Assistant Professor (Affiliated) of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology, Yvette Fisher, was selected as one of ten neuroscientists to receive the 2025 McKnight Scholar Award. Granted by the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience (MEFN), recipients are early-career scientists who have demonstrated a commitment to neuroscience. Read more about the 2025 McNight Scholars here. 
 

Assistant Professor (Affiliated) of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology, Yvette Fisher, was named a 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. The five-year grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) supports "outstanding early career faculty who have the potential to become leaders in their research fields and to create lab environments in which everyone can thrive". Read more about the 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars here.  

Congratulations to Gloria Brar on her promotion to MCB Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology!

The Brar Lab aims to unravel the unconventional molecular circuitry that allows precursor cells to be remodeled into gametes. Read more about the Brar lab and their research.  

Congratulations to Dirk Hockemeyer on his promotion to MCB Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology!

The Hockemeyer Lab focuses on establishing reliable models of human diseases using genetically engineered human and stem cell and mouse models and functional genomics screening approaches. Read more about the Hockemeyer Lab and their research.  

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced a new contract with Dell Technologies to develop a supercomputer named after Jennifer Doudna at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC). The new flagship computer, NERSC-10, will support large-scale high-performance computing workloads that make cutting-edge science possible. Read the announcement from the Berkeley Lab here. 

Congratulations to Elçin Ünal on her promotion to MCB Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development!

The Ünal Lab studies the principles that control the nuclear and cytoplasmic integrity of gametes. Read more about the Ünal lab and their research.  

Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development Noah Whiteman has been awarded the 2025 Genetics Society of America medal for his "outstanding contributions to the field of genetics."  Read about the award and his research.  

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology, James Nuñez, was named a 2025 Hellman Fellow. This award, from the Society of Hellman Fellows Fund, was designed to support early career faculty who have shown evidence of their promise for distinction in research. Read more about the Society of Hellman Fellows here.

Congratulations to MCB postdoc Erin Doherty (Doudna Lab) on being named a 2025 Leading Edge Fellow for her pioneering research focused on the mechanism of viral immune evasion strategies. Read more about the Leading Edge Fellows here. 

Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology, Meng-meng Fu, was named a 2025 Hellman Fellow. This award, from the Society of Hellman Fellows Fund, was designed to support early career faculty who have shown evidence of their promise for distinction in research. Read more about the Society of Hellman Fellows here.

The MCB Department is proud of our newest graduates and all that they have accomplished! Please help us celebrate the 2025 MCB Commencement Honors awardees listed below.

2025 MCB PhD Commencement Honors
The following are the recipients of our annual PhD graduate awards for research, academic, and community achievement.

On May 5, 2025, MCB held its 4th annual Postdocs Research Showcase at Sutardja Dai Hall, bringing together approximately 70 attendees for a day of scientific exchange, career development, and community building.
 

Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology Eva Nogales was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society. The Royal Society selects their fellows for their exceptional contributions to science. Read more about the researchers elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society here.  
 

Learn about MCB's exciting research, master of biotech cohort, new faculty, youth STEM conference, alumni and more!

Read the Spring 2025 MCB Transcript.

Congratulations to our faculty who received the departmental 2025 MCB Outstanding Faculty Awards!

Associate Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology Gloria Brar – Outstanding Contribution to Teaching

Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology Meng-meng Fu – Outstanding Contribution to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

Professor of Molecular Therapeutics Michael Rapé – Outstanding Contribution to Service

Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology, Kathleen Collins, was elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). NAS members are selected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Read the National Academy of Sciences' announcement here. 

Professor of Molecular Therapeutics Yang Dan and Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology Donald Rio have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS). The Academy selects members for their exceptional contributions with the aim to connect across disciplines to advance the common good. Read more about the individuals elected in 2025 here. 
 

Five MCB faculty and one PhD candidate were recently named 2025 Molecular Therapeutics Initiative (MTI) Innovator Awardees:
 

Professor of Molecular Therapeutics James Olzmann has received a 2025 L&S Faculty Award, the Beatriz Manz Award, from Berkeley's College of Letters & Science. This award recognizes exceptional scholarship, service to the College and community, and transformational teaching. Read more about Olzmann and the other L&S Faculty Award recipients here. 

Congratulations to MCB undergraduates Carolyn Nguyen (Nuñez Lab), Karla Tapia (Hurley Lab), Shriprithi Vel Murugan (Hurley Lab), and Selina Wu (Hurley Lab) who were recently named Spring 2025 Ignite Scholars by the Bakar Fellows Program. The scholars will gain hands-on translational research experience, mentorship from Bakar Faculty and Innovation Fellows, and financial support to launch their careers in STEM fields.