Biological Sciences

Ahmad Nabhan: Bringing an Industry Perspective

May 21, 2025

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 MCB Transcript newsletter.

Headshot of Ahmad Nabhan wearing a blue t-shirt and glassesAssistant Professor Ahmad Nabhan, who joined MCB’s faculty in January 2025, brings some...

MCB Research Spotlight: Bronwyn Lucas

May 21, 2025

This interview originally appeared in the MCB Spring 2025 Transcript newsletter.

Headshot of Bronwyn Lucas with their arms crossed, standing in a lab in front of a machineSince joining MCB’s faculty in 2023, Assistant Professor Bronwyn Lucas has had a productive two years:...

Flamingos create water tornados to trap their prey

May 21, 2025

painting of a bright pink flamingo against a deep blue background, standing in water and creating little tornadosFlamingos standing serenely in a shallow alkaline lake with heads submerged may seem to be placidly feeding, but there’s a lot going on under the surface.

Through studies of Chilean flamingos in the Nashville Zoo and analysis of 3D printed models of their feet and L-shaped bills, researchers have documented how the...

Infant born with deadly disease now thriving thanks to customized CRISPR treatment six months after birth

May 15, 2025

In a medical first, doctors raced to create a bespoke CRISPR gene therapy for a boy born with a deadly genetic disease and delivered it to him a mere six and a half months after birth.

The CRISPR treatment was administered safely, and the infant is now growing well and thriving, his doctors say. They hope that the treatment will make a liver transplant, which is usually required for survival, unnecessary for him.

The boy inherited two mutated genes that prevented him from breaking down the proteins in his food, which leads to a build-up of ammonia that destroys the liver and...

Federal appeals court sends CRISPR-Cas9 patent case back to patent office for reconsideration

May 14, 2025

In a decision released today (May 12), the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., ordered the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) to reconsider its 2022 interference decision that scientists at the Broad Institute in Boston invented CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in plant, animal and fungal cells.

CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing is a revolutionary technique for manipulating DNA invented by Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley; Emmanuelle Charpentier, who was then at Umeå University in Sweden; and their...

Jessica Patrick: "Berkeley has taught me to love research"

April 28, 2025

Jessica Patrick, one of three Harris Fellows in 2024, is a senior at UC Berkeley studying cognitive science and molecular and cell biology (MCB). Created by the estate of Professor Emeritus of Molecular and Cell Biology Morgan Harris, the Harris Research Discovery Program provides opportunities for MCB undergraduate students to develop robust research skills. Three of the students in the program were selected to be Harris...

National Academy of Sciences adds eight from UC Berkeley to its ranks

May 2, 2025

The National Academy of Sciences has added eight UC Berkeley faculty members to its esteemed ranks of scholars and experts who advise governments and other organizations on subjects in academic fields ranging from chemistry and physics to psychology and economic policy.

This year’s election of 120 members and 30 international members recognizes scholars’ distinguished and continuing achievements in original research, the National Academy of Sciences announced Tuesday. Those elected this week bring the...

After Kansas outbreak, UC Berkeley’s tuberculosis researchers stress research and preparedness

May 1, 2025

Earlier this year, the United States experienced its largest tuberculosis outbreak in modern history. For a disease that had largely dropped off Americans’ radar, it was a disturbing reminder of how quickly epidemics can explode into the public consciousness. However, the 153 infections in Kansas were a drop in the bucket compared to the 10.8 million people who contracted the disease globally in 2023.

Tuberculosis is...

Six UC Berkeley faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

April 29, 2025

Six UC Berkeley faculty members from a diverse range of fields are among nearly 250 newly elected members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the organization announced in a recent press release. The new Berkeley electees include leading experts in mathematics, statistics, computer science, molecular biology, neurobiology and comparative literature.

Since 1780, the academy has honored excellence and convened leaders from across disciplines and divides to examine new ideas, address...