@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.

 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, Ca
pmb.berkeley.edu
Joined July 2014
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PMB alumni - we still want your updates for our fall newsletter! Take a minute to let us know what you're up to! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…

Plant & Microbial Biology Alumni Updates

We want to print your news in the next PMB newsletter!

docs.google.com
Berkeley Plant & Microbial Biology@PMB_BerkeleySep 16
Calling all PMB alumni and current students! Please share your updates for our 2026 newsletter via this form by October 5th! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…
A banner inviting Plant & Microbial Biology alumni to share their latest updates by filling out a form.

ALT A banner inviting Plant & Microbial Biology alumni to share their latest updates by filling out a form.

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Plant & Microbial Biology Professor Brian Staskawicz’s research is featured in a new UC Fig. 1 video, “Asthma, Cow Burps, Chocolate: CRISPR’s Big Bets.” youtube.com/watch?v=nM0mdO8M…
UC Berkeley researchers standing under dense cacao trees in a greenhouse, one gesturing toward yellow cacao pods while the others listen and discuss, with on-screen name and affiliation labels overlaid.

ALT UC Berkeley researchers standing under dense cacao trees in a greenhouse, one gesturing toward yellow cacao pods while the others listen and discuss, with on-screen name and affiliation labels overlaid.

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Learn more about Staskawicz’s research in our Breakthroughs story: archive.raussercollege.berke…
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Professor John Taylor has spent years studying Valley fever and the fungus that causes it across the Central Valley and the Southwest. He recently spoke to the @latimes about new research that shows the risk of infection is spreading beyond rural areas. latimes.com/science/story/20…

This deadly fungus isn’t just a rural threat anymore. New studies point to cities and oil wells

Researchers at UC Berkeley have discovered valley fever spores in cities in the Central Valley and linked nearby oil drilling to an uptick in infection risk — challenging the long-held belief that...

latimes.com
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Revisit our recent magazine story to learn more about Taylor's research on the Coccidioides fungi that causes Valley fever, and what his research has revealed. nature.berkeley.edu/breakthr…
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Congrats to PMB postdoctoral researcher @emilykibby on receiving the Helen Hay Whitney fellowship! plantandmicrobiology.berkele…
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Calling all PMB alumni and current students! Please share your updates for our 2026 newsletter via this form by October 5th! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…
A banner inviting Plant & Microbial Biology alumni to share their latest updates by filling out a form.

ALT A banner inviting Plant & Microbial Biology alumni to share their latest updates by filling out a form.

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Berkeley Plant & Microbial Biology retweeted
Adam Steinbrenner@ADSteinbrennerSep 9
Two faculty searches at Berkeley Plant & Microbial Bio @PMB_Berkeley Submit applications by Sept 30 Plant Responses to Environmental Changes aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05… Plant-Microbe Communities aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05…
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Berkeley Plant & Microbial Biology retweeted
Joint Genome Institute@jgiSep 3
From our FY26 joint CMM call: @CeciMGLab aims to figure out the chemical makeup of rare earth elements in M. extorquens AM1 at the subcellular level and connect those properties to specific genetic disruptions. Full portfolio: jointgeno.me/CMMFY26 @PMB_Berkeley
Congratulations to our 2026 Critical Minerals & Materials call recipients! N. Cecilia Martinez-Gomez University of California, Berkeley Decoding Biogenic REE Mineralization in M. extorquens AM1 for Scalable Critical Metal Recovery

ALT Congratulations to our 2026 Critical Minerals & Materials call recipients! N. Cecilia Martinez-Gomez University of California, Berkeley Decoding Biogenic REE Mineralization in M. extorquens AM1 for Scalable Critical Metal Recovery

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Still finalizing your fall schedule? Space is still available in Modern Applications of Plant Biotechnology (PLANTBI170), a new course taught by Professors @becky_bart and @Lab Shih. Learn more about the class—and other new UC Berkeley offerings. news.berkeley.edu/2026/08/26…

From ghost stories to climate entrepreneurship, 9 fascinating new classes at UC Berkeley - Berkeley...

