Five Nobel Laureates in One Year: The University of California Makes History

 In an unprecedented achievement, five members of the University of California (UC) system—including faculty and alumni—were awarded Nobel Prizes in Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry in 2025, marking the largest number of Nobel honors ever won by a single university in a single year.

A Record-Breaking Year

It began on October 6, when Frederick Ramsdell, an alumnus of UC San Diego and UC Los Angeles, received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. His groundbreaking discovery of immune system cells that prevent the body from attacking itself reshaped our understanding of autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and lupus.

Just a day later, UC Berkeley’s Professor John Clarke, together with Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis from UC Santa Barbara, captured the Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering experiments that advanced the world’s most powerful quantum computers.
Their work laid the foundation for machines capable of exploring problems from multiple perspectives—potentially revolutionizing fields from drug discovery to cybersecurity.

On October 8, Professor Omar Yaghi of UC Berkeley was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for inventing metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)—a class of materials that can capture carbon dioxide, store hydrogen, and even harvest drinking water from desert air.

“It’s overwhelming. I’ve never felt anything like this,” Yaghi said upon hearing the news.

Clarke echoed a similar sentiment, calling the honor “the biggest surprise of my life.” His and his colleagues’ breakthroughs form the backbone of key quantum computing components, potentially transforming how humanity tackles the most complex scientific challenges.

A Legacy of Discovery

UC President James B. Milliken praised the laureates, calling their success “a profound honor and a testament to the creativity and dedication of our faculty and students.”
He also emphasized the role of federal research funding, which has long supported the university’s scientific breakthroughs.

Founded in 1869 with only 10 faculty members and 40 students, the University of California has grown into one of America’s largest and most influential public university systems—now spanning 10 campuses, over 295,000 students, and 265,000 faculty and staff.

Freedom, Curiosity, and Global Reach

Alumni and researchers credit UC’s enduring culture of academic freedom and intellectual collaboration for its global appeal. Campuses such as Berkeley, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara have become fertile ground for innovation, drawing world-class scholars from across the United States and beyond.

Since 1934, UC faculty and alumni have collectively earned 75 Nobel Prizes, cementing the university’s reputation as a powerhouse of discovery.

More Than a Milestone

The 2025 sweep is more than a record—it’s a reflection of how public universities can still shape the future of science when given the freedom and support to explore.
From the molecular mysteries of the immune system to the vast potential of quantum computing and sustainable chemistry, the University of California continues to remind the world of one enduring truth:
great ideas thrive where curiosity is free.


Amanda Grif

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