Menu
University research directory
Research labs at
University of California, San Diego.
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.
Explore the research before reaching out
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 affiliationAndrew D. McCulloch Research Group
University of California, San DiegoAndrew D. McCulloch · Distinguished Professor, Bioengineering
How do cellular and extracellular structures determine heart electrical and mechanical function during disease progression? The Cardiac Mechanics Research Group combines in-vitro, in-vivo, and computational models to investigate excitation–contraction coupling and mechanoelectric feedback. Researchers use genetically engineered animal models and tissue-engineered microenvironments to study mechanotransduction in ventricular development, hypertrophy, and post-infarction remodeling. Computational models and fluorescence optical mapping are applied to link cellular structure with whole-organ electrophysiology and arrhythmia mechanisms. The team develops high-throughput cardiac phenotyping technologies and in-silico signal-transduction models to study calcium cycling and hypertrophic signaling.
Brian Keating Research Group
University of California, San DiegoBrian Keating · Professor, Physics
What experimental measurements can reveal the early-universe physics encoded in cosmic microwave background polarization? The group develops and deploys precision instrumentation and observations to measure CMB polarization and constrain cosmological models. Researchers design and operate telescopes and detectors for observational campaigns, combining experimental cosmology with data analysis methods. The team integrates instrumentation development, observational strategies, and theory to probe inflationary signals and primordial gravitational waves. Projects include instrument fabrication, field deployments, and analysis pipelines to extract faint polarization signatures from sky maps.
Karen L. Christman Research Group
University of California, San DiegoKaren L. Christman · Professor, Bioengineering
Can injectable extracellular matrix hydrogels restore tissue structure and function after myocardial infarction using minimally invasive delivery? The lab develops infusible and catheter-deliverable decellularized extracellular matrix materials to target infarcted myocardium and preserve cardiac function. Researchers study immunomodulatory and pro-reparative gene expression responses using spatial and single-nucleus transcriptomics and animal myocardial infarction models. The group engineers enzyme-responsive nanoparticles and MMP-responsive polymeric materials for targeted delivery and controlled retention of therapeutics in injured heart tissue. The group creates vaginal and pelvic muscle extracellular matrix hydrogels to prevent pelvic floor dysfunction and promote skeletal muscle regeneration after birth injury.
Independently curated · UnclaimedKarsten Zengler Research Group
University of California, San DiegoKarsten Zengler · Professor In Residence, Pediatrics
How can targeted interventions alter complex microbial communities to improve host health? The lab uses community systems biology to study microbe–microbe and microbe–host interactions with combined experimental and computational approaches. Researchers apply multi-omics, metatranscriptomics, and metatranslatomics to identify mechanisms of competition between pathogens and resident microbiota. The group builds genome-scale metabolic and machine-learning models to predict competition, substrate preferences, and outcomes of microbiome-directed interventions. Experimental pipelines include synthetic microbial communities, skin microbiome transplants, and quantitative omics to design reproducible manipulations of microbial environments.
Omar Akbari Research Group
University of California, San DiegoOmar Akbari · Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology
Can engineered genetic systems be used to selectively suppress disease-vector mosquito populations while limiting ecological spread? The group develops conditional and female-lethal genetic approaches for mosquito control using CRISPR and precision genome editing. Researchers construct and test precision-guided sterile insect techniques and reciprocal chromosomal translocations to produce sterile or nonviable offspring in target mosquito species. The team deploys transcriptome engineering and synthetic viral circuitry to generate antiviral effectors and sensors that detect or disable arboviruses in mosquitoes. Experimental projects combine molecular genetics, transgenic lines, and population-level releases to evaluate confinement, inheritance bias, and operational suppression strategies.
Showing 1–5 of 5 labs