Join a team developing tools to study microbial communities and change the DNA of selected microbes.
Find your place in the lab
We look for intellectual range, technical care, and people who make ambitious work more collaborative.
Lead an independent research direction at the intersection of synthetic biology, microbiology, and computation.
We are especially interested in scientists who can connect molecular tools to questions about intact microbial communities and host biology.
Prepare your noteExplore microbiome engineering through UC Berkeley graduate programs and research rotations.
Contact the lab once admitted, or while planning rotations, to discuss scientific fit and current projects.
Prepare your noteBuild research experience through a focused project, campus program, or direct lab inquiry.
Opportunities depend on mentoring capacity, preparation, and the timing of active projects.
Prepare your note
We share methods, give constructive feedback, and credit each other's contributions.
How we work together
Move comfortably from molecular mechanisms to community behavior and host response.
Value careful controls, reproducible records, and transparent uncertainty.
Contribute expertise in microbiology, synthetic biology, computation, organoids, immunology, or a related field.
Share knowledge generously and help the people around you do better science.
Tell us what you want to understand, what you can already do, and why this lab is the right setting for your next step.
cronda (at) berkeley.edu
Name the role or research path you are asking about.
In a few sentences, explain the questions and methods that connect your work to ours.
Postdocs: CV, brief research statement, and references. Students: coursework, experience, and availability.
Before you write
A quick guide to routes into the lab. If your situation is different, a concise email is still the best place to start.
Yes. The lab is actively interested in prospective postdocs whose work aligns with microbiome engineering, host–microbe interactions, CRISPR tools, or computational biology. Final availability depends on project fit and funding.
Yes. Prospective graduate students should apply through the relevant UC Berkeley graduate program and contact the lab about rotation fit once admitted or during rotation planning.
Undergraduate opportunities depend on mentoring capacity and project timing. Send a concise note describing relevant coursework, availability, and the scientific questions that interest you.
Visa and appointment questions are handled through UC Berkeley and depend on the position type, funding source, and individual circumstances.
Still exploring?
Berkeley has restaurants, shops, theaters, and public parks, with BART connections to Oakland and San Francisco.
The lab uses shared instruments, wet-lab space, and computational facilities at IGI.
Across the bay
BART connects Downtown Berkeley with San Francisco. Plan the rest of your route from the station to your destination.
Regional connection
Check the BART trip planner for routes to Oakland and San Francisco.
Tilden Regional Park has hiking trails, picnic areas, and a botanic garden in the Berkeley Hills.