About the Program
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
The major in Molecular and Cell Biology: Genetics, Genomics, & Development (GG&D) emphasis focuses on understanding how sequence variation results in the amazing spectrum of life that surrounds us and how genetic and molecular tools can be used to reveal the role of genes in various biological processes. The undergraduate tracks within this emphasis are ideal for students interested in medical, research, and teaching careers.
This major program has two tracks:
- Genetics, Genomics & Development
- Developmental Genetics
For course information regarding the requirements for each track, please see the Major Requirements tab on this page.
Minor Program
There is no minor program in Molecular and Cell Biology.
Other Molecular and Cell Biology Majors (Emphases)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB)
Cell and Developmental Biology (CDB)
Immunology & Pathogenesis (IMP)
Neurobiology (NEU)
Major Requirements
Declaring the Major
MCB is not an impacted major. Therefore, the program will accept any interested student who meets the minimum course and GPA requirements and is realistically able to complete the major requirements during the student's time at UC Berkeley.
In order to declare the MCB major, students must have completed or be enrolled in BIOLOGY 1A/BIOLOGY 1AL (C or better on first midterm) and CHEM 3B (past the early drop deadline), have at least a 2.0 overall GPA, a 2.0 GPA in the courses taken for the major, a 2.0 GPA in any upper division courses taken for the major, and know which emphasis they will declare. Intended MCB students are not required to have completed the math or physics requirement at the time of declaration (though the requirement must be met in order to graduate).
To start the major declaration process, students must fill out the MCB major declaration form online.
Once the declaration form has been processed, students will receive an email with instructions to come in to meet with a staff advisor. Students should bring a printed copy of their Academic Summary from CalCentral to the Undergraduate Advising Office (3060 Valley Life Sciences Building) to discuss their academic plan. When signing in, students should inform the intake adviser that they declared online. Please note that major declarations are limited during the first week of class and the first week of course enrollment Phase 1. Any restrictions will be advertised on the MCB Undergraduate homepage and in the weekly MCB-News email.
General Guidelines
In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill requirements specific to their major program and declared emphasis.
- All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for letter graded credit.
- No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs. Double majors and simultaneous degrees are limited to a two course overlap.
- Students must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least a 2.0 GPA overall, a 2.0 GPA in the required major coursework (lower and upper division), and a 2.0 GPA in the upper division coursework for the major.
For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.
Lower Division Requirements: All Tracks
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Math 10A/10B is the preferred math sequence, but the MCB major will also accept Math 1A/1B | ||
MATH 10A | Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics | 4 |
MATH 10B | Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics | 4 |
Calculus [4] | ||
Calculus [4] | ||
CHEM 1A & 1AL | General Chemistry and General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 5 |
CHEM 3A & 3AL | Chemical Structure and Reactivity and Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 5 |
CHEM 3B & 3BL | Chemical Structure and Reactivity and Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 5 |
BIOLOGY 1A & 1AL | General Biology Lecture and General Biology Laboratory | 5 |
BIOLOGY 1B | General Biology Lecture and Laboratory | 4 |
PHYSICS 8A | Introductory Physics 3 | 4 |
PHYSICS 8B | Introductory Physics 3 | 4 |
1 | |
2 | CHEM 12A and CHEM 12B may be taken place of CHEM 3A/3AL and CHEM 3B/3BL. |
3 | PHYSICS 7A and PHYSICS 7B can be taken in place of PHYSICS 8A and PHYSICS 8B. |
Upper Division Requirements: Genetics, Genomics & Development Track
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
MCELLBI C100A/CHEM C130 | Biophysical Chemistry: Physical Principles and the Molecules of Life | 4 |
MCELLBI 110 | Molecular Biology: Macromolecular Synthesis and Cellular Function | 4 |
MCELLBI 140 | General Genetics | 4 |
MCELLBI 140L | Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
One GGD Elective, from List A or List B (see below) | 3-4 | |
One GGD Elective from List B (see below) | 3-4 |
Upper Division Requirements: Developmental Genetics Track
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
MCELLBI 102 | Survey of the Principles of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 4 |
MCELLBI 104 | Genetics, Genomics, and Cell Biology | 4 |
or MCELLBI 140 | General Genetics | |
MCELLBI 141 | Developmental Biology | 4 |
MCELLBI 140L | Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
One GGD Elective from List A or List B (see below) | 3-4 | |
One GGB Elective from List B (see below) | 3-4 |
GGD Elective A List
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CHEM 113 | Advanced Mechanistic Organic Chemistry | 3 |
CHEM 115 | Organic Chemistry--Advanced Laboratory Methods | 4 |
CHEM 130B | Biophysical Chemistry | 3 |
ESPM C148/NUSCTX C114 | Pesticide Chemistry and Toxicology | 3 |
