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University research directory
Research labs at
University of California, Merced.
Compare 5 listed faculty-led profiles, explore their research interests, and follow the evidence in their selected work. These listings are a starting point for discovery and do not establish recruiting availability.
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Review each lab’s official website and recent publications. Compare the methods used, the questions being asked, and the practical requirements of any published opening. Unclaimed profiles are independently curated; the university has not approved or endorsed them.
How to compare research labs ↗Official university website ↗5 research-led lab profiles
Browse labs by their listed college affiliationMichael N. Dawson Research Group
University of California, MercedMichael N. Dawson · Professor of Life and Environmental Sciences
Why does marine biodiversity arise in some places, persist in others, and disappear elsewhere? Michael Dawson investigates these processes from molecular variation to whole ecosystems. His research connects population genomics, ecological genomics, phylogeography, and evolutionary ecology with questions about adaptation, speciation, symbioses, and environmental change. The group integrates biological and physical sciences across small and large evolutionary scales. These projects are relevant to interests in marine diversity, conservation genomics, invasive species, and the reciprocal relationship between environments and biological variation.
Nestor Oviedo Research Group
University of California, MercedNestor Oviedo · Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology
Stem cells must support tissue renewal without losing control of growth. Nestor Oviedo investigates the mechanisms regulating stem-cell behavior to understand regeneration, adult tissue maintenance, and malignant transformation. His research interests include planarian biology, tissue repair, and cancer, connecting developmental processes with the maintenance of an adult organism. Related questions span DNA damage and host-pathogen interactions. The work offers a research match for people interested in how cellular decisions balance repair and renewal with the risk of abnormal growth.
Nobile Lab
University of California, MercedClarissa Nobile · Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology
Microbes can build communities with properties very different from those of isolated cells. Clarissa Nobile investigates the molecular mechanisms that create, maintain, regulate, and shape the evolution of microbial biofilms. Her group studies transcriptional networks controlling gene expression during biofilm development, with much of the work focused on Candida albicans. Research also examines interactions between fungal and bacterial species. The work connects microbial community biology with persistent infections, making it relevant to interests in fungal pathogens, gene regulation, and the organization of mixed-species communities.
Patricia LiWang Research Group
University of California, MercedPatricia LiWang · Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology
A protein’s binding behavior can become a starting point for antiviral or anti-inflammatory strategies. Patricia LiWang studies protein biochemistry and structural biology, including the HIV-inhibiting protein Griffithsin and its mechanism of action. Her group also investigates silk materials for delivering proteins on different timescales and the viral protein vCCI, which binds pro-inflammatory chemokines. These projects connect protein-protein interactions with experimental delivery and inhibition strategies. The research offers a focused match for interests in structural biology, antiviral proteins, biomaterials, and molecular control of inflammation.
Peggy O'Day Research Group
University of California, MercedPeggy O'Day · Professor of Life and Environmental Sciences
A contaminant’s chemical form helps determine where it travels and how it affects living systems. Peggy O’Day studies metals and metalloids in surface and subsurface environments, using spectroscopy and microscopy, particularly synchrotron X-ray methods, to identify molecular reaction mechanisms. Her research combines these observations with thermodynamic, kinetic, and reactive-transport models. Projects include mercury chemistry, mineral surfaces, airborne particles, uranium reactions, and soil remediation. The work connects molecular-scale geochemistry with environmental transport, bioavailability, and approaches to managing contaminated soils and sediments.
Showing 1–5 of 5 labs