56 faculty and 0 courses in Cellular Biology at University of California, Berkeley.
- Nicholas Ingolia, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 168
We seek to learn how cells control the translation and stability of mRNA transcripts and understand the role of this dynamic regulation in maintaining homeostasis and adapting to changing environments. Cells tightly control which genes they
Notable: “Interactions between heterologous helix-loop-helix proteins generate complexes that bind specifically to a common DNA sequence” (1989) · 1,881 citations
- Jennifer A. Doudna, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Li Ka Shing Chancellor's Chair in Biomedical and Health Sciences, Professor of Molecular Therapeutics h-index 150
RNA molecules are uniquely capable of encoding and controlling the expression of genetic information, often as a consequence of their three-dimensional structures. We are interested in understanding and harnessing RNA-mediated control of th
Notable: “A Programmable Dual-RNA–Guided DNA Endonuclease in Adaptive Bacterial Immunity” (2012) · 17,278 citations
- Steven E. Brenner, Professor (Affiliated) of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 119
The Brenner research lab has four key research interests involving computational and experimental genomics. Gene regulation by alternative splicing and nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a cellular RNA surve
Notable: “A Common Variant in the FTO Gene Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Predisposes to Childhood and Adult Obesity” (2007) · 4,488 citations
- Carlos Bustamante, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Chair, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 114
Our laboratory is involved in the development of novel methods of single molecule manipulation and detection (such as Optical Tweezers and Single Molecule Fluorescence microscopy) and their application to study the behavior of DNA-binding m
Notable: “Overstretching B-DNA: The Elastic Response of Individual Double-Stranded and Single-Stranded DNA Molecules” (1996) · 2,772 citations
- John Kuriyan, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 111
Our lab studies the mechanisms, evolution, and structures of the molecular switches that carry out cellular signal transduction. We use biochemical, biophysical, structural and cell biological analyses to elucidate mechanisms, and also stud
Notable: “Crystallographic R Factor Refinement by Molecular Dynamics” (1987) · 1,969 citations
- David G. Drubin, Ernette Comby Chair in Microbiology, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 99
We use real-time imaging of live cells, genome editing, mathematical modeling, genetics and biochemistry in human stem cells, in stem-cell derived organoids, in Zebrafish and in budding yeast to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that under
Notable: “Origins of Cell Polarity” (1996) · 1,030 citations
- James Hurley, Kirsch Springer Chair in Biological Sciences, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 96
The interplay between proteins and membrane lipids is central to almost every aspect of cell biology, and profoundly important to understanding disease mechansims, from viral infection to neurodegeneration. This laboratory is interested in
Notable: “Molecular mechanism of multivesicular body biogenesis by ESCRT complexes” (2010) · 790 citations
- Lin He, Thomas and Stacey Siebel Distinguished Chair in Stem Cell Research, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 92
Comparative genomic studies, the number of protein-coding genes clearly fails to correlate with the developmental and pathological complexity in mammals. Our overall research interest is to understand the unique biological functions and
Notable: “Effects of ultrasound on the structure and physical properties of black bean protein isolates” (2014) · 665 citations
- Michael Marletta, Class of 1936 Chair, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 91
Questions under investigation in our laboratory lie at the interface of chemistry and biology with a particular emphasis on the study of protein function and enzyme reaction mechanisms and a focus on molecular answers to complex functions i
Notable: “Macrophage oxidation of L-arginine to nitrite and nitrate: nitric oxide is an intermediate” (1988) · 1,610 citations
- Sabeeha Merchant, BBS Division Head, Warren C. Eveland Endowed Chair in the Biological Sciences, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 87
We seek to understand the dynamics of essential trace-metal - copper, zinc, iron, manganese - metabolism and homeostasis in the reference green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using state of the art methods including classical genetics, tran
Notable: “The Chlamydomonas Genome Reveals the Evolution of Key Animal and Plant Functions” (2007) · 2,706 citations
- Michael B. Eisen, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 86
My lab studies how the genomic sequences that control gene expression function and evolve. We are driven by a desire to understand the molecular basis of organismal diversity, and the belief that many differences in physiology, morphology a
Notable: “Cluster analysis and display of genome-wide expression patterns” (1998) · 16,398 citations
- Ehud Isacoff, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 84
We work on the mechanisms of function of ion channels, neurotransmitter receptors and voltage-gated enzymes as well as on synaptic transmission, modulation and homeostatic plasticity. To enable these studies, we developed ensemble and singl
Notable: “A Selective Turn-On Fluorescent Sensor for Imaging Copper in Living Cells” (2005) · 800 citations
- Eric Betzig, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 75
