Princeton MolBio

2025 MolBio Retreat Wrap Up and Awardees The 41st annual MolBio Retreat, a two-day science cornucopia on Friday and Saturday, October 3-4, 2025, convened again in Frick Chemistry Laboratory's Taylor Auditorium and Atrium. Over 300 attendees,...

2025 MolBio Retreat Wrap-Up: 2 days, over 300 attendees, 19 First-Years, 10 MolBio Scholars, 8 sessions, 37 talks, 60 posters, 15 Awardees, and countless cups of coffee! molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/20...

MolBio senior Isam Mina awarded Rhodes Scholarship for Jordan! “Breakthroughs in the laboratory matter little if the systems that deliver them remain inaccessible or inequitable.” www.princeton.edu/news/2025/10...

Te Velthuis & Myhrvold: "We discovered a simple trick to make the CRISPR-Cas13 crRNA complex better at recognizing single nucleotide changes, and therefore better at detecting mutations.” molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/te...

Three Translational Pilot Grants Awarded to Princeton Researchers Three teams of Princeton researchers were awarded NJ ACTS pilot grants in 2025. The competitive grants support biomedical researchers seeking to transform their discoveries into clinical applications

Onwards! Pilot grants awarded to three teams of Princeton researchers in Princeton Molbio and Princeton Neuro to support moving their discoveries into clinical applications. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/th...

MolBio Alumni back for Many Minds Many Stripes The Department of Molecular Biology was extraordinarily well-represented at the October 9-11, 2025 Many Minds Many Stripes conference celebrating Princeton graduate alumni, whether measured by number ...

70 MolBio grad alumni returned to campus for the Many Minds Many Stripes conference celebrating Princeton graduate alumni. Presenters and panelists and attendees, oh my! molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/mo...

Mesa: Macrophage loss contributes to vascular aging in skin “When macrophages disappear, skin blood vessels age. Loss of skin macrophages with age blocks blood vessel flow and clot repair, revealing a new cellular trigger of tissue aging.”

New Prof Kai Mesa in Nature: "Loss of skin macrophages with age blocks blood vessel flow and clot repair, revealing a new cellular trigger of tissue aging.” molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/me...

O’Shea awarded a NJ ACTS translational science fellowship MD/PhD student Callan O’Shea, a member of the Princeton University Department of Molecular Biology (MOL), is the newest recipient of the New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science Awar...

Congrats🥂 to Callan O’Shea, a MolBio M.D./Ph.D student and newest recipient of the New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science Award (NJ ACTS) T32 Fellowship. O'Shea is advised by associated faculty member Sam Wang. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/os...

Princeton MolBio graduate alumna Mary Brunkow *91 and Nobel Prize medal.

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded today to Princeton MolBio graduate alumna Mary Brunkow *91 “for groundbreaking discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance that prevents the immune system from harming the body.” www.princeton.edu/news/2025/10...

Princeton Molecular Biologists gathered in Frick Chemistry’s Taylor Auditorium for the 2025 MolBio Retreat.

Princeton Molecular Biologists sharing and discussing science during Friday’s poster session in Frick Chemistry’s Taylor Auditorium.

2025 MolBio Retreat happening now in Frick Chemistry’s Taylor Auditorium. 37 talks, 60 poster presenters, 300 attendees, oh my!

Bonnie Bassler named University Professor Bassler's pioneering research on the molecular mechanisms used by bacteria for intercellular communication has shown life-saving potential. University Professor is Princeton’s highest honor for facult...

Bonnie Bassler has been named University Professor, Princeton’s highest honor for faculty. "I am delighted by this honor and deeply grateful ... The Department of Molecular Biology took a chance and hired me at the very inception of my research field..." www.princeton.edu/news/2025/09...

Learning a new language in bacterial communications Groundbreaking research by Princeton scientists Luis Linares-Otoya, Mohamed Donia, Jaden Shirkey, Fred Hughson,  and colleagues has discovered a new chemical language used by bacteria to communicate w...

“I wondered if Bacteriodota were ‘talking’ in a language we hadn’t learned yet." They are(!), according to groundbreaking research by Princeton scientists Luis Linares-Otoya, Mohamed Donia, Jaden Shirkey, and Fred Hughson. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/le...

