Professor (Affiliated) of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology Daniel Fletcher has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Fletcher was recognized "For the development of mobile phone-based microscopy to diagnose infectious diseases in developing countries, and for contributions to the mechanistic understanding of biological self-assembly and mechanotransduction." Read more in the National Academy of Medicine press release. 

BioE alumnus Connor Tou (B.S. 2020) has been named a 2025 STAT Wunderkind by by STAT News - an award that honors early-career scientists whose creativity and perseverance are helping to reshape biomedical research and health care.

Carina Galicia, Director of Administration and Operations for MCB and Biosciences Divisional Services, has received the College of Letters & Science Staff Achievement Award for 2024-2025. This award recognizes staff who have demonstarted an outstanding commitment to Berkeley's shared mission of  teaching, research and public service. Galicia and other award recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony on November 4, 2025. 
 

Professor Dan Fletcher has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine for his contributions to the mechanistic understanding of biological self-assembly and mechanotransduction, and his work developing mobile phone-based microscopy for remote diagnosis of infectious diseases. Election to the academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.

Welcome to MCB's newest faculty member, Thomas Mann, who will join us as an assistant professor of Immunology and Molecular Medicine (IMM) on January 1, 2026. The Mann Lab will study how post-translational signaling is intertwined with differentiation in CD8 T cells. Using genetics, proteomics, and mouse models of cancer and viral infection, the lab will dissect signaling pathways to identify new targets for immunotherapy.
 

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. 

We are excited to announce the recipients of our annual MCB Outstanding Postdoc Awards! Each year, the department honors postdocs for excellence in research, leadership, and service. 

 

Erin Doherty (Doudna Lab) discovered a new role for cyclic nucleotides in immune signaling, revealing how cells use a novel toxin–antitoxin system to protect against viral anti-defense.
 

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 Berkeley Bioengineering undergraduate program remains in the top 10 programs nationally, ranking 8th in the latest rankings released by US News & World Report.

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. 

Professor of Molecular Therapeutics Jennifer Doudna was recently named the recipient of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes leading scientists and researchers in the field for their professional accomplishments and contributions to research, education and leadership. Read more about the 2026 ASM award recipients here.