Dr. Liana Lareau

Associate Professor

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Biography

Liana Lareau is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She holds the Timothy & Karen Guertin Chair in Bioengineering. Lareau's research is centered on Computational Biology and Systems Synthetic Biology, focusing on how a single genome can produce significant diversity in cells and tissues required for human function. Her work aims to comprehend the regulatory layers encoded by gene sequences and how disruptions in these regulatory mechanisms can lead to diseases. To achieve this, her research employs machine learning and computational methods combined with high-throughput experiments to unravel post-transcriptional regulation, ultimately leading to robust and flexible control of gene expression. Lareau earned her PhD in Molecular Cell Biology in 2008 from the University of California, Berkeley, and holds two SB degrees in Mathematics and Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, completed in 2000. Her previous appointments include Assistant Professor and Distinguished Research Fellow in related institutions, and she has received notable accolades, such as the Shurl & Kay Curci Foundation Faculty Scholar award in 2019 and the Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in 2009.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2025-01-01 — Present

University of California, Berkeley • Berkeley, CA

Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering.

Assistant Professor

2019-01-01 — 2025-01-01

University of California, Berkeley • Berkeley, CA

Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering.

Distinguished Research Fellow

2013-01-01 — 2018-01-01

California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley • Berkeley, CA

Distinguished Research Fellow.

Postdoctoral Fellow

2009-01-01 — 2012-01-01

Stanford University • Stanford, CA

Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry.

Awards

#

Shurl & Kay Curci Foundation Faculty Scholar

2019-01-01
#

Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

2009-01-01

Requirements for University of California, Berkeley

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GRE Subject
Overall Score
Required:500
Overall
Required:500
TOEFL
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent Preparation comparable to undergraduate major at Berkeley in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics 2 full years lower-division work (Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus) 8 one-semester upper-division courses (Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Abstract Algebra, Linear Algebra)
Application Checklist
  • Graduate Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Unofficial Transcripts
  • C.V./Resume
  • Course and Textbook List
Specialization Notes

The Mathematics Subject GRE is required for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. General GRE is optional.