ESPM 162 | Bioethics and Society | 4 |
INTEGBI 160 | Evolution | 4 |
MATH 110 | Linear Algebra 1 | 4 |
MCELLBI 100B | Biochemistry: Pathways, Mechanisms, and Regulation | 4 |
MCELLBI C103/PB HLTH C102/PLANTBI C103 | Bacterial Pathogenesis | 3 |
MCELLBI/PLANTBI C112 | General Microbiology | 4 |
MCELLBI/PLANTBI C114 | Introduction to Comparative Virology | 4 |
MCELLBI/PLANTBI C116 | Microbial Diversity | 3 |
MCELLBI 130 | Cell and Systems Biology | 4 |
MCELLBI 135A | Topics in Cell and Developmental Biology: Molecular Endocrinology | 3 |
MCELLBI 136 | Physiology | 4 |
MCELLBI 150 | Molecular Immunology | 4 |
MCELLBI 160 | Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology | 4 |
MCELLBI 161 | Circuit, Systems and Behavioral Neuroscience | 4 |
MCELLBI 165 | Neurobiology of Disease | 3 |
MCELLBI 166 | Biophysical Neurobiology | 3 |
NUSCTX C114/ESPM C148 | Pesticide Chemistry and Toxicology | 3 |
PHYSICS 112 | Introduction to Statistical and Thermal Physics 1 | 4 |
PLANTBI 135 | Physiology and Biochemistry of Plants | 3 |
PLANTBI 150 | Plant Cell Biology | 3 |
GGD Elective B List
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
BIO ENG 131 | Introduction to Computational Molecular and Cell Biology 1 | 4 |
BIO ENG 143 | Computational Methods in Biology | 4 |
BIO ENG 144 | Introduction to Protein Informatics 1 | 4 |
ESPM 108B | Environmental Change Genetics | 3 |
INTEGBI 161 | Population and Evolutionary Genetics | 4 |
INTEGBI 162 | Ecological Genetics | 4 |
INTEGBI 163 | Molecular and Genomic Evolution | 3 |
MATH 127 | Mathematical and Computational Methods in Molecular Biology 1 | 4 |
MCELLBI 132 | Biology of Human Cancer | 4 |
MCELLBI/PLANTBI C134 | Chromosome Biology/Cytogenetics | 3 |
MCELLBI 137L | Physical Biology of the Cell | 3 |
MCELLBI 141 | Developmental Biology (for track 1 students only) | 4 |
MCELLBI 143 | Evolution of Genomes, Cells, and Development | 3 |
MCELLBI/PLANTBI C148 | Microbial Genomics and Genetics | 4 |
MCELLBI 149 | The Human Genome | 3 |
PLANTBI/MCELLBI C134 | Chromosome Biology/Cytogenetics | 3 |
PLANTBI 160 | Plant Molecular Genetics | 3 |
PB HLTH 141 | Introduction to Biostatistics | 5 |
PB HLTH 256 | Human Genome, Environment and Public Health | 4 |
STAT 134 | Concepts of Probability 1 | 4 |
Students who completed math requirements other than Math 10A/10B are eligible to use the following courses as an elective: | ||
PB HLTH 142 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics in Biology and Public Health | 4 |
STAT 131A | Statistical Methods for Data Science | 4 |
1 | These GG&D electives have prerequisites outside of courses usually required of MCB majors. Please be sure to check these online. |
College Requirements
Undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.
For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please review the College of Letters & Sciences page in this Guide. For College advising appointments, please visit the L&S Advising Pages.
University of California Requirements
Entry Level Writing
All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley.
American History and American Institutions
The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university, should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.
Berkeley Campus Requirement
American Cultures
All undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass this course in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.
College of Letters & Science Essential Skills Requirements
Quantitative Reasoning
The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.
Foreign Language
The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.
Reading and Composition
In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition in sequence. Students must complete parts A & B reading and composition courses by the end of their second semester and a second-level course by the end of their fourth semester.
College of Letters & Science 7 Course Breadth Requirements
Breadth Requirements
The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.
Unit Requirements
-
120 total units
-
Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units
- Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department
Residence Requirements
For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through UC Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to meet an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.
Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.
Senior Residence Requirement
After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your BA degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.
You may use a Berkeley Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.
Modified Senior Residence Requirement
Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.
Upper Division Residence Requirement
You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding UCEAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.
Plan of Study
The sample plans below show a four-year plan for completing the major, taking classes only during fall and spring semesters. All of the lower division classes are offered during the summer as well. Please consult the sample plan appropriate to your track.
Please note that the sample plans below include only courses required for your major. For more detailed information regarding other requirements, including unit minimums per semester, Letters & Science Breadth requirements, Reading and Composition (R&C), and the American Cultures (AC) requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.
