Giving

Using virtual reality and psychedelics to restore brain function

March 26, 2026

When Professor Gül Dölen joined UC Berkeley’s neuroscience and psychology departments in January 2024, the influential scientist got to work designing her new lab and office. Now, after an extensive renovation, Dölen can finally reveal the results, complete with dinosaur brain replicas, a wall-to-wall bookshelf, colorful floor tiles, trippy Beatles posters, and all manner of octopus paraphernalia.

Berkeley wants more people to be CURED

December 10, 2025

UC Berkeley is embarking on a new approach to advance medicine and global health. The Center for Unmet, Rare, and Emerging Diseases (CURED) will unite researchers across campus to find cures that other organizations are not pursuing.

Pharmaceutical companies seek a return on their investments. Medical schools and research centers require nearby patients. But what happens if a disease is new, uncommon, or concentrated in developing countries?