Berkeley Plant & Microbial Biology
@PMB_Berkeley
The Department of Plant & Microbial Biology at UC Berkeley ranks among top institutions worldwide for research and training in plant biology and microbiology.
Congratulations to Usha Lingappa for receiving a 2025 Branco Weiss Fellow! The fellowship will support Usha's research on algal contributions to soil carbon cycling as she continues her work as a postdoc in the @Merchant_Lab. Congrats again 🎊 Read more: bit.ly/lingappa-congr…
Congratulations to Marco, a plant biology PhD candidate in the @Merchant_Lab, on receiving this fellowship!
Rausser College PhD candidates Yihong Zhu, Marco Dueñas, Sheherazade, and Simon Greenhill were awarded fellowships by the Philomathia Center to study issues related to the environment. Learn more about their research: vcresearch.berkeley.edu/philomathiacen…
Calling all PMB alumni and current students! Please share your updates for our 2025 newsletter via this form by August 15! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…
New @UCBerkeley research! The @MerchantLab and @sunnyjoy_dupuis reveal that algae remember light stress from the day and prep for it at night—like a cellular slumber party with global CO₂ implications. Read more about the new study in @ThePlantCell: bit.ly/QB3_algae
Professor and @EnergyBioscien1 Director John Coates said the expansion of biofuel production raises new questions about shifts in agricultural production. “Just because something can be converted to a biofuel doesn’t necessarily mean that it should be…” montanafreepress.org/2025/05/16/a-s…
Article by @sunnyjoy_dupuis et al. @Valle_OjeSer @Merchant_Lab @PMB_Berkeley @UCBerkeley @unisevilla @IBVF_Sevilla @ThePlantCell Too dim, too bright, and just right: Systems analysis of the #Chlamydomonas diurnal program under limiting and excess #light academic.oup.com/plcell/advance…
Researchers from @PMB_Berkeley and the Innovative Genomics Institute are leveraging CRISPR and other genomic tools to help safeguard the planet’s supply of cacao from disease. Read more about their efforts in our latest issue of Breakthroughs. nature.berkeley.edu/breakthroughs/…
Assistant Professor Patrick Shih (@LabShih) was named the 2025 recipient of the @ASPB's Charles Albert Shull Award, which recognizes outstanding research in plant biology by an ASPB member under 45 years old. Congratulations, Patrick! plantandmicrobiology.berkeley.edu/news/2025/05/p…
The Plant & Microbial Biology Department came together last month to celebrate Brian Staskawicz, recipient of the 2025 Wolf Prize in Agriculture. See photos of the reception in our Facebook album! facebook.com/media/set/?set…
Plant and Microbial Biology and Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology professor Sabeeha Merchant (@Merchant_Lab) recently wrote about the history of her research in the Journal of Molecular Biology. sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
Rausser College’s commitment to addressing pressing environmental and societal challenges extends far beyond the Bay Area. Read more about our international exchanges and impacts in the latest issue of Breakthroughs magazine at nature.berkeley.edu/breakthroughs/
This month's interview is with Marco Dueñas, a PhD candidate in Sabeeha Merchant’s lab! He chats with us about his recent paper in @PNASNews, overcoming research challenges, and more. Read the story: bit.ly/m-duenas
Don't delay! Time is running out to place your order for one of Rausser College's 50th-anniversary shirts and sweaters. Our limited-time store closes on March 25. uc-berkeley-rausser.company.site
Our commemorative 50th anniversary shirts are available for purchase again until March 25th! Order here: uc-berkeley-rausser.company.site
Professor Krishna Niyogi will join Science Friday hosts Ira Flatow and Ethan Elkind this Friday, March 14, in San Francisco for a special live podcast episode focused on climate change and environmental solutions. Learn more and get tickets: bayareascience.org/calendar/index…
Help PMB shine bright today during #CalBigGive by making a gift to the Grad Student Support Fund! When 25 gifts are made, 14 PMB professors will contribute nearly $12K to aid student researchers at the forefront of plant biology and microbiology. givingday.berkeley.edu/giving-day/908…
Brian Staskawicz, a @PMB_Berkeley professor of the graduate school, has been awarded the 2025 @WolfPrize_ in Agriculture in recognition of his groundbreaking discoveries of the immune system and disease resistance in plants. nature.berkeley.edu/news/2025/03/b…
Our commemorative 50th anniversary shirts are available for purchase again until March 25th! Order here: uc-berkeley-rausser.company.site
Advances in DNA sequencing and analysis make it possible for PMB professor @plantricia to study historical plant samples for clues about how plants respond to environmental pressures. Her research may offer insights into climate resilience strategies. the-scientist.com/plant-genomics…