Example Track 1: Genetics, Genomics, and Development
Program beginning in the fall semester of freshman year.
Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
MATH 10A | 4 | MATH 10B | 4 |
CHEM 1A & 1AL | 5 | BIOLOGY 1A & 1AL | 5 |
9 | 9 | ||
Sophomore | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
CHEM 3A & 3AL | 5 | CHEM 3B & 3BL | 5 |
PHYSICS 8A | 4 | PHYSICS 8B | 4 |
9 | 9 | ||
Junior | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
BIOLOGY 1B | 4 | MCELLBI 140 | 4 |
MCELLBI C100A | 4 | GGD Elective A/B | |
8 | 4 | ||
Senior | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
MCELLBI 110 | 4 | MCELLBI 140L | 4 |
GGD Elective B | 3-4 | ||
7-8 | 4 | ||
Total Units: 59-60 |
Example Track 2: Developmental Genetics
Program beginning in the fall semester of freshman year.
Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
MATH 10A | 4 | MATH 10B | 4 |
CHEM 1A & 1AL | 4 | BIOLOGY 1A & 1AL | 5 |
8 | 9 | ||
Sophomore | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
CHEM 3A & 3AL | 5 | CHEM 3B & 3BL | 5 |
BIOLOGY 1B | 4 | PHYSICS 8A | 4 |
9 | 9 | ||
Junior | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
MCELLBI 102 | 4 | MCELLBI 104 | 4 |
PHYSICS 8B | 4 | GGD Elective A/B | |
8 | 4 | ||
Senior | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
GGD Elective B | 3-4 | MCELLBI 141 | 4 |
MCELLBI 140L | 4 | ||
3-4 | 8 | ||
Total Units: 58-59 |
Sample Program Plan, Spring Start
Example of program beginning in the spring semester of freshman year (e.g., FPF or Global Edge).
Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
MATH 1A | 4 | MATH 1B | 4 |
CHEM 1A & 1AL | 4 | ||
4 | 8 | ||
Sophomore | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
BIOLOGY 1A & 1AL | 5 | CHEM 3A & 3AL | 5 |
PHYSICS 8A | 4 | BIOLOGY 1B | 4 |
9 | 9 | ||
Junior | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
CHEM 3B & 3BL | 5 | MCELLBI 102 or C100A | 4 |
PHYSICS 8B | 4 | GGD Elective A/B | 3-4 |
9 | 7-8 | ||
Senior | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
MCB Core Course | 4 | MCELLBI 140L | 4 |
GGD Elective B | 3-4 | MCB Core Course | 4 |
7-8 | 8 | ||
Total Units: 61-63 |
Sample Program Plan, Transfers
Example of program plan for students planning to transfer to Berkeley after completing all the lower division requirements.
Junior | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
MCELLBI 102 or C100A (track-dependent) | 4 | MCELLBI 104 or 140 (track-dependent) | 4 |
GGD Elective A/B (or MCELLBI 110; track-dependent) | 3-4 | ||
4 | 7-8 | ||
Senior | |||
Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
GGD Elective A/B; track-dependent | 3-4 | MCELLBI 141 (or GGD Elective B; track-dependent) | 4 |
MCELLBI 140L | 4 | ||
3-4 | 8 | ||
Total Units: 22-24 |
Student Learning Goals
Mission
The Department of Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) is a large department that is subdivided into five divisions: Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology (BBS); Cell and Developmental Biology (CDB); Genetics, Genomics and Development (GGD); Immunology and Pathogenesis (IMMP); and Neurobiology (NEU). All MCB students complete the same lower division coursework to gain critical training in biology, mathematics, chemistry, and physics. All or most lower division coursework is completed before major declaration. Upon declaring the major, MCB students choose an emphasis, or specialization, which determines the upper division core courses they will take and elective choices from which they will choose. Students can choose among several areas of specialization; emphases are broadly defined along divisional lines and allow students to focus on a more defined topic within MCB. MCB students who elect to participate in independent research may choose from sponsoring research laboratories within any MCB division, or in laboratories outside the department (other Berkeley departments, LBNL, CHORI, UCSF, biotechnology companies). The MCB major provides excellent preparation for many careers and postbaccalaureate training programs, including graduate programs and health-related professional programs (e.g., medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy), science writing, law school, biotechnology, teaching, and academic research.
Learning Goals for the Major
- Describe basic biological concepts and principles.
- Appreciate the different levels of biological organization, from molecules to ecosystems.
- Understand that biology has a chemical, physical, and mathematical basis.
- Explain the importance of the scientific method to understanding natural phenomena.
- Effectively communicate scientific data and ideas, both orally and in writing.
- Critically evaluate data, develop a hypothesis, and design experiments to address an interesting and novel problem.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge in a specialized field of molecular and cell biology.
