KCRW reported that UCLA scientists and the Nature Conservancy are using genetic analysis to identify oak trees best equipped to survive California’s increasingly hot, dry climate. UCLA biologist Ryan Buck said researchers hope to use the findings to identify more resilient trees whose acorns and seedlings could help restore struggling oak populations across the state. Read more about UCLA in today’s Los Angeles Business Journal, New York Times and other outlets.
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More highlights from UCLA in the News: October 13, 2026
UCLA study shows 15,000 people have been deported in SoCal during Trump’s 2nd term | KABC-TV
A new study by UCLA and UC Berkeley is shedding new light on the ICE enforcement surge across Southern California. Newly released immigration enforcement data from ICE shows a surge in deportations in California since the beginning of President Trump’s second term. (UCLA’s Graeme Blair was interviewed.)
AI may help identify breast cancers missed by mammograms | Los Angeles Business Journal
Artificial intelligence may help radiologists identify subtle signs of breast cancers that are missed during routine mammograms, and some AI systems may even identify patterns associated with an increased risk of cancer before it becomes visible on a mammogram, but there are still many significant limitations, according to a review led by investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. (UCLA’s Dr. Tiffany Yu and Dr. Hannah Milch were quoted; UCLA’s Dr. Javier Galvan was cited.)
Karen Bass, Nithya Raman campaign ads frame the LA mayoral race | Southern California News Group
Matt Barreto, a UCLA political science professor who studies Latino political behavior, said Bass’ focus on Trump could both energize voters already inclined to support her and potentially connect with undecided voters who are frustrated with the president. But he said the effectiveness of that strategy will depend in part on how widely the campaign’s ads are seen.
The Houthis attack the airport in Riyadh | KCRW 89.9-FM’s “Press Play”
The Saudis, and possibly the U.S., should it choose to intervene, face a tricky adversary in the Iran-backed rebel group. “The Houthis basically see themselves as having nothing to lose,” says Benjamin Radd, professor of law and global studies at UCLA. “For them, it’s survival. Whereas the Saudis do have a lot to lose.” (Radd was interviewed.)
Navigating changes to Medi-Cal | Spectrum News 1
On this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” host Tanya McRae visits the Venice Family Clinic to learn how patients are navigating changes to Medi-Cal and Covered California. The number of Californians without insurance may potentially double to almost 15% by 2030, according to the UC Berkeley Labor Center and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
LA makes it a crime for cannabis and tobacco retailers to sell nitrous oxide | Los Angeles Times
Dr. Evan Schwarz, a clinical professor of emergency medicine at UCLA, said he has seen an increasing number of young people suffering from complications related to chronic use of nitrous oxide. He said he has treated a minor as young as 15, and recently had a case of a 22-year-old who lost their ability to walk after abusing nitrous oxide.
What’s the best way to deal with bunions? | New York Times
“Bunions usually get worse as time goes by,” said Robert Lee, chief of podiatric foot and ankle surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles, Santa Monica Medical Center, but they don’t always get bad enough to require an operation.
‘The Social Reckoning’ box office: It bombed as Musk, Holmes, Altman loom | The Hollywood Reporter
“There’s a sense in which concerns about misinformation feel like yesterday’s news,” says Gabriel Rossman, an economic sociology professor at UCLA. “But obviously, people are very interested in AI, and they’re interested from various perspectives. So, the outlier of these movies [as a potential breakout] would be [Artificial, given that] Altman is arguably one of the most important human beings alive right now.”
