculty to go along with that kind of change,” said Brent Mishler, director of the University and Jepson Herbaria, a campus facility that houses more than 2 million plant specimens.

Park joined the UC Berkeley faculty in 1960, serving as a professor, researcher and administrator over the course of his 30 years at the campus. He last served as chair of the trustees of the University and Jepson Herbaria.

During his career, Park published 84 research papers and was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 1962, he discovered quantasomes, which are particles found in chloroplasts.

According to Bob Buchanan, a professor emeritus in the campus department of plant and microbial biology, Park helped raise money for the construction of Koshland Hall and the Life Sciences Addition, as well as the renovation of the Valley Life Sciences Building.

“He really left a mark on this campus,” Buchanan said. “His departure was a great loss to the university.”

During his time as the equivalent of what is now executive vice chancellor, Park was a strong advocate for affirmative action. He worked to increase the number of underrepresented students and faculty members by advocating for relevant policies, including one mandating that underrepresented students automatically receive student housing, said John Cummins, who worked in the chancellor’s office when Park was a vice chancellor in the 1980s.

“He was the person that ran the campus from the inside,” Cummins said.

Park was also involved in managing campus response to protests. During the 1985 and 1986 protests against apartheid in South Africa, Park played a major role in keeping the protest safe for both authorities and protesters, Cummins said. Park was part of a committee called the Operations Group, which met to make decisions related to managing the protest.

In addition to his contributions to UC Berkeley, Park helped choose the location for the UC Merced campus and served as the campus’ senior associate for academic development from 2000 to 2001. In 2006, Park returned to UC Merced to serve as interim chancellor.

“He really loved the University of California,” said Jane Lawrence, vice chancellor of student affairs at UC Merced.

In addition to his academic and administrative contributions to the University of California, Park owned a vineyard, built a two-seater airplane and was a sailor who participated in the He is survived by his wife, three children, a stepson and eight grandchildren.

Contact Lydia Tuan at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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Arya Aliabadi/Staff

Two sunlight-reflecting mirrors recently placed on the highest balcony of the Campanile will allow observers to have a light as bright as the sun beamed at them.

Located on the west and south sides of the Campanile, the Solar Beacon, which has two large mirror panels called heliostats, reflects light given off by the sun into a bright but small spot of light that observers can look at safely.

The project is a collaboration between John Vallerga — an astrophysicist at the Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley who managed the project — London-based artist Liliane Lijn and volunteer researchers from the SSL, who offered their services to the design and construction of the mirrors.

“It’s an art piece that reflects sunlight with mirrors to any place that can see the Campanile in the Bay Area,” Vallerga said.

The Solar Beacon was placed on the Golden Gate Bridge in May 2012 to celebrate the bridge’s 75th anniversary, but due to the bridge’s policies on permanent installations, the device was taken down late October 2012.

Lijn and Vallerga originally started collaborating on a project that involved reflecting colors by using prisms and refracting solar light, but those plans changed when the Solar Beacon had to be modified for the Golden Gate Bridge due to size constraints. In late 2011, they modified the device to be lightweight, small and able to withstand winds of up to 100 miles per hour without falling off, Vallerga said.

Vallerga said that the Campanile came to mind when they decided to move the Solar Beacon to a new home.

“We consider (the Solar Beacon) a work of artistic merit,” Vallerga said. “We call attention to the Campanile, to the university, but it’s like a piece of art decorating the university.”

Barry Welsh, a research astrophysicist at the SSL who regularly works with Vallerga but was not involved with this particular project, said they hope to put the Solar Beacon on the Eiffel Tower. Likewise, Vallerga said he hopes to bring the Solar Beacon to locations in the Middle East.

“Anyone can put on a light show at night, but how about light shows during the day? That’s a lot harder to do,” Welsh said.

The Solar Beacon is expected to stay on the balcony of the tower through late fall. People can sign up online on the Solar Beacon website to have the Solar Beacon beam light at them for up to five minutes. They can also request for the light to be turned on and turned off for four seconds each during their five-minute appointment.

“When you see this, you will be more aware of sunlight,” Vallerga said. “It’s not man-made, but it’s the brightest light you’ll see during the daytime.”

Contact Lydia Tuan at ltuan@dailycal.org.

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The grant is part of a larger NIH initiative, the Genomic Sequencing and Newborn Screening Disorders research program, to test whether genetic sequencing is superior to current practices of newborn screening, as well as whether it is ethical. A total of $25 million will fund the initiative over the five-year period.

Three other institutions across the nation have also been awarded grants by the NIH to participate in the same initiative.

According to Robert Nussbaum, a professor at UCSF who is leading the team from the Bay Area, five years will be spent studying genetic sequencing over the course of three projects. The projects include testing the effectiveness of genetic sequencing, analyzing disorders that could be prevented by newborn screening and scrutinizing the legal and ethical framework of genetic sequencing.

Researchers will sequence the genes of 1,400 newborns to study how the method compares with current forms of newborn testing, which involve taking blood spots and examining them using biochemical methods.

According to Nussbaum, a classic example of a disease that can be prevented using genetic sequencing is malignant hyperthermia, a hereditary condition that triggers high fever and extreme muscle contraction upon exposure to general anesthesia. Nussbaum said that with genetic sequencing, early detection of the disease is possible to prevent future complications.

According to Diane Tober, associate executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society in the city of Berkeley, however, there are many ethical concerns regarding genetic sequencing.

Tober noted that some diseases found through genetic sequencing may not actually happen to the child when he or she grows up and that sequencing may create privacy concerns.

“It’s a whole line of thinking that people haven’t thought of yet,” Tober said. “What is going to be done with the information, who has access and what does privacy mean when you can have your genetic information taken as an infant?”

Despite these ethical concerns, researchers are continuing with the project. According to Jennifer Puck, a professor of pediatrics at UCSF and one of the researchers for the study, every family in the study volunteered and will be asked its opinion on genetic sequencing.

“We’re going to be very careful and keep things private,” Puck said. “We’re going to inquire and ask for the range of opinion.”

Contact Lydia Tuan at ltuan@dailycal.org.

Correction(s):
A previous version of this article included a quote stating that malignant hyperthermia will lead to a low IQ if left untreated. In fact, that comment was in reference to phenylketonuria.

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