Learn about the span of new fall semester course offerings, including classes touching on cutting-edge research, modern ethical dilemmas and literary works across the centuries.

news.berkeley.edu
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Congrats to Postdoctoral researcher Devon Jeltema, named one of 14 new Damon Runyon Fellows by The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. @DamonRunyon plantandmicrobiology.berkele…
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Support the next generation of scholars, researchers, and innovators during #CalBigGive. Every gift made to PMB’s Graduate Student Support Fund before 9 pm today can help unlock $20,000 in matching funds committed by department faculty. Give now: givingday.berkeley.edu/givin…
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Recent research from PMB Professor @WilliamsSci and postdoc Dawei Dai (@amaizeingcorn) suggests that Arabidopsis thaliana—one of plant biology's most closely studied species—could serve as a model organism for studying aging at the molecular level. innovativegenomics.org/news/…

How a Tiny Plant is Providing Surprising New Insights into How We Age

How a Tiny Plant is Providing Surprising New Insights into How We Age - Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI)

innovativegenomics.org
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Berkeley Plant & Microbial Biology retweeted
Berkeley Rausser College of Natural Resources@NatureAtCalFeb 27
Congratulations to advisors Ryann Madden and Zarah Ersoff, undergraduate Sanya Sitlani, and Professor Daniel Portnoy, who were honored earlier this month with 2025 Excellence in Advising and Student Services awards. Learn more about the recognition: nature.berkeley.edu/news/fou…
A composite graphic featuring photos of advisors Ryann Madden (left) and Zarah Ersoff, undergraduate Sanya Sitlani, and Professor Daniel Portnoy set against a blue background.

ALT A composite graphic featuring photos of advisors Ryann Madden (left) and Zarah Ersoff, undergraduate Sanya Sitlani, and Professor Daniel Portnoy set against a blue background.

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Congratulations to Professors Sheng Luan and Krishna Niyogi and Adjunct Professor Igor Grigoriev on their inclusion on Clarivate's list, which recognizes researchers whose studies rank in the top 1% by number of scholarly citations worldwide. Read more: nature.berkeley.edu/news/rau…
Berkeley Rausser College of Natural Resources@NatureAtCal12 Dec 2025
Eight Rausser College faculty were recently named among the world’s most influential researchers, according to a new report from analytics firm @Clarivate. Learn more about the methodology and see who made the list: nature.berkeley.edu/news/rau…
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Our Fall issue of Breakthroughs looks inland to California's rural and agricultural areas, highlighting the Rausser College researchers advancing science and solutions to support communities and ecosystems across the Golden State. Read the full issue at nature.berkeley.edu/breakthr….
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Fourth-year genetics and plant biology major Yaeko Long has explored the fungal world, cultivated a passion for photography, and performed with the Cal Band across California. Learn more about their UC Berkeley experience: nature.berkeley.edu/news/stu…
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Yaeko Long, second from left, and other members of the UC Berkeley Mycology Club.

ALT Yaeko Long, second from left, and other members of the UC Berkeley Mycology Club.

Yaeko plays the piccolo during the UC Berkeley-Idaho game on September 16, 2023.

ALT Yaeko plays the piccolo during the UC Berkeley-Idaho game on September 16, 2023.

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MONDAY, Oct 6: Join us for the Albright Lecture with Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, renowned marine biologist, policy expert, and climate thought leader, as she discusses her new book What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures. Register: events.berkeley.edu/RausserC…
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PMB is excited to welcome professors @becky_bart and @Yan_C_Gong to the Department this year. Learn more about their background and research:
Berkeley Rausser College of Natural Resources@NatureAtCal27 Aug 2025
Rausser College is excited to welcome six new faculty members this year. Their research and expertise span a variety of topics, including environmental economics, metabolic biology, land management, and plant biology. Read more about each faculty member: linkedin.com/pulse/rausser-c…
A composite image featuring headshots of six people in circles on a blue background. From top left: Alessandra Ferrari, Shifrah Aron-Dine, Justin Luong, Yan Gong, Rebecca Bart, and Güneş Parlakgül.

ALT A composite image featuring headshots of six people in circles on a blue background. From top left: Alessandra Ferrari, Shifrah Aron-Dine, Justin Luong, Yan Gong, Rebecca Bart, and Güneş Parlakgül.

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Plant Biology PhD student Kylee Hillman and @UCB_Chemistry PhD student Teng-Jui (Owen) Lin were recognized with a national prize for their efforts to highlight misleading visualizations published in academic journals. chemistry.berkeley.edu/news/…
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ALT Teng-Jui (Owen) Lin and Kylee Hillman sit at a desk with a computer and monitor behind them.

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