Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
A version of this video with audio description track is available here:
youtube.com/watch?v=TdvG3046G-A
Scientific progress depends on curiosity, investment and the freedom to take risks. Nobel Laureate and UC San Diego alumnus Fred Ramsdell traces his path from community college to biotechnology and a discovery that reshaped understanding of immune regulation. He explains how decades of publicly funded research made that breakthrough possible and why failed experiments are essential steps toward discovery. Ramsdell discusses threats to federal research funding, the private sector’s limited tolerance for risk and the need for scientists to communicate clearly. Rebuilding trust, he argues, starts with listening, finding shared values and explaining how basic research leads to new treatments, economic value and national security. Sustained support for science matters because no one can predict where the next major breakthrough will begin. [8/2026] [Show ID: 41113]
0:00 Curiosity and a Career in Immunology
5:50 Team Science and the Scurvy Mouse Discovery
19:05 Learning He Won the Nobel Prize
24:47 Why Public Research Funding Matters
30:15 How Scientists Can Rebuild Public Trust
37:55 Why Failure and Risk Drive Discovery
41:25 Expanding Access to Research Opportunities
44:51 Cell Therapy, Research Risk and Public Dialogue
Donate to UCTV to support informative & inspiring programming:
uctv.tv/donate
More videos from: Deep Look Public Speaker Series
(uctv.tv/deep-look-biology)
Explore More Science & Technology on UCTV
(uctv.tv/science)
Science and technology continue to change our lives. University of California scientists are tackling the important questions like climate change, evolution, oceanography, neuroscience and the potential of stem cells.
UCTV is the broadcast and online media platform of the University of California, featuring programming from its ten campuses, three national labs and affiliated research institutions. UCTV explores a broad spectrum of subjects for a general audience, including science, health and medicine, public affairs, humanities, arts and music, business, education, and agriculture. Launched in January 2000, UCTV embraces the core missions of the University of California -- teaching, research, and public service – by providing quality, in-depth television far beyond the campus borders to inquisitive viewers around the world.
(https://www.uctv.tv)
FAQ
Q: Why is public funding important for scientific research?
A: Basic research is unpredictable and often takes years, so it needs stable funding and room for experiments that may not work. Ramsdell explains that publicly funded discoveries provide the foundation for advances in cancer treatment, autoimmune disease and biotechnology.
Q: How can scientists rebuild public trust?
A: Scientists can begin by listening, asking why people hold certain views and communicating in ways that connect with shared values. They also need to explain how research works, including why unsuccessful experiments can still produce useful knowledge.
Q: Why do scientific research and innovation require risk?
A: Researchers cannot know in advance which idea will produce an important discovery. Trying many approaches, including some that fail, creates more opportunities for breakthroughs and helps scientists learn what to investigate next.
A version of this video with audio description track is available here:
youtube.com/watch?v=TdvG3046G-A
Scientific progress depends on curiosity, investment and the freedom to take risks. Nobel Laureate and UC San Diego alumnus Fred Ramsdell traces his path from community college to biotechnology and a discovery that reshaped understanding of immune regulation. He explains how decades of publicly funded research made that breakthrough possible and why failed experiments are essential steps toward discovery. Ramsdell discusses threats to federal research funding, the private sector’s limited tolerance for risk and the need for scientists to communicate clearly. Rebuilding trust, he argues, starts with listening, finding shared values and explaining how basic research leads to new treatments, economic value and national security. Sustained support for science matters because no one can predict where the next major breakthrough will begin. [8/2026] [Show ID: 41113]
0:00 Curiosity and a Career in Immunology
5:50 Team Science and the Scurvy Mouse Discovery
19:05 Learning He Won the Nobel Prize
24:47 Why Public Research Funding Matters
30:15 How Scientists Can Rebuild Public Trust
37:55 Why Failure and Risk Drive Discovery
41:25 Expanding Access to Research Opportunities
44:51 Cell Therapy, Research Risk and Public Dialogue
Donate to UCTV to support informative & inspiring programming:
uctv.tv/donate
More videos from: Deep Look Public Speaker Series
(uctv.tv/deep-look-biology)
Explore More Science & Technology on UCTV
(uctv.tv/science)
Science and technology continue to change our lives. University of California scientists are tackling the important questions like climate change, evolution, oceanography, neuroscience and the potential of stem cells.
UCTV is the broadcast and online media platform of the University of California, featuring programming from its ten campuses, three national labs and affiliated research institutions. UCTV explores a broad spectrum of subjects for a general audience, including science, health and medicine, public affairs, humanities, arts and music, business, education, and agriculture. Launched in January 2000, UCTV embraces the core missions of the University of California -- teaching, research, and public service – by providing quality, in-depth television far beyond the campus borders to inquisitive viewers around the world.
(https://www.uctv.tv)
FAQ
Q: Why is public funding important for scientific research?
A: Basic research is unpredictable and often takes years, so it needs stable funding and room for experiments that may not work. Ramsdell explains that publicly funded discoveries provide the foundation for advances in cancer treatment, autoimmune disease and biotechnology.
Q: How can scientists rebuild public trust?
A: Scientists can begin by listening, asking why people hold certain views and communicating in ways that connect with shared values. They also need to explain how research works, including why unsuccessful experiments can still produce useful knowledge.
Q: Why do scientific research and innovation require risk?
A: Researchers cannot know in advance which idea will produce an important discovery. Trying many approaches, including some that fail, creates more opportunities for breakthroughs and helps scientists learn what to investigate next.
