image: Alysson Muotri, Ph.D., professor of medicine and director of the UC San Diego SSCI Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research Center
Credit: UC San Diego Health Sciences
The South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals — a renowned convergence of pioneers, storytellers, and global visionaries — will take place this year from March 7-15 in Austin, Texas, bringing together a vibrant mix of ideas and innovations. Once again, UC San Diego will take center stage, showcasing cutting-edge research, transformative discussions on critical global challenges and a film premiere.
“UC San Diego’s participation in the 2025 South by Southwest Conference and Festivals reinforces our institution’s passion for interdisciplinary innovation and our commitment to leveraging the intersection of technology, art and science to drive positive change,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “At SXSW, our researchers, innovators and creatives will come together with global visionaries to showcase cutting-edge solutions, spark meaningful conversations, and ignite new ideas that can help address the world’s most pressing challenges.”
From tackling climate change to exploring human longevity and studying cancer in space, UC San Diego’s brightest minds will be featured prominently in a series of thought-provoking presentations, panels and the world premiere of a documentary feature.
Details for each UC San Diego-affiliated event are below, and events are accessible to SXSW attendees unless noted otherwise.
At the panel, “The Quest to Capture Carbon and Bend the Curve”, Ralph Keeling, Ph.D., a climate scientist and director of the Scripps CO2 Program at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, will delve into how rising greenhouse gas emissions are impacting our planet and the new technologies emerging to capture carbon. The panel will discuss what it will take to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide and the collaborative efforts required to achieve a more sustainable future.
The “Guardians of Youth: Stem Cells & Human Longevity” presenter Rob Signer, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine and deputy director of the Stem Cell Discovery Center at the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute (SSCI), is presenting a pioneering shift in biomedical science by tackling aging as the fundamental driver of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. By positioning stem cells as the blueprint for longevity, this transformative approach is paving the way for a new era in treating age-related diseases at its very core.
“Reconstructing the Human Brain in the Lab” presenter Alysson Muotri, Ph.D., professor of medicine and director of the UC San Diego SSCI Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research Center, will showcase how brain organoids — tiny, lab-grown brain-like structures — are unlocking the secrets of brain evolution, consciousness, and aging. Muotri will also discuss how studying these organoids aboard the International Space Station advances interplanetary exploration and medical research.
The “NASA and the Next Frontier in the Battle Against Cancer” panel will feature Catriona Jamieson, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine and director of the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, alongside NASA scientists. This groundbreaking discussion will explore how research conducted in microgravity is driving new breakthroughs in cancer treatments, delivering hope to patients on Earth.
The panel, “Want to Achieve Health Equity? Democratize Health Data”, will bring together Jamieson and Muotri to advocate for democratizing access to health data. By empowering patients to take charge of their health care, the panel will propose actionable steps to bridge health equity gaps.
Finally, the documentary feature “Forever We Are Young” will make its world premiere at SXSW 2025. The documentary – co-directed by Patty Ahn, Ph.D., UC San Diego associate teaching professor of communication, with esteemed documentary filmmaker Grace Lee – dives into the passionate fandom that catapulted the K-pop band BTS into a global household name and captures the powerful spirit of activism and collectivity that make BTS fans a symbol of hope and unity in our ever-fractured world.
# # #