Dr. Lucas Farnung

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Lucas Farnung completed his doctoral thesis at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Germany. He has since worked as a postdoctoral fellow and project leader at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, focusing on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of chromatin and transcription. In 2025, he was named an HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. His research in the Farnung Lab investigates key mechanistic questions at the intersection of DNA replication, chromatin, and transcription. The lab employs biochemical, biophysical, AI, and structural biology approaches to study transcription and replication machineries, histone modifying enzymes, chromatin remodelers, and chromatin interactions that establish and retain epigenomic information for gene expression and genome duplication. These efforts aim to facilitate a molecular understanding of chromatin's role in DNA replication and transcription, with direct mechanistic implications for understanding cell differentiation and disease.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

— Present

Harvard Medical School • Boston, MA

Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, involved in research and academic duties.

Requirements for Harvard Medical School

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree Undergraduate preparation in the sciences Biology Chemistry Physics
Application Checklist
  • Online application form
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal Statement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • CV/Resume
  • Application fee ($105)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Division of Medical Sciences (DMS). GRE is not required and will not be considered for BBS, Immunology, and Neuroscience.