Research at the CNPRC is focused into four primary areas:
Behavior and neuroscience
Infectious diseases and immunology
Reproduction and regenerative medicine
Respiratory biology and disease
AIDS research is one area of infectious disease research and includes studies related to pediatric AIDS, vaccine development, and mechanisms of virus transmission. Other infectious diseases include cytomegalovirus (CMV), and studies on Helicobacter pylori. Investigators also study toxins in the environment that are considered “endocrine disruptors” and can alter reproduction. New stem cell and gene therapies are being studied for blood diseases, such as hemophilia, and other disorders such as Pompé disease. New tissue engineering approaches to replace kidneys and tracheas damaged by disease are also under study. UC Davis and the CNPRC is home to a large, interdisciplinary pulmonary research team that studies the biology of both healthy and diseased lungs, specifically the effects of air pollutants and particulates, and the relationship between these contaminants and childhood asthma. Another research focus is the study of the physiological and health effects of chronic stress. The CNPRC is involved in research related to Alzheimer’s disease, methods for healthy aging, and autism, among many others. Please see Our Science for more information.