From the 17 th through the mid-20 th century, beautifully artistic micrographs of living specimens were inextricably linked to biological discovery. However, in the latter half of the 20th century, microscopy took a b
Notable: “Imaging Intracellular Fluorescent Proteins at Nanometer Resolution” (2006) · 8,896 citations
- Jamie H. D. Cate, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 75
Protein synthesis by the "universal translator" in biology The Cate Lab explores how genes are put into action by translation. Translation is the universal process of protein synthesis, in which the ribosome translates the four-le
Notable: “Crystal Structure of the Ribosome at 5.5 Å Resolution” (2001) · 1,923 citations
- Daniel A. Fletcher, Professor (Affiliated) of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 73
Notable: “Cell mechanics and the cytoskeleton” (2010) · 3,043 citations
- Barbara Meyer, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 73
Notable: “Condensin-driven remodelling of X chromosome topology during dosage compensation” (2015) · 1,137 citations
- Andrew Dillin, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Immunology and Molecular Medicine h-index 72
As an organism ages, its proteins face an increasing severity in the challenges they receive from extrinsic and intrinsic environmental perturbation. Chaperones become dysregulated, while the degradation machineries stop working properly. T
Notable: “Phosphorylation of ULK1 (hATG1) by AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Connects Energy Sensing to Mitophagy” (2010) · 2,566 citations
- Richard Harland, Dean of Biological Sciences, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 67
The objective of our work is to understand early vertebrate development at the molecular level. We study this problem in both the amphibian Xenopus , and in the mouse. Xenopus embryos are large and easily manipulated, so that the function o
Notable: “Appendix G: In Situ Hybridization: An Improved Whole-Mount Method for Xenopus Embryos” (1991) · 2,068 citations
- Kathleen Collins, Walter and Ruth Schubert Family Chair, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 65
Biochemistry, biology, and biotechnology of eukaryotic retroelements and their reverse transcriptases After 25 years of field-leading research in our studies of telomerase, endogenous RNA silencing, non-coding RNAs, and RNP biogenesis, the
Notable: “A telomerase component is defective in the human disease dyskeratosis congenita” (1999) · 1,159 citations
- Xavier Darzacq, Edward E. Penhoet Distinguished Endowed Chair in Global Health and Infectious Disease, Professor of Molecular Therapeutics h-index 64
Transcription regulation during cellular differentiation. Linking the biophysical rules of nuclear organization and gene expression control mechanism. Current Projects Our group studies transcription focusing on the role imposed by nuclear
Notable: “Phase separation drives heterochromatin domain formation” (2017) · 1,961 citations
- Gary Karpen, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 63
Our current research is focused on understanding how nuclear organization, chromatin composition, and condensate and polymer biophysics impact genome and cellular functions, and organismal health. To generate a deeper view of these essentia
Notable: “Phase separation drives heterochromatin domain formation” (2017) · 1,961 citations
- Gary Firestone, Professor of the Graduate School, Division of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 63
Our overall goal is to characterize the cell signaling pathways that inhibit the uncontrolled growth of epithelial-derived tumor cells, the cell type of most human cancers and develop preclinical strategies that can potentially be used to d
Notable: “Epithelial sodium channel regulated by aldosterone-induced protein sgk” (1999) · 739 citations
- John G. Flannery, Professor of Molecular Therapeutics h-index 62
Molecular Biology and Gene Therapies for Inherited Retinal Degenerations Inherited forms of retinal degeneration, which afflict 1 in 3000 people worldwide, arise primarily from mutations in transcripts expressed in rod and cone photorecepto
Notable: “In Vivo–Directed Evolution of a New Adeno-Associated Virus for Therapeutic Outer Retinal Gene Delivery from the Vitreous” (2013) · 733 citations
- Marla Feller, Paul Licht Distinguished Professor in Biological Sciences, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 54
We are interested in the mechanisms that guide the assembly of neural circuits during development. We use the retinas as a model system, where we use two-photon imaging, electrophysiology and a variety of anatomical approaches to addr
Notable: “Mechanisms underlying spontaneous patterned activity in developing neural circuits” (2009) · 866 citations
- Rebecca Heald, Flora Lamson Hewlett Chair, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 53
My laboratory’s ongoing research explores two fundamental areas of biology: cell division and size control. Our unique and interdisciplinary approaches take advantage of in vitro systems, particularly cytoplasmic extracts prepare
Notable: “Genome evolution in the allotetraploid frog Xenopus laevis” (2016) · 1,042 citations
- Susan Marqusee, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 52
The long-term goal of
Notable: “Helix stabilization by Glu-...Lys+ salt bridges in short peptides of de novo design.” (1987) · 956 citations
- Richard H. Kramer, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 51
Optical Sensing and Control of Neural Activity Nerve cells employ electrical and chemical signals as their means of communicating with one another, and with other cells of the body. We are interested in ion channels, the proteins that
Notable: “Light-activated ion channels for remote control of neuronal firing” (2004) · 717 citations
- Nicole King, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 48
