Egghead Weekend Basket for May 8

Andy Fell — May 08, 2026 - 10:24am

This week in UC Davis science news, we go from the far reaches of the Universe to the human heart, survey western wildfires and take a trip to Alcatraz.

Children with Rare, Debilitating Brain Diseases Suffer From Mutations in a Little-Known Protein Complex

Andy Fell — May 08, 2026 - 9:40am

Thousands of times per year, a family’s moment of joy turns to unexpected grief. A seemingly healthy infant stops smiling or making eye contact. Their limbs grow weak. The tiny child suffers seizures and breathing problems.

Jawdat Al-Bassam, an associate professor of molecular and cellular biology at the University of California, Davis, often hears from these families. “I’ve gotten emails from folks all over the world,” he said.

Genetic diseases Content

Egghead Weekend Basket for May 8

Children with Rare, Debilitating Brain Diseases Suffer From Mutations in a Little-Known Protein Complex