mcbUSA members actively engage in and contribute to Berkeley’s greater research environment. Read about some of the groundbreaking research our budding scientists have been working/worked on!
Current Members
Xavier Tao
Chemical Biology | Keasling Lab
I currently work on the metabolic engineering of bacteria, which is essentially biologically modifying existing metabolic pathways in microbes in order for it to produce more of a desired compound.
Research fun fact: Just like us, different types of bacteria like different growth environments!
Alumni
Iris Wu (Alumni, Former Co-President)
MCB (Neurobiology), Mathematics | Dillin Lab
In the Dillin lab, I studied how the health and function of the mitochondria affects organismal health during stress and aging. Under mitochondrial stress, the master stress signal, ATFS-1, serves to promote mitochondrial quality. We found that ATFS-1 signaling can be hijacked and hyper-activated to promote longevity. I researched novel mechanisms to promote mitochondrial quality, which has direct implications in human mitochondria-mediated diseases, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Research fun fact: C. elegans eggs hatch inside of their parent’s body, poke a hole on the skin, and get out to survive when their parents are dying :’(
Michelle Tang
MCB (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) | Nomura Lab
My grad student and I actually work on a few different projects! They all center around the use of chemoproteomic platforms and techniques (covalent ligand screening and activity-based protein profiling) to discover druggable hotspots on proteins that have historically been considered “undruggable”.
Research fun fact: My lab is the cutest! One of our traditions is to give Valentine’s grams with little treats and goodies to one another on Valentine’s Day.
Anvita Kulshrestha
MCB (Genetics, Genomics, and Development), Toxicology | Schekman Lab
I investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying RNA packaging and sorting into exosomes.
Research fun fact: I love working with RNA!