The Washington Post reported on promising results from a phase 3 trial of a personalized mRNA vaccine designed to prevent melanoma from returning after surgery. “This is exciting,” said Dr. Antoni Ribas, professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s tumor immunology and immunotherapy Program. “That hasn’t happened ever, with any cancer vaccine.” The treatment, which is tailored to mutations in an individual patient’s tumor and given alongside an existing immunotherapy, could eventually point toward new approaches for treating other cancers as well. (Also: KCAL-TV.) Read more about UCLA in today’s Associated Press, New York Times and others.

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More highlights from UCLA in the News: August 20, 2026

Young people prefer in-person faith guidance over AI or influencers | KNBC-TV

Generations Alpha and Z aren’t just looking online for answers to their biggest questions. They also want face-to-face conversations with adults who can address their doubts and help them strengthen their identity. That’s according to a study by the Center for Scholars & Storytellers, a nonprofit founded by Yalda T. Uhls, the study’s lead author and a professor in the UCLA Department of Psychology. (Uhls was quoted.)

Judge allows controversial oil company to continue pumping | Los Angeles Times

“It’s not just a California issue,” said Allan Marks, a professor at UCLA’s School of Law who has a background in energy law. “What this kind of lays the groundwork for is the federal government — the Department of Energy or the Department of the Interior — [to use] ... the Defense Production Act as an excuse to run roughshod over state environmental law.”

A Town booted out its leaders. What happens if they refuse to leave? | The Guardian

“If every successful recall is challenged by the people who are recalled, on whatever basis, it undermines the whole purpose of the recall process itself,” said Zev Yaroslavsky, the director of the Los Angeles initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. “When does it end?”

California holds special election to replace Eric Swalwell | CNN

“So, the first thing that I would say about California 14 is we’re seeing low turnout in this election, and that’s not really much of a surprise, because people in this district probably feel like they voted in this election a couple times already this season. And that’s because they have,” said UCLA’s Lynn Vavreck (approx. :45 mark).

More drivers are suing Houston after police crashes | Houston Chronicle

It’s not uncommon for law enforcement agencies to go back on the initial stances they take in court, said Joanna Schwartz, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Cities frequently argue they aren’t liable for an officer’s actions, she said, then agree to pay settlements by a case’s end.

Chinese moviegoers flock to a low-budget hit | New York Times

Instead of embracing AI to create a hyper-realistic effect, Xin appeared to use a low-fi approach reminiscent of 1990s-style animation, according to Michael Berry, a professor of Chinese literature and cinema at the University of California, Los Angeles. “This almost seems to be a cinematic reaction to the ‘lying flat’ movement,” he said, referring to the Chinese trend of doing the bare minimum in protest of a culture of intense competition.  

Rebel Ice Cream files for bankruptcy after packaging suit | New York Times

Mark McKenna, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, and an expert in trademark law, said in an interview that Van Leeuwen’s lawsuit was somewhat unusual because its trade dress claims involved an entire line of ice cream packaging instead of an individual product.

Fastest star in the Milky Way spotted zipping around a black hole | Associated Press

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said astronomer Tuan Do with the University of California, Los Angeles, who had no role in the study. “As we get fainter, there should be many more stars like this.”