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Ellen Chu

Ellen Chu

Education: B.S. Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, Davis, 2020

Joined Lab: January 2023

Outside of lab: I like watching anime and going on hikes. During the winter, I also snowboard in Tahoe whenever I get the chance!

Previous Research Experience: I actually did research in Dr. Sheila David’s lab during my undergraduate experience! I explored the target recognition mechanism of MutY using 2-Br-2′-deoxyinosine oligonucleotide analogs during my undergraduate career. It paved the way for my interest in research as well as graduate school.

RSS Science Daily News

  • This simple diet could help protect memory, even with Alzheimer’s genes August 28, 2025
    A Mediterranean-style diet was linked to lower dementia risk, especially in people with high-risk Alzheimer’s genes. The strongest benefits were seen in those with two APOE4 copies, showing diet may help offset genetic vulnerability. Researchers say food may influence key metabolic pathways that protect memory and cognitive function.
  • Butterfly nebula reveals sparkling gems, fiery dust, and the ingredients of life August 28, 2025
    James Webb has revealed that the Butterfly Nebula hides a complex mix of gemstone-like crystals, fiery dust, and unexpected carbon molecules. The discovery may rewrite how we understand the chemistry that seeds planets and life itself.
  • Why most whale sharks in Indonesia are scarred by humans August 28, 2025
    Whale sharks in Indonesia are suffering widespread injuries, with a majority scarred by human activity. Researchers found bagans and boats to be the biggest threats, especially as shark tourism grows. Protecting these gentle giants may be as simple as redesigning fishing gear and boat equipment.
  • Spiders turn fireflies into glowing traps August 28, 2025
    In Taiwan’s forests, researchers discovered a clever hunting trick by the sheet web spider Psechrus clavis. Instead of immediately devouring captured fireflies, the spiders allow them to glow in the web, luring other insects, sometimes even more fireflies, into the trap. Experiments with LED lights confirmed this eerie strategy: webs lit with firefly-like signals attracted […]
  • New fossils reveal a hidden branch in human evolution August 28, 2025
    Fossils unearthed in Ethiopia are reshaping our view of human evolution. Instead of a straight march from ape-like ancestors to modern humans, researchers now see a tangled, branching tree with multiple species coexisting. Newly discovered teeth reveal a previously unknown species of Australopithecus that lived alongside some of the earliest Homo specimens nearly 2.8 million […]

Contact:

Dr. Sheila S. David
ssdavid@ucdavis.edu
(530)-752-4280

Department of Chemistry
One Shields Ave.
Davis, CA 95616