Mansuo Shannon *98, Chief Science Officer, AskBio “Do not compare yourselves to others. It is so easy to compare yourself to everyone around you, especially in the current technological age. But everyone's project is different, everyone's timeline is...

“Do not compare yourselves to others. Focus on your own journey, your own data, and your own development.” Interview of MolBio grad alum and AskBio CSO Mansuo Shannon *98 leading up to the Princeton Alumni Many Minds, Many Stripes conference. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/ma...

Princeton seeks applications for asst, assoc or full professor to contribute to initiative at interface between cancer, immunity and metabolism (Ludwig Princeton Branch) from candidates using bio, chem, phys, engineering and/or computational approaches. puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...

Nikon Center of Excellence 10th Anniversary Under the leadership of Gary Laevsky, Ph.D., Director of MolBio's Confocal Facility, Princeton celebrates its 10th anniversary as a Nikon Center of Excellence (CoE). Nikon Centers of Excellence are st...

Celebrating Princeton's 10 years as @NikonUSA Center of Excellence! User community lunch: 8/18, Hands on workshops with super resolution AXR-NSPARC confocal microscope system: 8/20-29. BYO test samples! molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/ni...

Michi Taga *03, Professor, Dept of Plant and Microbial Biology, UC Berkeley “There is an expectation that if you’re smart it will be easy. Part of my goal in teaching is to take away that assumption.” Taga’s approach in class and in her lab is the development of a growth mind...

Take away the shame of being bad at something: “That’s why you go to school, to learn and get better at things!” Interview of MolBio grad alum and professor Michi Taga *03 leading up to Many Minds, Many Stripes graduate alumni conference. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/mi...

MolBio seniors and SURP poster session participants (l-r) Isabella Strumolo of the Schwarzbauer Lab, Dharmil Bhavsar of the te Velthuis Lab, Dinora Rivas-Rodriguez of the Murphy lab, and Hans-Frederick Watanabe of the Brangwynne lab.

Last Thursday, 90+ Summer Undergraduate Research Program participants (rising seniors who are MolBio majors) presented posters to the department detailing their research so far. Faculty, grad students and postdocs came for science -- not the $160 worth of chips, cookies and seltzer!

Lim named 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar In 2022, HHMI launched the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars program to support outstanding basic researchers, including physician-scientists, who have strong potential to become leaders in their fields. Sch...

Congrats🥂 to assistant professor Ai Ing Lim, selected as a 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. Studying maternal-offspring immune partnership, Lim aims to improve women’s reproductive health and optimize immune trajectories for future generations. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/li...

“Basic scientific research is so appealing to me because, despite it being very frustrating and a lot of work, the payout is so amazing,” explains @fsantoriello.bsky.social‬, a postdoctoral researcher in HHMI Investigator Bonnie Bassler’s lab at Princeton.

Ali Nouri *06, Molecular Biologist, Policy Strategist, National Security Advisor, Teacher The career path of Ali Nouri *06 defies categorization but reveals a consistent through line: using scientific thinking to serve the public good. In this profile by Molecular Biology graduate student ...

“Policy is ultimately about people, and scientists need to be in those rooms—not just reacting after it’s made but helping shape it from the start.” MolBio grad alum and policy expert Ali Nouri *06 interview, leading up to the Many Minds, Many Stripes conference. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/al...

Liz Gavis: on the future as Chair I am currently on a listening tour, meeting one-on-one with every faculty member in the Department to hear what people are thinking and if they have ideas for where they think the department should be...

Liz Gavis' research group has long studied RNA localization and translational control in animal development, and she now takes on a new role as the fifth Chair of the Dept. of Molecular Biology. Her term as Chair began on July 1, 2025. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/li...

Nobel laureate David MacMillan joins Princeton’s fight against cancer MacMillan has been named a Distinguished Scholar in the Princeton Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, which leverages the power of collaboration across scientific fields to advance can...