The origin of animals represents one of the pivotal transitions in life’s history, and one of its greatest unsolved mysteries. While the fossil record remains silent regarding the rise of multicellularity, the genetic and developmenta
Notable: “Animals in a bacterial world, a new imperative for the life sciences” (2013) · 2,894 citations
- Abby Dernburg, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 48
Chromosome dynamics during meiosis : Genetic information is encoded within chromosomes, enormous DNA molecules that self-organize through association with a myriad of proteins. This organization is highly dynamic, which enables the ge
Notable: “Integrative Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Genome by the modENCODE Project” (2010) · 1,039 citations
- Iswar Hariharan, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, William V. Power Chair in Biology and American Cancer Society Research Professor, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 47
Our laboratory studies the mechanisms that regulate growth at the level of individual cells as well as the entire organism. We are interested in the growth that occurs during development to determine the eventual size and form of an organis
Notable: “Comparative Genomics of the Eukaryotes” (2000) · 1,701 citations
- David Bilder, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 47
Epithelial Architecture: Polarity, Tumor Suppression, and Morphogenesis Research in my laboratory focuses on the biology of epithelia, the fundamental tissue of all animals and the major constituent of human organs. We study the molec
Notable: “Cooperative Regulation of Cell Polarity and Growth by Drosophila Tumor Suppressors” (2000) · 933 citations
- Andreas Martin, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 47
All cells, the degradation of intracellular proteins is highly specific and tightly regulated by ATP-dependent compartmental proteases. These proteases belong to the AAA+ ATPase family, whose characteristic feature is a structurally cons
Notable: “Structure and Function of the 26S Proteasome” (2018) · 845 citations
- Dirk Hockemeyer, C.H. and Annie Li Chair in Molecular Biology of Diseases, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 45
Our goal is to shed light on the key functions of telomeres and telomerase in tissue homeostasis, tumorigenesis and aging. Telomeres are the repetitive DNA sequences at the end of linear eukaryotic chromosomes that allow a cell to distingui
Notable: “Parkinson's Disease Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Free of Viral Reprogramming Factors” (2009) · 1,539 citations
- Kunxin Luo, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 41
We are interested in the signal transduction pathways that regulate development and cancer. We employ in vitro mechanistic studies in tissue culture cells in combination with biological analyses using in vivo mouse models to understand how
Notable: “The 7SK small nuclear RNA inhibits the CDK9/cyclin T1 kinase to control transcription” (2001) · 682 citations
- Diana Bautista, CDP Division Head, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 40
Our somatosensory system enables numerous behaviors fundamental to human existence, allowing us to eat, communicate and survive. Acute pain is as a warning signal that alerts us to noxious mechanical, chemical and thermal stimuli, whi
Notable: “Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Pain” (2009) · 4,259 citations
- Ellen Lumpkin, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 40
The somatosensory system continuously updates our brains about the forces, temperatures and chemicals that incessantly bombard our bodies. The goal of
Notable: “Mechanisms of sensory transduction in the skin” (2007) · 840 citations
- Hillel Adesnik, Associate Professor (Affiliated) of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 37
Our brain is responsible for all our perceptions, thoughts and actions. Despite the incredible array of processes the brain performs - from memory to emotion - its elementary units of function are the nerve cell and the synaptic junction. H
Notable: “A neural circuit for spatial summation in visual cortex” (2012) · 763 citations
- Hernan G. Garcia, Associate Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 34
Development a single cell goes through a series of repeated divisions and these cells read the program encoded in their DNA in order to become familiar cell types such as those found in muscle, liver or our brains. The goal of our lab is
Notable: “Transcriptional regulation by the numbers: models” (2005) · 846 citations
- Helen Bateup, Associate Professor of Molecular Therapeutics h-index 30
Neurons dynamically modulate their synaptic inputs in a variety of ways to facilitate learning and storage of new information. At the same time, specialized mechanisms are in place to maintain excitability and firing within a bounded range
Notable: “Nucleus Accumbens Subnuclei Regulate Motivated Behavior via Direct Inhibition and Disinhibition of VTA Dopamine Subpopulations” (2018) · 402 citations
- Stephen Brohawn, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 27
Sensation of environmental stimuli, thought, learning, memory, and other aspects of neuronal communication, hormone secretion and movement all rely on cellular electrical signals. We study life’s electrical system from a molecular and
Notable: “Crystal Structure of the Human K2P TRAAK, a Lipid- and Mechano-Sensitive K + Ion Channel” (2012) · 423 citations
- Ana Arruda, Assistant Professor (Affiliated) of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 27
Metabolic adaptation in response to nutritional fluctuations is essential to maintain organismal homeostasis. Many processes supporting metabolic adaptation to transient changes in nutrient availability occur at the level of intracellular o
