Biologists believed that urchin reproduction along the Pacific Coast would only be affected by marine heat waves at lethal ocean temperatures, a new study conducted by IB Assistant Professor Daniel Okamoto and other marine biologists at UC Berkeley suggests that this threshold of susceptibility, for urchins and other marine species, may be at lower temperatures than previously thought. Read the full article here.

The origins of ever-evolving life are never sufficiently explained; innovations in the complex origins of life are continually being expanded into new horizons. Join Wonderfest’s guest speaker, Distinguished IB Professor and Director of the University of California Museum of Paleontology, Dr. Charles Marshall, on November 18, 2025, as he explores the integral role of energy and information in the past, present, and future of life on Earth. Read the full article here.

Assistant Professor Victor Ortega-Jiménez and his lab have discovered that jumping entomopathogenic nematodes can be electrostatically attracted by the natural electric fields of the flying insects, thus increasing the effectiveness attachment to distant hosts and likelihood of infection. Read more...

Carina Galicia has received the College of Letters & Science Staff Achievement Award for 2024-2025. Read more here. 

Research by IB's Adjunct Assistant Professor Juan Liu on a newly discovered fossil fish is being used to reshape the origin story of freshwater fish evolution. Read more in the Berkeley News article here. 

To combat the disparaging numbers of marginalized students opting out of pursuing STEM careers, a study was conducted by several IB researchers, including Jennifer Imamura, Tamara Mau, Joshua Povich, Timothy Herrlinger, Julianne M. Winters, and other collaborators. The research aims to address the growing concerns of equity and inclusion in academic and professional fields by creating and implementing the Faculty Optimizes Student Success (FLOSS) program, which relies on the feedback and cooperation of faculty members to foster an inclusive learning environment where students can become better equipped for their professional goals. Read the full article here.

Genomic research on the Turkana of northwestern Kenya, led by IB’s Julien Ayrole and Vanderbilt University’s Amanda Lea, in collaboration with Kenyan researchers and the Turkana community, reveals genetic adaptations developed for surviving the scorching and unforgiving desert conditions through an animal-based diet. The research concludes that the existence of these genetic adaptations may predispose individuals from the Turkana community to chronic diseases as the community transitions from pastoralist lifestyles to urban cities. Read the full Berkeley News article here.

The first-ever measurements of ethanol content in fruits available to wild chimpanzees, conducted by Robert Dudley and IB graduate student Aleksey Maro, suggest that these animals may routinely ingest the equivalent of over two standard alcoholic drinks daily. Read the full Berkeley News article here. 

Research out of the lab of assistant professor Victor Ortega-Jiménez and collaborators show how wing-like fans on the feet of ripple bugs inspire a novel propulsion system for miniature robots. Read the full Berkeley News article.  

Assistant Professor Cara Brook is one of 22 researchers to be named 2025 Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences. Read more here.