Make the future brighter
When you give to USC, you support education, research, and health initiatives that improve lives and create stronger communities.
University Priorities
These are the areas where USC can create the most progress in the world.
Health
Frontiers of Computing
Scholarships and Student Support
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Faculty
Research
Sustainability
Arts
Environmental studies majors nurture vibrant gardens and bright minds
Undergraduate students intern with the Garden School Foundation to provide nature-based education to elementary schoolers.
Read More
USC medical school dean appointed to California Institute of Regenerative Medicine board
Carolyn Meltzer takes on a governance role with the state stem cell agency.
Read More
Optimizing earthquake data flow allows scientific research on ‘The Big One’
The USC-based Statewide California Earthquake Center developed CyberShake, a computational platform that simulates hundreds of thousands of earthquakes to calculate regional seismic hazard models.
Read More
Ocean-inspired tech could speed up carbon capture from ships
New technology from USC and Caltech could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the global shipping industry. See the story, photos and video.
Read More
Brain study identifies a cost of caregiving for new fathers
Becoming a dad affects the brain — even without the direct experience of pregnancy, a study of male brain changes across the transition to first-time parenthood finds.
Read More
An astronautics standout discovers a talent for robotics
COMMENCEMENT: Henry Adam was too curious to specialize early on. By allowing his interests to roam, he managed to achieve more than many goal-oriented engineers.
Read More
Don’t fear that needle: Research paves way for flexible ‘soft’ microneedles
Hangbo Zhao presents findings on highly stretchable and customizable microneedles for application in fields including neuroscience, tissue engineering, and wearable bioelectronics
Read More
Study finds extreme temperature swings hit minority, low-income communities hardest
New USC Dornsife-led research reveals that the nation’s marginalized groups face greater health risks from daily temperature variations than wealthier white populations.
Read More
Researcher awarded $3M to study early brain development of babies born to mothers with diabetes
The study will investigate neural biological mechanisms underlying the link between diabetes in pregnancy and child’s risk of obesity.
Read More
Turnout likely lower for voters of color this November compared with white turnout
More than 30% of voters surveyed have concerns with the voting process, citing possible incorrect ballot counting or tampering, according to a report from USC Price’s Center for Inclusive Democracy.
Read More
USC Center for Neurotechnology boosted by grant from NIH initiative
Since its founding in 2023, the Center has been boosted by several grants, including $5 million in new funding from the National Institutes of Health’s Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative.
Read More
Beach erosion will make Southern California coastal living five times more expensive by 2050, USC study predicts
The region’s sandy coastlines are vanishing at an alarming rate. It’s a warning sign for coastal communities worldwide, USC research suggests.
Read More
Carrying the torch: Jevon Torres on leading the National Society of Black Engineers’ USC chapter
COMMENCEMENT: Torres received his computer science degree on May 10.
Read More
Keck Medicine of USC and USC’s health sciences schools make sustainability a priority
By upcycling ocean plastics, reducing harmful anesthesia gases and transforming medical supply chains, the USC health system and medical research schools hope to curb pollution.
Read More
USC Price grad clowns around to help hospital patients
Phong Doozy volunteers as a medical clown to put smiles on the faces of those facing serious health challenges.
Read More
Bridging equity gaps through vision care
USC study incorporates diversity, equity and inclusion into a clinical trial for age-related macular degeneration, aiming to restore vision and rebuild trust in marginalized communities.
Read More
USC Leonard Davis faculty member receives Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star in Aging Research award
The American Federation for Aging Research recognized Bérénice Benayoun for her research.
Read More
Fluoride exposure during pregnancy linked to increased risk of childhood neurobehavioral problems
USC researchers conducted the first U.S.-based study examining the link between prenatal fluoride and childhood social, emotional and behavioral functioning.
Read More
A new ‘rule of biology’ may have come to light, expanding insight into evolution and aging
Living things usually prefer stability to conserve energy and resources, but instability might also play a vital role, USC Dornsife molecular biologist John Tower says.
Read More
Alumna Natalie Fung: How I became a double Trojan after a life-altering accident
COMMENCEMENT: Fung was 21 years old when she broke her neck and became paralyzed from the chest down.
Read More
USC Marshall professor’s research cited in FTC non-compete clause rule
Hyo Kang’s published study makes an impact on the commission and business competition.
Read More
Graduating engineer’s seeks solutions for global water challenges
COMMENCEMENT: Ana Luiza Behisnelian is using her environmental engineering degree to take on the mission of protecting one of our planet’s most important resources.
Read More
Detecting influence campaigns on social media with AI and network science
USC researcher Luca Luceri is co-leading an effort to identify and characterize influence campaigns on social media.
Read More
Jazz innovator named USC Thornton artist-in-residence
Acclaimed jazz pianist/composer Gerald Clayton returns to his alma mater as a role model for the next generation.
