New technology developed by MCB Professor and HHMI Investigator Jennifer Doudna can be used to find signs of viral infections and cancers in snippets of DNA. This new tool, called DETECTR, has already been used to accurately identify two types of human papillomavirus (HPV) in human samples. In the future, DETECTR may become a reliable way of quickly diagnosing cancers and other illnesses.
Department News
Below are articles from various sources about members of MCB and their research.
February 15, 2018
A memorial celebration for long-time visiting scholar Ian Gibbons is planned for Sunday, February18, 2018 at his home in Orinda. He was recently honored with the Shaw Prize along with Ron Vale of UCSF for their "discovery of microtubule-associated motor proteins: engines that drive nerve cell growth and chromosome inheritance essential to human development." He was one of the true giants in his field and made many contributions to our understanding of biological motion. Ian passed away on January 30th at the age of 86.
February 15, 2018
In honor of UC Berkeley's "150 Years of Light" anniversary celebration, we're recognizing MCB & Chemistry Professor Emeritus Judith Klinman, a pioneer on the Berkeley campus. A talented scientist, Klinman is internationally known for her groundbreaking work on enzyme catalysis.
February 07, 2018
MCB Professor Daniel Rokhsar and other researchers have mapped the genomes for over 50 varieties of the genus Citrus to trace its origins and evolution over millions of years. Natural diversification and human breeding have played a large part in giving us the sweet and tangy fruit we enjoy at our tables today. Their work will allow breeders to create even more varieties. The paper was published online today in Nature.
February 02, 2018
Barbara J. Meyer, HHMI Investigator and GGD Professor, was awarded the Genetics Society of America's (GSA) 2018 Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal. It recognizes Dr. Meyer's lifetime achievement in the field of genetics and her groundbreaking work on chromosome behaviors that govern gene expression, development and heredity.
February 01, 2018
MCB Assistant Professors Helen Bateup and Elcin Unal are each recipients of American Association of Anatomists (AAA) Young Investigator Awards. Dr. Bateup received the C.J Herrick Award in Neuroanatomy and Dr. Unal the R.R. Bensley Award in Cell Biology for their important contributions to their respective fields.
January 30, 2018
HHMI Investigator and Professor of Genetics, Genomics and Development Barbara J. Meyer was awarded the 2017 Francis Amory Prize in Medicine and Physiology by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. "She is being recognized for her breakthrough solutions to long standing mysteries about chromosomal expression and sex determination." Barbara will accept the prize and deliver remarks in Cambridge, MA on April 12, 2018.
January 30, 2018
New research from a team led by MCB Professor and HHMI Investigator Eva Nogales has provided new insights into the structure of PRC2, a complex of proteins that regulates gene silencing in cells. PRC2 is critical in understanding cell development and uncontrolled cell growth, and this research could lead to new developments in cancer therapies.
January 17, 2018
Former MCB Immunology professor and Director of the Cancer Research Lab at UC Berkeley, James P. Allison received the National Academy of Sciences 2018 Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal "for important medical discoveries related to the body's immune response to tumors." He is presently at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
January 17, 2018
MCB & Chemistry Professor Jennifer Doudna has received the 2018 Chemical Sciences award from the National Academy of Sciences. The award recognizes her "pioneering discoveries on how RNA can fold to function in complex ways” and her co-invention of CRISPR-Cas9 technology.