UC innovations make TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026: How a pancreatic cancer drug and smarter wheelchair are changing lives?

From a pancreatic cancer drug that targets KRAS mutations to a smarter power wheelchair, University of California research is reaching beyond laboratories. Daraxonrasib, developed from discoveries at UCSF, received FDA approval in August. Meanwhile, UC Berkeley alumnus Tony Hong’s Strutt ev¹ uses sensors and voice controls to make everyday mobility easier.