Dr. Lakadamyali obtained her BS in Physics in 2001 from the University of Texas, Austin and her PhD in Physics in 2006 from Harvard University. Dr. Lakadamyali started her independent group at ICFO-Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona in 2010 and was awarded tenure in 2015. In 2017 she moved to the University of Pennsylvania´s Department of Physiology at the Perelman School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2020 and Full Professor in 2024.

She received several honors including the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Young Investigator award, Technical University of Munich-Institute for Advanced Study Hans Fischer Fellowship and the Linda Pechenik Montague Investigator award. Her research focuses on the development of advanced light microscopy methods that provide high spatial and temporal resolution. Her lab is applying these advanced microscopy methods to study how the cytoskeleton and motor proteins regulate trafficking and spatial organization of organelles in the cytoplasm. In addition, her lab is studying how chromatin structure regulates gene activity and cell identity.

Besides research and her lab, she enjoys spending time with her son, cooking, reading, traveling and exploring different cultures

[Faculty Page]

Positions:

  • 2024-Present Professor, Departments of Physiology and Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania

  • 2020-2024 Associate Professor, Departments of Physiology and Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania

  • 2017-2020 Assistant Professor, Departments of Physiology and Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania

  • 2015-2017       Senior Group Leader, ICFO- The Institute of Photonic Sciences, Barcelona, Spain

  • 2010-2015       Junior Group Leader, ICFO- The Institute of Photonic Sciences, Barcelona, Spain

  • 2007-2010      Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA (advisor: Prof. Jeff Lichtman)

Education:

  • 2001-2006       PhD in Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA (advisor: Prof. Xiaowei Zhuang)

  • 1997-2001      BS in Physics, University of Texas at Austin