Advising
MCB offers three types of undergraduate advising: staff advisers, faculty advisers, and peer advisers.
Staff Advisers
Staff academic advisers are trained to support students and assist them in successfully completing their MCB major. They are excellent resources for questions concerning administration and academics, or finding out about other available services. Students should see a staff adviser for the following:
- Ask questions about major requirements.
- Ask advice about schedule planning.
- Declare the MCB major.
- Consult about research opportunities, graduate and professional schools, career opportunities, scholarships, and internships.
- Get information and course control numbers (CCN's) for independent research.
- Request general assistance, advice or information.
- Find out about upcoming events and programs.
Staff advisers are primarily available for drop-in advising, though limited appointments are available for more complex issues such as probation, academic difficulty and readmission. Students who would like to schedule an appointment should call 510-643-8895 during drop-in advising hours.
The general email address is mcbuao@berkeley.edu which is checked daily, Monday through Friday, so students will receive an answer to questions within one business day.
Faculty Advisers
Faculty advisers are MCB professors assigned to advise students about the MCB Department, its courses, research, and other academic issues. Students typically first meet with a faculty adviser when they declare an MCB major. Students should see their faculty advisers for the following:
- Receive guidance toward achieving academic and career goals.
- Ask questions about the content of MCB courses.
- Ask questions about biological research and about the field of biology in general.
- Ask for recommendations on which graduate schools to attend.
- Review and approve major declaration plan after speaking with a UAO staff adviser.
For a list of advisers and their office hours, please see the department's website. Office hours listed are designated for drop-in advising unless otherwise noted. Faculty adviser office hours are effective from the first day of instruction until the final day of instruction for the fall and spring semesters. Faculty advisers are not available for office hours during winter or summer break. Students may refer to staff drop-in advising hours during summer sessions and non-instructional periods.
Peer Adviser Walk-in Services (PAWS)
Peer advisers are junior and senior MCB majors who volunteer their time to complement the UAO advising services by sharing their knowledge of and experience with lower division requirements and upper division classes, experience with student groups on campus, preparation for life beyond the BA, and use of various campus resources. To see the schedule and more information about who the peer advisers are and which courses they have taken, click here.
Academic Opportunities
Undergraduate Research
Under the guidance of a faculty member and/or research mentor, undergraduates in the MCB major may have the opportunity to work in a laboratory to gain valuable experience in scientific research. Interested students must take the initiative to make such arrangements. Over forty percent of MCB majors work in a lab to gain valuable experience in scientific research. To get started, students should talk with classmates, peer advisers, a staff undergraduate adviser, graduate student instructors (GSIs), and faculty about their interest in learning more about laboratory research. For more information on research, see How to Find a Lab Position.
Benefits of research:
- Science is a way to figure things out, so doing research will aid students in other aspects of their life. Students ask and answer open ended questions and link seemingly disconnected pieces of information to find results that were not predicted.
- Explore things at the cutting edge and that no one has explored before.
- Learn tenacity, problem solving, and learn to be critical about the details because things have to be reproducible.
- Solve mysteries and experience the excitement of discovery.
Students may receive academic credit for their work by enrolling in an independent study course: MCELLBI 99/MCELLBI 199 or MCELLBI H196A/MCELLBI H196B. Enrollment applications are due in the Undergraduate Advising Office by the fifth week of each semester.
Honors Program
The MCB honors program offers exceptional senior students recognition for outstanding academic achievement and excellence in research. To graduate with honors in the major, students must satisfy the following:
- Complete at least two credited semesters of research including 4 to 8 units of MCELLBI H196A and/or MCELLBI H196B (Honors Research).
- Have a cumulative Berkeley grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.3 in all work completed at UC Berkeley.
- Have at least a 3.5 GPA in the MCB major requirements or 3.5 GPA in MCB upper division courses.
- Present their research in an approved forum, such as an MCB symposium, the Undergraduate Poster Session, or other scientific meeting.
- Write an honors thesis approved by an MCB faculty sponsor.
Additional information on the honors program is available in the Undergraduate Affairs Office and on the MCB website.
Other Research Opportunities
For additional resources for information regarding research opportunities, please see the links below:
Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP)
Scholarship Connection
Summer Research Opportunities
Office of Research
Funding for Student Research
There are a variety of ways to support students' research. The department recommends attending a workshop at the Office of Undergraduate Research or looking for funding opportunities on their website or the Scholarship Connection website.
Faculty and Instructors
+ Indicates this faculty member is the recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award.
Faculty
Hillel Adesnik, Associate Professor. Neural basis of perception, neuroscience, neurobiology.
Research Profile
Georjana Barnes, Professor. Biochemistry, genetics, cancer, biology, microtubule cytoskeleton, cell cycle controls, cellular imaging.
