Department News

News about about MCB faculty, students and staff.

Integrating Evolution, Development, and Genomics Symposia

Faculty, post-docs, and students are invited to participate in and contribute to the first international UC Berkeley evolutionary developmental biology conference beginning May 31, 2006. The meeting is being organized by graduate students of Integrative Biology and Molecular & Cell Biology.

Inspired by the integration of evolution and development research programs within these departments, the meeting will highlight Berkeley's new Center for Integrative Genomics and include multiple non-concurrent symposia covering a wide range of evolutionary developmental biology topics.

Faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students are invited to participate in and contribute to the symposia.

Full symposia details, including registration and abstract guidelines can be found at http://evodevo.org/.

MCB Undergrads in the News

The Department of Molecular and Cell Biology is home to many talented undergraduate students. Among those who have been recently recognized by the University are Amar Kishan and Nicole Swann.

Nicole Swann has been named one of five finalists for the 2006 University Medal which is awarded every year to the the most distinguished graduating senior on the Berkeley campus.

Amar Kishan has been named as a winner of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. The purpose of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, as stated in the enabling legislation, is to alleviate a critical current and future shortage of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. A more realistic statement of the purpose, in today's terms, is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified individuals to those fields of academic study and research.

MCB Faculty Heroes

Seven MCB faculty members have been cited by students as "heroes" for going above and beyond their jobs.

They are:

Sharon Amacher - Assistant Professor of Genetics, Genomics & Development
Robert Beatty - Assistant Adjunct Professor of Immunology
Caroline Kane - Pofessor in Residence, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Helen Lew - Lecturer in Cell & Developmental Biology
David Presti - Senior Lecturer in Neurobiology
Paola Timiras - Professor Emerita, Cell & Developmental Biology
Jeffery Winer - Professor of Neurobiology

More information is available from the Berkeleyan.

Neurobiology Faculty Recruitment

The Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute are seeking candidates with a Ph.D. and/or M.D. degrees for a joint faculty position in neuroscience at the level of tenure-track Assistant Professor. Research areas of particular interest include cellular, molecular, developmental, and system/computational neuroscience.

The successful candidate is expected to join the faculty beginning July 1, 2006, or thereafter. Applicants should have demonstrated excellence, originality, and productivity in research, as well as an interest in undergraduate and graduate education. Applications must be postmarked by December 1, 2005. Applications should include a curriculum vitae, bibliography, a brief description of research accomplishments, a two-page statement of research objectives and teaching interests, and reprints of the three most significant publications should be sent to:

Two MCB Faculty Members Named as MacArthur Genius Fellows

Two Assistant Professors in Molecular & Cell Biology, Lu Chen (Neurobiology) and Nicole King (Genetics, Genomics & Development), have been named as prestigious MacArthur "genius" fellows for 2005.

MacArthur fellows are selected for their "creativity, originality, and potential" and are awarded $500,000 over 5 years with unrestricted usage.

For more information see:

UC Berkeley Press Release
MacArthur Foundation Press Release
San Francisco Chronicle Article

Nicole King's Research Interest Summary
Lu Chen's Research Interest Summary