Samantha Lewis, PhD
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Development, and Physiology
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
Samantha C. Lewis, Ph.D. is a molecular and cell biologist and Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Lewis’ research investigates how animal cells ensure the continual energy supply they need to survive, and how this goes awry in human disease. Her laboratory team focuses on mitochondria, the “powerhouse of the cell”, which harbor their own genomic blueprint called mitochondrial DNA. Dr. Lewis’ experimental approach leverages live microscopy at high spatial and temporal resolution, single-cell analyses of DNA replication and transcription, gene editing, proteomics, and genetics to reveal how cells replicate, segregate, and inherit this “neglected genome”.
Read an interview with Dr. Lewis Journal of Cell Science, “Cell Scientist to Watch”
The Lewis Lab is also affiliated with:
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Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology, University of California, Berkeley
2019-present
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Davis
Advisor: Jodi Nunnari, PhD
2014-2019
Ph.D. Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of California, Riverside
Advisor: Bradley Hyman, PhD
2008-2013
B.S. Zoology, Oregon State University
Advisor: Dee Denver, PhD
2004-2008
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2026 WICB Junior Award for Excellence in Research, American Society for Cell Biology
2026 E.E. Just Legacy Award for Excellence, Microscopy Society of America
2024 NSF CAREER Award
2023 Prytanean Faculty Award
2023 R. R. Bensley Award in Cell and Molecular Biology, American Association for Anatomists
2023 Sloan Research Fellow
2022 Pilot & Feasibility Award, Stanford Diabetes Research Center
2022 Rennie Fund Award for the Study of Epilepsy, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute
2022 Juneteenth Award in Honor of Black Scholarship, Vanderbilt University Basic Sciences
2022 Society of Hellman Fellows Fund Award
2022 Scialog Fellow in Advancing Bioimaging, Research Corporation for Science Advancement (deferred)
2021 ESI Pilot Award, Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging
2020 Winkler Award
2020 CellPress “Rising Star” - 100 Inspiring Black Scientists in America
2019 Kelsey Wright Award for Excellence, Mitochondrial Medicine Society
2018 Best Poster Award, Cell Symposia: Multifaceted Mitochondria
2016-2019 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Award
2015 EMBO Travel Award, to “mtDNA and Neurodegeneration” Symposium
2015-2018 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellowship
2013 Graduate Deans’ Dissertation Research Award, University of California, Riverside
2013 Dissertation Research Award, Society of Nematologists
2012 Carl Storm Minority Travel Fellowship, Mitochondria Gordon Research Conference
2012 Southern California Forum on Diversity in Graduate Education Talk
2011 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, Lindau Nobel Foundation (sponsored by Mars, Inc.)
2011 Weber Graduate Research Award, Cobb Nematology Foundation
2011 Best Poster Award, Society of Nematologists Annual Meeting
2011 AGEP Travel Scholarship, to ASBMB Symposium on Mitochondrial Biology
2010-2013 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
2010 New England Biolabs Innovation Research Seed Grant
2008-2010 Cota-Robles Predoctoral Diversity Fellowship, UC Riverside
2008 Dr. JoAnne Trow Woman of Distinction Award, Oregon State Memorial Union
2007 Undergraduate Diversity Mentoring Award, Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
2004 Rotary Club Scholarship
2004 American Chemical Society Scholarship
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2027 ………………..
ASBMB
Stanford
EMBO Workshop Mitochondria - Hyderabad
Penn State
2026 ………………..
MIT
ASBMB
UCSB
Phusion Mitochondria in Cell Fate Decisions, Malta
University of Virginia
Duke University
ASCB
2025 ………………..
Keystone Mitochondria
Phusion Mitochondria, Dominican Republic
Harvard Medical School
University of Washington, Seattle
U Colorado Anschutz
San Jose State U
Caltech
UCSF
UCSD
2024 ………………..
UC Santa Cruz
Phusion Metabolism, Malta
NIH Redox Biology Group
CZI Organelle Biology and Metabolism Focus Group
2023 ………………..
GRC Mitochondria in Health and Disease
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Yale School of Medicine
Anatomy Connected
Phusion Mitochondria
NIH Redox Series
Stanford University
2022 ………………..
Columbia University
Allen Institute for Cell Science
Vanderbilt University
GRC Mitochondria and Chloroplasts
University of Richmond
University of Southern California
ASBMB (declined)
Keystone Mitochondrial Biochemistry (declined)
Arcadia
UCSF
NextGen at CZI Biohub
2021 ………………..
University of Washington
University of Utah
ASCB
Brazilian Society for Microscopy
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
2020 ………………..
Innovative Genomics Institute
HHMI Leading Edge
AIM
2019 ………………..
UC Santa Cruz
UC Berkeley
UC San Diego SOM
University of Pennsylvania
Harvard SPH
Oregon State University
Stanford
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MCB 133L Cell Biology and Physiology Laboratory
MCB 104 Genetics, Genomics, and Cell Biology
MCB 201A CRISPR Gene Editing, Stem Cells, and Genomic Analysis
MCB 239G Mitochondrial Biology
MCB 290 Seven Habits of Highly Functional Mitochondria (grad. seminar)
MCB 292 Research
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2026 Wellcome Fund Grant Review
2026 ERC Grant Review
2025 ORAU grant review - Pediatric Rare Disease Program
2025 American Heart Association - Statement on Mitochondrial Genetics
2022-23 Graduate Admissions Committee, MCB Program
2022- Rare Disease Diversity Coalition, Working group on Research and Clinical Trials
2021, 2022 NIH Study Section Service – NIGMS K99 special emphasis panel
2021 DOD grant review - CDMRP Program
2021- UCB/UCSF Summer Student Research Program Mentor, 1 high school student/summer
2021 First-year Graduate Advisor (ten students), UCB Ph.D. program in Molecular and Cell Biology
2020-22 UCB College of Letters and Sciences Working Group on Academic Parenting
2020- Steering committee, T32 ‘Molecular Basis of Cell Function’ NIH Training Grant 5T32GM007232-38
2020- iMCB Steering Committee
2020- Bioimaging North America, Committee on Diversity and Inclusion
2020 ASCB Annual Meeting Minisymposium Co-chair, “Lipids and organelle trafficking”
2020 Organizing committee, UCB Cell Biology Retreat
2019 Organizing committee for the 17th Annual Advanced Imaging Workshop
2015- Abstract and Poster Judge, American Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students
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Dr. Lewis is an avid reader, enjoys hiking, gardening, spending time with her family, and supporting local charitable organizations.