Research Profile
Gregory M. Barton, Professor. Immunology, cell biology, infectious disease, innate immunity.
Research Profile
Helen Bateup, Assistant Professor. Molecular and cellular neuroscience, neurodevelopmental disorders, autism, epilepsy.
Research Profile
Diana Bautista, Associate Professor. Ion channels, sensory physiology, chemosensation, touch, thermosensation, somatosensory system.
Research Profile
Eric Betzig, Professor. Imaging microscopy, biophysics.
Research Profile
David Bilder, Professor. Genetics, cancer, Drosophila, cell biology, cell polarity, tumor suppressor, epithelial architecture, polarity, and proliferation control.
Research Profile
Michael R. Botchan, Professor. Eukaryotic gene expression, drosophila chromosomes, papilloma viral DNA, chromosomal dynamics.
Research Profile
Gloria Brar, Assistant Professor. Meiosis, translation, sORFs, stress responses.
Research Profile
Steve Brohawn, Assistant Professor. Neurobiology.
Research Profile
Carlos J. Bustamante, Professor. Nanoscience, structural characterization of nucleo-protein assemblies, single molecule fluorescence microscopy, DNA-binding molecular motors, the scanning force microscope, prokaryotes.
Research Profile
Jamie Cate, Professor. Molecular basis for protein synthesis by the ribosome, RNA, antibiotics, a thermophilic bacterium, escherichia coli.
Research Profile
Christopher J. Chang, Professor. Chemistry, inorganic chemistry, neuroscience, bioinorganic chemistry, general physiology, organic chemistry, new chemical tools for biological imaging and proteomics, new metal complexes for energy catalysis and green chemistry, chemical biology.
Research Profile
Michelle Chang, Associate Professor. Biochemistry, enzymology, synthetic biology, biophysics.
Research Profile
Kathleen Collins, Professor. RNA, telomerase, Telomere function, Telomere replication.
Research Profile
Jacob E. Corn, Assistant Adjunct Professor.
Laurent Coscoy, Associate Professor. Immunology, viruses, viral infection, immune responses, immune evasion.
Research Profile
Jeffery S. Cox, Professor. TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. tuberculosis, genetics, proteomics, transcriptional profiling, host-pathogen interactions, host-directed therapy.
Research Profile
Yang Dan, Professor. Neuronal circuits, mammalian visual system, electrophysiological, psychophysical and computational techniques, visual cortical circuits, visual neurons.
Research Profile
Xavier Darzacq, Associate Professor. Transcription regulation during cellular differentiation. Linking the biophysical rules of nuclear organization and gene expression control mechanism. .
Research Profile
Karen Davies, Assistant Adjunct Professor.
Research Profile
Abby Dernburg, Professor. Genomics, chromosome remodeling and reorganization during meiosis, Down syndrome, DNA.
Research Profile
Andrew Dillin, Professor. Endocrinology, genetics of aging.
Research Profile
Jennifer A. Doudna, Professor. RNA machines, hepatitis C virus, RNA interference, ribosomes.
Research Profile
David G. Drubin, Professor. Cellular morphogenesis, plasma membrane dynamics, microtubule cytoskeletons, cytoskeletal proteins, morphological development.
Research Profile
Peter H. Duesberg, Professor. Genetic structure of retroviruses, carcinogenesis, aneuploidy, virology, HIV-AIDS.
Research Profile
Michael DuPage, Assistant Professor. Immunology, cancer, tumor immunity, immune responses, chronic inflammation and cancer, tumor biology, epigenetics.
Research Profile
Michael B. Eisen, Professor. Genomics, genome sequencing, bioinformatics, animal development.
Research Profile
+ Dan Feldman, Associate Professor. Neurobiology, learning, neurophysiology, sensory biology.
Research Profile
Marla B. Feller, Professor. Neurophysiology, developmental neuroscience.
Research Profile
+ Gary L. Firestone, Professor. Cancer, steroid hormones, molecular endocrinology, tumor biology, growth factors, dietary compounds, tumor cells, glucocorticoids.
Research Profile
John Gerard Flannery, Professor. Neurobiology, optometry, vision science, cell and molecular biology of the retina in normal and diseased states.
Research Profile
Hernan G. Garcia, Assistant Professor. Biophysics.
Research Profile
Gian Garriga, Professor. Developmental neurobiology, molecular genetics, development of nervous systems, cell division, cell migration, axonal pathfinding, caenorhabditis elegans.
Research Profile
Britt Glaunsinger, Associate Professor. Virology, gene expression, herpesvirus.
Research Profile
Ming Chen Hammond, Assistant Professor. Molecular biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, synthetic biology, chemical biology.
Research Profile
Iswar Krishna Hariharan, Professor. Growth regulation, regeneration, cancer.
