Notable Alumni of University of California-San Francisco

Mai al-Kaila 1955–

First woman Palestinian Minister of Health

Richard Carmona 1949–

17th Surgeon General of the United States

Also attended: University of Arizona, CUNY Bronx Community College

Shen Fu-hsiung 1939–

Taiwanese physician, politician and commentator

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Susan Chew 1958–2024

Democratic Idaho state representative

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Maria Ruud 1961–

Former Minnesota state representative

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Arthur D. Levinson 1950–

Calico CEO and Apple director

Also attended: Princeton University, University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Jack O'Neill 1923–2017

Founder of surfwear company O'Neill

Also attended: San Francisco State University, University of Portland

William J. Bernstein 1948–

Neurologist and financial theorist and writer

Doctor of Medicine

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Susan Desmond-Hellmann 1958–

Former Gates Foundation CEO and UCSF chancellor

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of Nevada-Reno

Jim Warren 1936–2021

Computer professional, editor and activist

Also attended: Texas State University, The University of Texas at Austin, Stanford University

Shinya Yamanaka 1962–

Japanese stem cell researcher and Nobel laureate

Stanley B. Prusiner 1942–

Neurologist and biochemist

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

David Baker 1962–

Biochemist who pioneered protein design methods

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Alexander Shulgin 1925–2014

Biochemist who synthesized over 200 psychedelic compounds

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University

Mary-Claire King 1946–

Geneticist who showed breast cancer can be inherited via BRCA1

Postdoctoral researcher · Class of 1976

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Carleton College

Mary Katharine Brandegee 1844–1920

Botanist known for studies of California flora

Doctor of Medicine · Class of 1878

Spouse: Townshend Stith Brandegee (Yale University)

Stuart Kauffman 1939–

Theoretical biologist and complex systems researcher

Also attended: Dartmouth College

Andrea Gamarnik 1964–

Argentine molecular virologist known for dengue research

Postdoctoral degree · Class of 1999

Axel Ullrich 1943–

German molecular biologist and cancer researcher

Jean Shinoda Bolen 1936–

Psychiatrist, Jungian analyst and author

Doctor of Medicine · Class of 1962

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Los Angeles, Pomona College

Mother: Megumi Yamaguchi Shinoda (Barnard College, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Titia de Lange 1955–

Dutch geneticist at Rockefeller University

Napoleone Ferrara 1956–

Molecular biologist who discovered VEGF

Stafford L. Warren 1896–1981

Radiologist and pioneer of mammography

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University

Charles Sawyers 1959–

Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University

Edith Claypole 1870–1915

English-American physiologist and pathologist

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell University

Sibling: Agnes Claypole Moody (University of Chicago, Cornell University)

Julie Gerberding 1955–

First woman director of the US CDC

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Case Western Reserve University

Robert Stoller 1924–1991

Psychiatrist and UCLA professor

Pablo DT Valenzuela 1941–

Chilean biochemist, hepatitis B vaccine pioneer

David Poeppel 1964–

NYU professor of psychology and neural science

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Brenda Andrews 1957–

University of Toronto systems biologist

Murray Lee Eiland 1936–

Forensic psychiatrist and oriental carpet specialist

Doctor of Medicine · Class of 1961

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Los Angeles

Rong Li 1967–

Cell biologist; distinguished professor at NUS

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1992

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Yale University

Hiroko Minami 1942–

Japanese nurse and educator, Nightingale Medal recipient

Jane Harding 1955–

New Zealand neonatologist

Thomas R. Insel 1951–

Neuroscientist, former director of NIMH

Also attended: Boston University

Virginia Man-Yee Lee 1945–

Alzheimer's researcher and University of Pennsylvania professor

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Robert Frascino 1952–2011

Immunologist and early HIV specialist physician

Stuart A. Aaronson 1942–

Cancer biologist at Mount Sinai Hospital

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Michael V. Drake 1951–

21st president of the University of California

Also attended: Stanford University

Elly Tanaka 1965–

Biochemist studying limb and spinal cord regeneration

Also attended: Harvard University

Michael Marletta 1951–

Biochemist and UC Berkeley professor

Also attended: SUNY at Fredonia

Kay Tye 1981–

Neuroscientist and professor at the Salk Institute

Doctor of Philosophy · Neuroscience · Class of 2008

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Father: Henry Tye (California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Mother: Bik-Kwoon Tye (University of California-San Francisco, Wellesley College)

Michael A. Klaper 1947–

Physician and vegan health educator

Dorothy M. Horstmann 1911–2001

Epidemiologist, first woman professor at Yale School of Medicine

Doctor of Medicine · Class of 1940

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Dacher Keltner 1962–

Psychologist and professor at UC Berkeley

Also attended: University of California-Santa Barbara, Stanford University

Beulah Ream Allen 1897–1989

American nurse and physician, World War II POW

Doctor of Medicine · Class of 1932

Also attended: Idaho State University, University of Utah

Myron Prinzmetal 1908–1987

Cardiologist who first described Prinzmetal angina

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Roel Nusse 1950–

Stanford professor, key researcher of Wnt signaling

Susan Buchbinder 1959–

Physician and HIV prevention researcher

Also attended: Brown University

David Agard 2000–

Biochemist and UCSF professor

Doctor of Philosophy

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, Yale University

Murray Jarvik 1923–2008

Psychopharmacologist, co-inventor of the nicotine patch

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, CUNY--City College

Linda Aranaydo 1948–

Native American physician and Alcatraz occupation participant

Doctor of Medicine · Class of 1992

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Rao Yi 1962–

Chinese neurobiologist

Leroy F. Liu 1949–

Taiwanese molecular biologist

Postdoctoral research · Class of 1980

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University

Duan Shumin 1957–

Chinese neuroscientist

Tess Gerritsen 1953–

Novelist and retired physician

Also attended: Stanford University

Daniel Mason 1976–

Novelist and physician

Also attended: Harvard University

Ethan Canin 1960–

Author and physician, Iowa Writers' Workshop faculty

Also attended: University of Iowa, Harvard University, Stanford University

Chris Adrian 1970–

Author and physician

Also attended: University of Florida, Harvard University

Priscilla Chan 1985–

Pediatrician and philanthropist, wife of Mark Zuckerberg

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Mark Zuckerberg (Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University)

Alice Wong 1974–2025

Disability rights activist and writer

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Bobbi Campbell 1952–1984

Nurse and early AIDS activist

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Andrew Baldwin 1977–

Navy physician and The Bachelor contestant

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University, Duke University