Lydia Sohn

Professor; Almy Maynard and Agnes Offield Maynard Chair in Mechanical Engineering

Dept of Mechanical Engineering

Faculty URL

http://www.me.berkeley.edu/faculty/sohn/

Research Group URL

http://srl.berkeley.edu

Contact

sohn@berkeley.edu

(510) 612-2236

(510) 642-5539

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2195-2521

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Research Bio

Research Expertise and Interest

micro-nano engineering, bioengineering, biomedical devices biomedical numerical analysis, microfluidics and nanofluidics, bioanalytical separations and disease diagnostics, stem cells, cancer

In the News

A photo shows a microscope image with squares of red, green, and mixed red and green.

Could Liposomes Be the Unsung Heroes of the Pandemic?

Liposomes may be the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without the protection of these microscopic vesicles, the delicate strands of messenger RNA (mRNA) that lie at the heart of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines would be quickly destroyed by enzymes in the body, making it nearly impossible for their genetic instructions to reach the insides of human cells. But vaccine delivery isn’t the only way that these particles can be used in the battle against COVID-19. In a new study, a team of engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, attached SARS-CoV-2 “spike” proteins to the surface of liposomes, creating lab-made mimics of the deadly virus which the researchers call “spike-liposomes.”

Squares showing individual cells are highlighted against a background of blue and purple squares

New technique ‘prints’ cells to create diverse biological environments

Like humans, cells are easily influenced by peer pressure. Take a neural stem cell in the brain: Whether this cell remains a stem cell or differentiates into a fully formed brain cell is ultimately determined by a complex set of molecular messages the cell receives from countless neighbors. Understanding these messages is key for scientists hoping to harness these stem cells to treat neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.

A step toward faster, more accurate breast cancer detection

New technology being developed by engineers could dramatically improve the speed and accuracy of early breast cancer detection through the use of microfluidics.

Researchers talk new diagnostic methods at global tech conference

Four UC Berkeley engineering professors took part in the World Economic Forum’s ninth Annual Meeting of the New Champions, a global conference on innovation, science and technology held last week in Dalian, China. Ab

Pinning down malevolent cancer cells

Lydia Sohn is developing a new technique based on microtechnology to distinguish between different types of circulating tumor cells also known as CTC’s . She hopes this more sensitive approach will help clinicians learn which CTC’s are most prone to lead to metastasis.

Five new Bakar Fellows pursue path to marketplace

Five UC Berkeley scientists eager to take their lab-bench discoveries into the marketplace have been awarded Bakar Fellowships to help them achieve their goals.

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