Research Profile
Richard M. Harland, Professor. Molecular biology, early vertebrate development, Xenopus, embryo development.
Research Profile
Lin He, Associate Professor. Comparative genomics, developmental biology, cell biology.
Research Profile
Rebecca Heald, Professor. Cell division, Xenopus, mitotic spindle assembly and function, size control of intracellular structures.
Research Profile
Dirk Hockemeyer, Assistant Professor. Developmental biology, cell biology.
Research Profile
James Hurley, Professor. Structural Biology, reconstitution, membrane biology, autophagy, HIV, x-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy.
Research Profile
Nicholas Ingolia, Assistant Professor. Ribosome Profiling, translation, genomics.
Research Profile
Ehud Y. Isacoff, Professor. Ion channel function, synaptic plasticity, neural excitability, synaptic transmission, the synapse.
Research Profile
Na Ji, Associate Professor. Neuroscience, microscopy techniques, in vivo imaging, biophotonics, biophysics, adaptive optics, optics.
Research Profile
Gary H. Karpen, Adjunct Professor. Gene expression, cell biology, chromosome structure and function, drosophila melanogaster, centromere identity and function.
Research Profile
Nicole King, Professor. Genetics, developmental biology, biology, choanoflagellates, multicellularity, evolution of animals, comparative genomics, eukaryotes, host-microbe interactions, bacterial signals.
Research Profile
Douglas E. Koshland, Professor. Higher order chromosome structure, genome integrity, sister chromatid cohesion, chromosome condensation, desiccation tolerance, microbial genetics.
Research Profile
Richard H. Kramer, Professor. Cells, synaptic transmission, chemical signaling between neurons, ion channels, electrical signals, chemical reagents, synapses.
Research Profile
John Kuriyan, Professor. Structural and functional studies of signal transduction, DNA replication, cancer therapies, phosphorylation.
Research Profile
Stephan Lammel, Assistant Professor. Neuroscience, Optogenetics, dopamine, addiction, depression.
Research Profile
Polina Lishko, Assistant Professor. Reproductive and Developmental Biology, ion channels, Physiology of Fertilization and Early Embryo Development.
Research Profile
Ellen Lumpkin, Professor.
Kunxin Luo, Professor. Signal transduction pathways, mechanisms controlling the receptor kinases, regulation of mammary epithelial cell differentiation, breast carcinogenesis.
Research Profile
Michael A. Marletta, Professor. Chemical biology, molecular biology, structure/function relationships in proteins, catalytic and biological properties of enzymes, cellular signaling, nitric oxide synthase, soluble guanylate cyclase, gas sensing, cellulose degradation, polysaccharide monooxygenases.
Research Profile
Susan Marqusee, Professor. Amino acids, determinants of protein structure and folding, biophysical, structural and computational techniques, translocation, protein synthesis.
Research Profile
Andreas Martin, Associate Professor. Proteasome.
Research Profile
Sabeeha Merchant, Professor.
Research Profile
Barbara J. Meyer, Professor. Developmental biology, gene expression, genetic determination of sex, regulatory genes, chromosome dynamics, X-chromosome.
Research Profile
Craig Miller, Associate Professor. Genetics, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, evolution, quantitative genetics, developmental genetics, evolutionary genetics, craniofacial development.
Research Profile
Evan W. Miller, Assistant Professor. Biochemistry, biophysics, Structural Biology.
Research Profile
Priya Moorjani, Assistant Professor. Human evolutionary genetics.
Research Profile
John Ngai, Professor. Nervous system, molecular and cellular mechanisms of olfaction, detection of odors, odorant receptors, olfactory neurons, DNA microarray technologies, genome-wide patterns of gene expression.
Research Profile
Eva Nogales, Professor. Biochemistry, complex biological assemblies, structure and regulation of the cytoskeleton, microtubule dynamics, human transcriptional initiation machinery, biophysics.
Research Profile
Daniel Normura, Associate Professor. Chemistry, molecular and cell biology, nutritional sciences and toxicology, metabolism, chemical biology, cancer, drug discovery, chemoproteomics, metabolomics.
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Eunyong Park, Assistant Professor. Protein function, Structural Biology, biochemistry, membrane proteins.
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Nipam Patel, Professor. Genetics, evolution, crustaceans, insects, arthropods, homeotic (Hox) genes, segmentation, embryonic pattern formation, neural patterning.
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Daniel A. Portnoy, Professor. Mammalian cells, molecular and cellular basis of microbial pathogenesis, defense against infection, listeria monocytogenes, cell biology of infection, mechanisms of secretion.
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Michael Rape, Professor. Cancer, protein degradation, siRNA, Berkeley Screening Center.
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David H. Raulet, Professor. Biology, pathogens, viruses, T-cell development and function, natural killer (NK) cells, lymphocyte receptors, microorganisms, cancer cells, tumor immunity.
