Official Blog | UCGPC

I’m Gabe Avillion, a PhD student in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology at UC San Francisco, where I conduct research in the Villeda Lab focused on understanding the cellular and molecular drivers of cognitive decline in the aging brain. My research combines experimental neuroscience with computational analysis to identify conserved molecular programs that support cognitive resilience and rejuvenation across systemic interventions such as exercise, blood-based therapies, and metabolic interventions. Before coming to UCSF, I completed both my undergraduate and master’s training at UC San Diego, where my research focused on cardiac development and congenital heart disease. I later worked at The Scripps Research Institute, where I studied vaccine design against complex pathogens, including HIV and coronaviruses. Across these experiences, I have been motivated by the idea that rigorous science can and should translate into meaningful benefits for society.

Alongside my research, I am involved in student advocacy and shared governance. I currently serve as Vice President of External Affairs for the UCSF Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), where I represent UCSF trainees to external bodies including the UC Graduate and Professional Council and the UC Board of Regents. In this role, I work to elevate trainee perspectives on issues such as affordability, access to healthcare and basic needs, institutional accountability, and equitable training environments, while also strengthening coordination and information-sharing across UC campuses. I serve on the Student Health Advisory Committee at UCSF to further my commitment to improving healthcare accessibility for students. This fall, I helped organize and moderate a fireside chat with Hal Collard, Vice Chancellor of Research at UCSF, to create an open forum for discussion on trainee concerns, institutional decision-making, and the broader challenges facing academia. I also serve as a student representative on the Developmental and Stem Cell Biology curriculum committee and as an officer in UCSF’s Science Policy Group, where I help organize seminars, workshops, and community engagement activities that connect scientific research with public policy.

My advocacy work began during my undergraduate years at UC San Diego, where I held several elected leadership roles centered on representing student interests. I served as President of the Triton Athletes Council, a campus-wide student-athlete advisory body, where I advocated for academic support, mental health resources, and stronger student representation in university decision-making. Prior to that, I served as the chair of student development, where I worked to support student-athletes academic and professional success. I also chaired the Recreational Facilities Advisory Board, the university’s principal advisory committee on recreation policy and budgeting, where I worked with administrators and students to improve campus facilities and programming. Through these roles, I learned the importance of translating student feedback into actionable policy, building consensus across diverse groups, and creating governance structures that are inclusive, transparent, and responsive. My advocacy work is motivated by a strong belief in the importance of supporting and advocating for the communities we are a part of, especially since I am deeply grateful for the support I receive from the various communities I am a part of.

Within UCGPC, my current priorities focus on strengthening communication between campuses, ensuring that graduate and professional students have a clear and consistent voice in systemwide decision-making, and advancing policies that directly impact trainee well-being. This includes work related to affordability and cost-of-living pressures, healthcare access, and the broader sustainability of graduate and professional education across the UC system. I am particularly interested in making systemwide governance more accessible to trainees and ensuring that advocacy efforts are grounded in data, lived experience, and long-term impact rather than short-term fixes. I am also focused on recent changes to federal funding for research and higher education and am deeply committed to protecting the research and education infrastructure of the UC system for students and trainees.

Overall, I see my research, leadership, and advocacy work as deeply interconnected. I view advocacy as an essential part of academic training and believe that supporting student well-being is critical to enabling strong, innovative research. Through my involvement in UCGPC and related organizations, I am committed to helping build academic and training environments where graduate and professional students can thrive as researchers and as members of the broader UC community.

Thank you for your dedication to student advocacy, Gabe!