Congratulations to MCB & Chemistry Professor Jennifer Doudna, who is one of five recipients of this year's Medal of Honor from the American Cancer Society! Medal of Honor recipients are "distinguished individuals who have made valuable contributions in the fight against cancer through basic research, clinical research and cancer control."

Professor Doudna joined four others in receiving the award at a ceremony today in Washington, DC: former Vice President Joe Biden, CRISPR co-inventor Emmanuelle Charpentier, geneticist Charis Eng, and cancer researcher Michael Thun.

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Two new publications from MCB Professor David Raulet and collaborators focus on the role of natural killer cells in anti-tumor responses. Natural killer cells are a type of white blood cell that have an important role in defending against virally infected cells and tumors.

The first, published in Journal of Clinical Investigation, demonstrated that checkpoint inhibitors, a well-established cancer immunotherapy, have the ability to activate natural killer cells. In the future, researchers hope to better understand the factors that influence natural killer cell activation for use in improved immunotherapies. Read more...

The second paper, published in Immunity, is a collaboration with the lab of MCB Professor Russell Vance. It shows that cGAMP from tumors promotes natural killer anti-tumor immune responses. Read more...

A new paper from the lab of Professor of MCB & Chemistry and HHMI Investigator Jennifer Doudna identifies and details the power of the smallest CRISPR system found to date, Cas14. CRISPR-Cas14 was first discovered in archaea with some of the smallest known genomes and is especially effective in editing viral genes or genes in small cells.

Due to its effectiveness in targeting and cutting single-stranded DNA, researchers have identified Cas14's potential use in improving rapid CRISPR diagnostic tests for ailments such as cancer and infectious diseases.

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A new paper by Professor of the Graduate School Bruce Ames, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, argues that a set of vitamins and minerals that are lacking from many Americans' diets may be key to defending against many chronic diseases and promoting healthy aging.

The publication is the culmination of a decade of research completed at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) and "concludes that healthy aging can be extended by ingesting optimal levels of 30 known vitamins and essential minerals, and he suggests that these, along with 11 additional substances not currently classified as vitamins, should be recognized as essential 'longevity vitamins' because of their potential to extend a healthy life."

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MCB Professors and HHMI Investigators John Kuriyan and Barbara Meyer have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, which recognizes researchers who have made major contributions to the advancement of medical sciences, health care, and public health.

Kuriyan has been recognizes for his work in understanding eukaryotic cell signaling regulation, and Meyer for her work on chromosome dynamics.

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MCB Postdoc Polina Kosillo has been awarded a NARSAD Young Investigator grant from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. The grant provides up to $70,000 over 2 years to promising young neurobiology researchers who study brain & behavioral disorders.

Kosillo studies the impact of dopamine dysfunction on mental disorders, such as ADHD and anxiety disorders. She is a member of the lab of MCB Assistant Professor Helen Bateup.

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On September 28, the MCB community hosted representatives from nine major Bay Area biotechnology companies for the second annual Fall 2018 Industrial Affiliates Program (IAP) Symposium. The event was a great success, drawing approximately 100 students and postdoctoral scholars from several departments on campus including MCB, Bioengineering, Biostatistics, Biophysics, and Chemistry.

MCB Assistant Adjunct Professor Denis Titov is a 2018 recipient of the NIH Director's New Innovator award, which funds high-impact research from "extraordinarily creative scientists." The New Innovator award specifically supports early career researchers carrying out highly innovative biomedical research.

Titov joined the MCB Department in 2018. His research focuses on aging and age-associated diseases.

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Immunologist James P. Allison shares the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University “for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation.”

Allison performed the basic research that revolutionized immunotherapy for use in treating cancer at UC Berkeley, where he was a Professor of Immunology and the director of the Cancer Research Laboratory from 1985 to 2004.

"This award is a testament to the incredible impact that the fundamental research Jim conducted at Berkeley has had on the lives of cancer patients," said MCB Professor Russell Vance, current director of the Cancer Research Laboratory.

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The University of California, Berkeley seeks applications for up to five tenure-track positions in the Life Sciences with a potential start date of July 1, 2019.

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MCB is delighted to join faculty from UCSF, Stanford, and other UC Berkeley departments in cutting-edge biomedical research funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Intercampus Research Awards! The Biohub will provide $13.7 million toward several collaborative research projects in labs around the Bay Area.

In a NeuroView article in the journal Neuron, MCB Professor Marla Feller discusses the challenges experienced and invaluable rewards gained when researchers commit to instructing undergraduate students.

"Teaching undergraduates is part of the academic commitment for many neuroscience faculty. While some scientists view this as a major distraction from research, teaching is of high value, both in training young scientists and for informing one’s own scientific investigations."

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A new paper from the lab of MCB Professors Georjana Barnes and David Drubin details the use of a cell-free assay in budding yeast lysates to reconstitute microtubule regulation.

The research demonstrates that the cell division cycle and the activities of specific MAPs (microtubule-associated proteins) affect both microtubule polymerization and dynamic instability (the stochastic growth and shrinkage of microtubules that are necessary for cell functioning and division).

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We had a fantastic weekend in Asilomar, CA, for our annual MCB Cell & Developmental Biology retreat. Thank you to David Drubin and Matt Welch for the photos, and to Diana Bautista and David Bilder for organizing such a successful event!

Congratulations to the 2018 class of HHMI Hanna Gray Fellows, including MCB PhD alums Carolyn Elya, Jeannette Tenthorey, and Arielle Woznica, as well as current MCB Postdoc Sara Campbell!

The Hanna Gray Fellowship is designed to support exceptional early career researchers from a diverse set of backgrounds. Fellows receive mentorship from the HHMI community and research funding for 8 years throughout their postdoctoral research and into a tenure-track faculty position.

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