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+ Jasper D. Rine, Professor. Biology, cell biology, DNA replication, gene regulation, saccharomyces cerevisiae, genetic analysis, genome, cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, modification of proteins, prenylated proteins.
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Donald C. Rio, Professor. Molecular genetics, drosophila melanogaster, transposable elements, RNA splicing, nucleic acid rearrangement reactions, P elements and their cellular host, HIV, proteomic diversification, nucleoprotein complexes.
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Ellen Robey, Professor. Fate determination in the T-lymphocyte lineage, T cell development in the mouse, thymic development, cellular maturation, parasitic infection, chronic infection, host-pathogen interactions, Toxoplasma gondii.
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Henk Roelink, Associate Professor. Stem cells, neural development, embryonic induction.
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Daniel S. Rokhsar, Professor. Biology, collective phenomena and ordering in condensed matter and biological systems, theoretical modeling, computational modeling, behavior of quantum fluids, cold atomic gases, high temperature superconductors, Fermi and Bose systems.
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Kaoru Saijo, Assistant Professor. Neurodevelopmental disorders, neuropsychiatric disease, neurodegenerative disease, immunology, pathogenesis.
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David Savage, Associate Professor. Synthetic biology and metabolism.
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David Schaffer, Professor. Neuroscience, biomolecular engineering, bioengineering, stem cell biology, gene therapy.
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Randy W. Schekman, Professor. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, organelle assembly, intracellular protein transport, assembly of cellular organelles, Alzheimer's Disease.
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Kristin Scott, Professor. Nerve cell connectivity in developing nervous systems, taste perception in the fruit fly, taste neural circuits, sensory maps in the brain.
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Bill Sha, Associate Professor. B cell gene regulation, fate determination, gene regulatory pathways, antibody-secreting plasma cells, memory B cells, apoptotic cells, B7 costimulatory ligands.
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Sarah Stanley, Assistant Professor. Mechanisms of pathogenesis and immune subversion in tuberculosis, protective immunity to tuberculosis, metabolic interactions between hosts and pathogens, development of novel therapeutics for tuberculosis, scientific capacity building, tuberculosis.
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Jeremy W. Thorner, Professor. Biochemistry, molecular genetics, cell biology, signal transduction mechanisms, protein kinase function and regulation, GPCRs, membrane biology, control of cell growth/morphology and division, regulation of gene expression by extracellular stimuli.
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Denis Titov, Assistant Adjunct Professor.
Robert T. Tjian, Professor. Eukaryotic molecular biology, biochemistry, cellular differentiation, chromatin function, RNA synthesis, single cell imaging, single molecule imaging.
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Elcin Unal, Assistant Professor. Gametogenesis, genetics, genomics and development.
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Russell E. Vance, Professor. Immunology, microbiology, infectious disease, molecular and cell biology.
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David A. Weisblat, Professor. Annelid developmental biology, leech embryo, evolution and development, cell fate determination, lineage tracingt.
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Matthew D. Welch, Professor. Biology, cell motility, the role of the actin cytoskeleton in cell locomotion, shape change, actin filament assembly, bacterial and viral pathogens.
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Astar Winoto, Professor. Cancer, genomics, apoptosis, innate immunity and infectious diseases, cell cycle, signal transduction, immune tolerance.
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Ahmet Yildiz, Assistant Professor. Single molecule biophysics, molecular motors, telomeres.
Research Profile
Qiang Zhou, Professor. Biochemistry of HIV gene expression, transcriptional elongation, Tat activation, stage of transcriptional elongation, HIV replication, anti-HIV therapy.
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Roberto Zoncu, Assistant Professor. Biochemistry, biophysics, Structural Biology.
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Lecturers
Robin W. Ball, Lecturer.
P. Robert Beatty, Lecturer.
Natalia Caporale, Lecturer.
Isabelle Le Blanc, Lecturer.
Helen Lew, Lecturer.
David E. Presti, Senior Lecturer SOE.
Steve Takata, Lecturer.
Gary Joseph Wedemayer, Lecturer.
Visiting Faculty
Tamira M. Elul, Visiting Associate Professor.
Emeritus Faculty
Mark Alper, Professor Emeritus.
Bruce N. Ames, Professor Emeritus. Molecular biology, cancer, aging, mitochondrial decay, oxidants and antioxidants, micronutrient deficiencies and DNA damage, chronic inflammation and cancer.
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Giovanna F.-L. Ames, Professor Emeritus.
Clinton E. Ballou, Professor Emeritus.
Steven K. Beckendorf, Professor Emeritus. Genetics, biology, organogenesis, Drosophila, salivary morphogenesis.
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David R. Bentley, Professor Emeritus.
Phyllis B. Blair, Professor Emeritus.