Read More
USC researcher discovers drug that may delay onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and treat hydrocephalus
Young-Kwon Hong and his team have developed a drug that can help clear fluid and cellular debris from the brain.
Read More
Half-matched family donors offer best outcomes for Hispanic patients undergoing bone marrow transplants
A USC study may open life-saving opportunities for Hispanic patients, who are one-third less likely to find a fully matched donor from the national registry than white patients
Read More
Does music unlock memory?
USC faculty are getting closer to understanding what happens in your brain when you hear a familiar song — which could affect those struggling with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Read More
USC study reveals role of iron in allergic asthma and points to potential new therapies
USC researchers found that iron is a key regulator of energy usage by immune cells in the lungs and that targeting iron uptake could help treat asthma and other allergic diseases.
Read More
Age-related brain changes influence recovery after stroke
A groundbreaking study led by USC researchers offers new insights into stroke recovery, revealing that changes in brain white matter significantly affect how well individuals recover motor abilities following a stroke.
Read More
How can we make AI more human-like — and how far do we go?
Researchers at USC’s Information Sciences Institute are exploring the possibilities of creating chatbots that are more conversational and human-like.
Read More
Keck Medicine of USC launches institute to promote excellence in nursing
The USC Nursing Institute will foster innovation and scholarship within practice, offering education and career development for nurses across the health system.
Read More
A farm girl at heart, USC Marshall graduate finds fit in sustainability innovation
COMMENCEMENT: Laurel Rankin, a master of science in social entrepreneurship graduate, follows her entrepreneurial spirit to create impact.
Read More
Keck Medicine of USC earns ‘LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader’ designation
The university’s hospitals and USC Student Health earn the top score in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2024 Healthcare Equality Index.
Read More
USC Dornsife sociologist Hajar Yazdiha awarded prestigious Carnegie Fellowship
The assistant professor of sociology plans to focus her fellowship on tackling societal challenges through a study of truth and reconciliation practices.
Read More
From researcher to policy advocate: Trojan shifts gears to improve healthspan
Doctoral graduate Brenda Eap landed a job at a Washington, D.C., political action nonprofit.
Read More
Turning a tumor’s ‘shield’ into a weapon against itself
USC Viterbi biomedical engineers have designed a protein that targets and disables tumor cells’ defenses while marking cancer cells for death.
Read More
Professor Bob Baker Memorial Award Established by Dexter Holland will honor a pioneer in molecular biology
Holland, lead singer of The Offspring, is an alumnus of USC Dornsife’s Molecular and Computational Biology program.
Read More
‘The Mount Rushmore of improv’: Wayne Brady teaches masterclass to USC theater students
Brady, known for his long run as a cast member on the hit improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, is also anaward-winning TV host, actor and musician.
Read More
Keck Hospital of USC again earns ‘A’ hospital safety grade
The rating from independent watchdog organization The Leapfrog Group places the hospital among the safest in the country.
Read More
USC-led study introduces improved way to grow cells that give rise to kidney’s filtration system
Scientists report significant progress in cultivating nephron progenitor cells.
Read More
Master of public health student raises awareness in campaign to end child marriage
Jennifer Tzi wanted to know what one person could do to help make the world a safer and healthier place. USC’s online MPH program provided an answer.
Read More
Studies suggest millions with mild cognitive impairment go undiagnosed, often until it’s too late
Medicare covers an annual well-check visit that could potentially identify cognitive issues, but only about half of beneficiaries take advantage of them.
Read More
It’s not ‘what’: Research shows you are where you eat
Strategies to promote healthy food choices have targeted neighborhoods lacking healthy, affordable eating options. A USC study suggests a different approach by analyzing where people eat beyond their home neighborhoods.
Read More
Can carbon capture solve climate change?
EARTH MONTH: Removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere could go a long way towards slowing global warming, experts tell USC Dornsife event.
Read More
Direct-to-patient educational material helps older adults reduce use of drugs like Valium, Xanax
Study finds that patients who received brochures about risks, alternatives and tapering recommendations were more likely to successfully quit taking benzodiazepine medications.
Read More
Laws requiring doctors to report a dementia diagnosis to the DMV may backfire
USC researchers investigate whether state reporting mandates are associated with clinicians’ likelihood of underdiagnosing dementia.
Read More
USC researchers find genetic variant contributing to disparities in childhood leukemia risk
The variant helps explain why Latino children face a higher risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and offers insights about what causes the disease.
Read More
Sweeping review reveals latest evidence on diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of ADHD
A comprehensive literature review from USC researchers will inform updated clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Read More
People with rare longevity mutation may also be protected from cardiovascular disease
Patients with growth hormone receptor deficiency, or Laron syndrome, appear to have lower than average risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.
Read More
Keck Medicine of USC opens transplant care clinic in Las Vegas
The clinic is the first in Nevada to offer in-state heart transplant services.
Read More