Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB)

The Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB) is dedicated to transformative research and technology in life sciences. Team-based themes tackle grand societal challenges in food security, energy, health, technology, and environmental conservation. Its facilities include a microfabrication lab, plant growth facility, and a microscopy suite.

Graduate student at work in biochemistry lab

Fish IgM structure sheds light on antibody evolution, study finds

Antibodies—proteins that are produced by our immune system to protect us—are crucial for recognizing and getting rid of unwanted substances, or antigens, in our body. Although their role is universal, antibody structure varies in different animals. In a new study, researchers have analyzed the...
MCB major Catherine Koterba stands outside an orange sculpture at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology

Undergrad explores the interactions between archaea and their viruses in extreme environments

Coming into the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Catherine Koterba was a pre-med student with a passion for astronomy. Three years later, she is a microbiologist studying thermophilic archaea from the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park. On the surface, this appears to be quite the...
A team of research scientists gather in their laboratory.

Team identifies key driver of cancer cell death pathway that activates immune cells

Scientists have identified a protein that plays a pivotal role in the action of several emerging cancer therapies. The researchers say the discovery will likely aid efforts to fine-tune the use of immunotherapies against several challenging cancers.
Thomas Kehl-Fie

New research challenges longstanding assumptions of evolutionary metal preferences 

Thomas Kehl-Fie, a professor of microbiology in the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, and collaborator Kevin Waldron, a professor at the Institute of Biochemistry & Biophysics in Warsaw, Poland, have found that have found that in response to the immune system restricting metal...
Kathure Mugambi stands in front of column inside IGB building.

Meet MCB: Undergraduate researcher Kathure Mugambi

Kathure Mugambi is a senior undergraduate student in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is also the undergraduate assistant for the IGB Lunchbox series.
MOV10 via Alphafold2

Researchers uncover a regulatory site in RNA helicase MOV10 and its effect on mRNAs targeted for AGO2 silencing

University of Illinois scientists have identified the phosphorylation site and its consequence on the function of MOV10, an RNA helicase expressed in early brain development and required for embryo viability, illuminating this RNA binding proteins’ relation to microRNA pathways and its effect on...
Whitaker speaks at the podium while a screen titled "Investiture of Rachel Whitaker" shows a picture of her and a cutout photo of Alma.

Rachel J. Whitaker named Harry E. Preble Professor

For Rachel J. Whitaker, life tends to feel like it’s all hands on deck.  Whitaker, a professor of microbiology, spends much of her time researching the evolution of archaea, bacteria, and viruses in the natural and clinical...
Three scientists in the Mera Lab, Stephanie Puentes-Rodriguez, Paola Mera, and Inoka Menikpurage, stand together smiling for the camera. They are in the doorway leading from one lab space to additional lab space. They are all smiling.

Researchers make new insights into bacterial cell cycle

In a recent paper published in the Journal of Bacteriology, the Mera Lab focused on how the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus coordinates the replication and separation of the chromosome simultaneously. The researchers found that the regulators of those two crucial events communicate with each other...
Illustration of an instrumented tissue mimic

Illinois to co-lead new CZ Biohub in Chicago

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has been chosen to lead the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago – a new biomedical hub – along with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. The three-university team was selected to lead the new biomedical hub as part of a competitive...
OLLI will be partnering with different Illinois researchers for the new course. From left: Yang Zhao, Andrew Smith, Brian Cunningham, Hong Jin , and Xing Wang.

Biochemistry professor partners with researchers across campus for genomics workshop

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) has partnered with University of Illinois researchers, including biochemistry professor Hong Jin, to offer a new workshop called, “What’s in my blood? Genomics Testing and You.”