Beth Burnside, Professor Emeritus. Cell biology of photoreceptors, cytoskeletal motors, morphogenetic events, photomembrane turnover.
Research Profile
Richard Calendar, Professor Emeritus. Listeria monocytogenes, phage-based integration vector, Bacillus anthracis, vaccine.
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W. Zacheus Cande, Professor Emeritus. Genetics, cell biology, microbial biology, plant biology.
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M. J. Chamberlin, Professor Emeritus.
Alvin J. Clark, Professor Emeritus.
Thomas W. Cline, Professor Emeritus. Drosophila melanogaster, developmental genetics, sex determination.
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R. David Cole, Professor Emeritus.
John Gerhart, Professor Emeritus. Developmental biology, Xenopus laevis, Spemann's organizer, cortical rotation, cell cycle after fertilization, vegetal materials, blastula stage, egg cytoplasm.
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Robert M. Glaeser, Professor Emeritus.
Alexander N. Glazer, Professor Emeritus. Photosynthetic systems, phycobiliproteins, design of fluorescent probes, protein structure-function relationships, macromolecular complexes, environmental sciences, natural resource management.
Research Profile
Stuart M. Linn, Professor Emeritus. Biology, enzymology of DNA metabolism, DNA repair and replication in mammalian cells, mechanisms of DNA damage by reactive oxygen species, structure of iron: DNA complexes, DNA damage and repair, DNA polymerases.
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Robert I. Macey, Professor Emeritus.
Terry Machen, Professor Emeritus. Physiology pathophysiology secretory epithelial cells, airway, ion transport, cell regulationm, imaging microscopy, calcium pH redox, electrophysiology, green fluorescent protein, genetic targeting, innate immune defense.
Research Profile
G. Steven Martin, Professor Emeritus. Cell biology, signal transduction pathways, tumor virology, cell division cycle, viral and cellular oncoproteins, breast cancer.
Research Profile
Howard C. Mel, Professor Emeritus.
Hsiao-Ping H. Moore, Professor Emeritus.
Satyabrata Nandi, Professor Emeritus.
Alexander V. Nichols, Professor Emeritus.
Hiroshi Nikaido, Professor Emeritus. Membrane biochemistry, bacterial physiology, bacteria, channel-forming proteins of the outer membrane, the diffusion of lipophilic compounds, mechanism and regulation of multidrug efflux transport systems, mycobacterial cell wall.
Research Profile
W. Geoffrey Owen, Professor Emeritus. Biology, nervous system, membrane biophysics, retinal neurophysiology.
Research Profile
Edward E. Penhoet, Professor Emeritus. Public health, health policy and management.
Research Profile
Mu-Ming Poo, Professor Emeritus. Neurobiology, cellular and molecular mechanisms, axon guidance, synapse formation, activity-dependent refinement of neural circuits.
Research Profile
Gerald M. Rubin, Professor Emeritus. Molecular genetics, molecular neurobiology, mapping and sequencing of the drosophila genome, genome organization and function, development and evolution.
Research Profile
Harry Rubin, Professor Emeritus. Tumor biology, cell biology, regulation of neoplastic development, epithelial cells, oncogenic mutations, tumor development, RNA and DNA tumor viruses.
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Howard K. Schachman, Professor Emeritus. Physical biochemistry, biological macromolecules, aspartate transcarbamylase, revisiting allostery, holoenzyme, mutations, polypeptide chains, helical regions.
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+ Nilabh Shastri, Professor Emeritus. Cancer cells, mechanims of immunesurveillance, microbial pathogens, antigen genes, autoimmunity.
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Herbert H. Srebnik, Professor Emeritus.
Frank S. Werblin, Professor Emeritus. Retina, biological image processing, visual neuroscience.
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Gerald Westheimer, Professor Emeritus. Neurobiology, psychophysics, primate visual cortex, neural circuits, brain mechanisms, response modifications, active perception, learning, stereoscopic vision, optometryoptics of the eye, ophthalmic instrumentation.
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Fred H. Wilt, Professor Emeritus. Molecular embryology, cell biology, the regulation of gene expression, of sea urchin embryos, blastomeres, endoskeletal spicule of the larva, glycoproteins, immunoelectron microscopy, fluorescent labeling.
Research Profile
Leon Wofsy, Professor Emeritus.
Robert S. Zucker, Professor Emeritus. Synaptic transmission, cellular neurophysiology, synaptic biophysics, properties of neural circuits, photolysis, vital dyes of vesicle membrane, electrophysiological techniques, neuromodulator.
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Contact Information
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
3060 Valley Life Sciences Bldg
Phone: 510-642-2651
Undergraduate Advising
Undergraduate Affairs Office
3060 Valley Life Sciences Building
Phone: 510-643-8895