Associate Professor of Molecular Therapeutics Helen Bateup and Associate Professor of Immunology and Molecular Medicine Sarah Stanley are among five UC Berkeley instructors to receive the 2025 Distinguished Teaching Award. This award is the campus's highest honor for teaching excellence. The recipients will be honored at the Distinguished Teaching Award Ceremony on Wednesday, April 23, at 5:30 p.m. in the West Pauley Ballroom, Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center.

Congratulations to Xavier Darzacq on his promotion to MCB Professor of Molecular Therapeutics!

The Darzacq Lab studies transcription regulation during cellular differentiation. Read more about the Darzacq lab and their research.  

The Department of Molecular & Cell Biology will be hosting a symposium to honor of the life and contributions of Professor Bruce N. Ames on March 23, 2025 from 9 am - 7 pm in 245 Li Ka Shing. The symposium entitled "A Passionate Curiosity— Enzymes, Gene Regulation, Mutagenesis, Carcinogenesis and Micronutrients" features a series of talks by esteemed colleagues of Ames and a reception to follow.

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology, James Nuñez, was named one of the 2025 Sloan Research Fellows. Nuñez was one of six early career researchers at UC Berkeley to receive the award, which honors "exceptional researchers at U.S. and Canadian educational institutions whose creativity, innovation and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders." Read more about the 2025 Sloan Fellows at UC Berkeley and the Alfred P.

Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development, Noah Whiteman, was awarded the 2025 Genetics Society of America Medal. This award acknowledges Whiteman's outstanding contributions to the field of genetics. Read more about the Genetics Society of America Award receipients and Whiteman's research here. 
 

Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development, Nicole King, and Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology, Sabeeha Merchant, were appointed as 2025 Vallee Visiting Professors (VVPs). This honor by the Valle Foundation pairs outstanding scientists with premier biomedical research institutes worldwide in an informal arrangement that promotes intellectual exchanges and fosters new partnerships. Learn more about the 2025 Vallee Visiting Professors here. 
 

Welcome to MCB's newest faculty member, Phillip Cleves, who will join us as an assistant professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development (GGED) on January 1, 2026. The Cleves Lab researches the molecular, cellular, and developmental basis of how intracellular beneficial microbes invade and persist in animal cells to form symbiosis. They use ecologically critical cnidarian-algal symbioses as model systems to discover fundamental mechanisms of how beneficial microbes can manipulate animal cell biology and to gain key molecular insights into the ongoing destruction of coral reef ecosystems due to ocean warming.

Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution and Development Noah Whiteman will be speaking about his new book, Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices, on March 5th at 5:00 pm in the Berkeley Morrison library. Learn more about the event here. 

We are excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 MCB Lisa Eshun-Wilson Community Award. This award was established to recognize the outstanding contributions of our MCB graduate students and postdocs who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to fostering a welcoming and equitable community.

Congratulations to MCB postdoc Grace Liu (Vance Lab) on being named one of the 2024 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Hanna Gray Fellows! Liu was selected by HHMI along with 25 outstanding early career scientists for demonstrating a commitment to making foundational discoveries while building an inclusive culture in academic science.

Professor of Molecular Therapeutics Jennifer Doudna was honored by President Biden with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. This award is one of the nation’s highest honors for exemplary achievement and leadership in science and technology. Read more about Doudna and the other receipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation here. 

As the year comes to a close, MCB has a lot to be thankful for. Most importantly, we are grateful for our extraordinary community of our students, postdocs, staff, faculty, alumni and friends. We hope you enjoy our year-end video highlighting some of our 2024 memories together. 

Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology Eva Nogales was awarded the Extraordinary Medal of Scientific Merit from the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) for scientific merit for her work in the field of visualization of macromolecular function. Read more about Nogales’ award and research here. 
 

Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology Eva Nogales received an Honoris Causa Doctorate degree from The Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) in recognition of her relevant academic and scientific merits. Read more about Nogales’ award here.