David MacMillan, professor of Chemistry, named Distinguished Scholar to the Ludwig Cancer Research Princeton Branch opening a new chapter in cancer research for the Macmillan lab. He joins MolBio faculty Yibin Kang and Lydia Lynch @lydialynch.bsky.social. www.princeton.edu/news/2025/06...

🧬Happy Transposon Day!

🎉Each year on the 16th of June we commemorate the birthdate of the founder of transposable element research, Barbara McClintock (1902-1992).

#TransposonDay2025 #MobileDNAjournal

Basta and Devenport: Going deep on PCP in skin The next time a house cat graces you with its presence to demand your admiration, you’ll have the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) pathway to thank for that sleek and neat fur coat; the PCP pathway organize...

Grad student Lena Basta and mentor Danelle Devenport uncover organizing principles of tissue polarity in mammalian skin. “Planar cell polarity is, by definition, a multicellular process. Our work demonstrates that it is also mechanistically multicellular.” molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/ba...

Jonathan St. Ange Receives Fulbright U.S. Student Award for 2025-2026 Jonathan St. Ange, a Ph.D. Student in Molecular Biology at Princeton University, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to conduct research in Molecular Biology in France for the 2025-202...

Jonathan St. Ange (Murphy lab) awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Award for 2025-2026 academic year! St. Ange will continue his studies and research at Université de Bordeaux🍷 while improving his French🇫🇷 and refining his palate!🍔 Congrats! molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/jo...

MolBio alumni (l-r) Angela Howard '12, Sara Haddock '12, Graham Read '15, Vincent Chu '15 (Chemistry), and Kate Shulgina '15. Photo by C. Todd Reichart.

MolBio Alumni Goin’ Back and Standing Up! Reunions 2025. MolBio undergraduate and graduate alumni made the pilgrimage back to campus and to Lewis Thomas Lab over the weekend of May 22-25. pumolbio.smugmug.com/2025-MolBio-...

MolBio Faculty Promotions: Adamson, Mallarino, and Petry The MolBio faculty assembled on Wednesday, May 28 to congratulate the department's newest tenured faculty: Brittany Adamson and Ricardo Mallarino, and our newest full professor: Sabine Petry

Well deserved! 🥂🥂🥂 MolBio's newest tenured faculty: Adamson & Mallarino; and newest full professor: Petry. molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/mo...

Britt Adamson, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology, and Alex Ploss, the Harry C. Wiess Professor of Life Sciences and Molecular Biology. Photo by C. Todd Reichart.

Princeton IP Accelerator awards to Adamson supporting further study towards therapeutic treatment for Huntington's disease, and to Ploss towards optimization and characterization of drugs for curing chronic Hepatitis B virus infection. research.princeton.edu/news/princet...

Class Day 2025 & MolBio Award Recipients Hearty congratulations to the Class of 2025 MolBio graduates and award recipients honored on Class Day, Monday, May 26, 2025! In her closing remarks, Department Chair Bonnie Bassler charged the gradua...

MolBio Class of 2025 honored on Class Day, May 26! Dept Chair Bonnie Bassler charged, "Hold onto the core value of scientific integrity. Shaping a bright world future depends on your belief in the power of science to make the world a better place." molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/cl...

Faculty members receive President’s Awards for Distinguished Teaching Professors Rebecca Carey, Gabriel Crouch, Danelle Devenport and Nathaniel Fisch received the President’s Awards for Distinguished Teaching at Commencement ceremonies May 27.

Devenport receives President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching. “She is inspiring, visionary, charismatic, relatable, empathetic, hardworking and organized. Having even a few of these traits is a hallmark of a good teacher, but she embodies all of them.” www.princeton.edu/news/2025/05...

Nick Ouzounov *15, Cofounder of Geltor Molbio alumnus Nick Ouzounov *15 is a co-founder with Alex Lorestani *17 of Geltor, makers of biodesigned proteins and polypeptides for beauty, wellness, and beyond. In this exclusive interview by Mol...

"The risky path might not be as risky as you thought compared to your other options..." Interview of Nick Ouzounov *15, MolBio grad alum and co-founder of Geltor, makers of biodesigned proteins and polypeptides. Leading-up to Many Minds, Many Stripes conference molbio.princeton.edu/news/2025/ni...