Notable: “Chronic enrichment of hepatic endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondria contact leads to mitochondrial dysfunction in obesity” (2014) · 708 citations
- Gloria Brar, Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 26
Unraveling the unconventional molecular circuitry underlying meiosis (for more complete info, please check out www.brarlab.org ) Major motivating questions for the Brar lab include: -How does gene expression regulation drive the
Notable: “CRISPR-Mediated Modular RNA-Guided Regulation of Transcription in Eukaryotes” (2013) · 3,805 citations
- Liana Lareau, Assistant Professor (Affiliated) of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 20
Notable: “The Transcriptional Landscape of the Mammalian Genome” (2005) · 3,593 citations
- Craig T. Miller, GGED Division Head, Judy Chandler Webb Endowed Chair in the Biological Sciences, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 20
We study how pattern forms during development and changes during evolution. We focus on the vertebrate head skeleton, using a genetic approach in the threespine stickleback fish, a species complex that has repeatedly evolved head skeletal a
Notable: “The influence of patch area and connectivity on avian communities in urban revegetation” (2010) · 150 citations
- Phillip Cleves, Assistant Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 18
Notable: “CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in a reef-building coral” (2018) · 168 citations
- Megan Martik, Assistant Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 15
The neural crest is an important stem cell population in the embryo characterized by its multipotency, migratory behavior, and broad ability to differentiate into derivatives as diverse as cardiomyocytes, craniofacial skeleton, and the peri
Notable: “Regulatory Logic Underlying Diversification of the Neural Crest” (2017) · 223 citations
- Yvette Fisher, Assistant Professor (Affiliated) of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 14
To maintain a sense of direction, our brain tracks our body’s movements as well as surrounding landmarks. However, these signals can change: a prominent landmark might disappear behind a cloud, or a chronic leg injury can alter the am
Notable: “Sensorimotor experience remaps visual input to a heading-direction network” (2019) · 188 citations
- Meng-meng Fu, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 14
Our lab goal is to understand glial function at the animal, cell, and molecular level in order to elucidate mechanisms of normal development and disease progression. The main research focus includes: The role of Golgi outposts in acentrosom
Notable: “An Aromatization Mechanism of Inactivation of γ-Aminobutyric Acid Aminotransferase for the Antibiotic l-Cycloserine” (1998) · 48 citations
- Samantha Lewis, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 12
Within each of our cells, the genetic control of metabolism is split between the nuclear genome and a multitude of small, circular mitochondrial genomes. The co-inheritance and -regulation of these genomes is required for aerobic life.
Notable: “ER-mitochondria contacts couple mtDNA synthesis with mitochondrial division in human cells” (2016) · 672 citations
- Andrea Gomez, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology h-index 10
Genetic programs balance order and variability in the brain. This balancing act relies on molecular cues to sculpt the patterns of brain activity that underlie behavior. The deficit in our knowledge of these mechanisms matches with the lack
Notable: “Lrp4 Is a Receptor for Agrin and Forms a Complex with MuSK” (2008) · 673 citations
- Bronwyn Lucas, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology h-index 9
The last decade has seen an explosion in the number of available macromolecular structures visualized at atomic resolution. In large part, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has been the main technique delivering atomic structures of a dive
Notable: “Retrotransposons as regulators of gene expression” (2016) · 459 citations
- Doug Koshland, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development h-index 6
My laboratory uses budding yeast to study fundamental processes in cell biology. Our approach has been to develop novel genetic reagents and cell biological methods to analyze these complex processes in vivo, coupled with the development an
Notable: “Tardigrades Use Intrinsically Disordered Proteins to Survive Desiccation” (2017) · 428 citations
- Greg Barton, Department Co-Chair, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, C.H. Li Distinguished Professor, Professor of Immunology and Molecular Medicine h-index 3
Our group studies innate immunity with the goal of understanding strategies of pathogen recognition and self/non-self discrimination. The innate immune system represents the ideal vehicle to pursue these questions because it has evolved und
Notable: “Radioactivity of Astatine Isotopes” (1951) · 61 citations
- Robert Beatty, Senior Continuing Lecturer of Immunology h-index 2
Notable: “Characterization of a model of lethal dengue virus 2 infection in C57BL/6 mice deficient in the alpha/beta interferon receptor” (2012) · 146 citations
- Lorenzo Lones, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Division of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology
My research group uses mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) to understand the teaching practices that promote students’ self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and persistence in STEM. Biography Dr. Lones received a BS in Psycholog
- Tycho Mevissen, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology
Faculty counts are directory headcounts; the named list may be a subset. h-index shown only for ORCID-backed or high-confidence OpenAlex matches. Data as of 2026-07-02.