Nicole King

Nicole King is a Professor of Genetics at the University of California, Berkeley, in the Department of BIO. Her research focuses on the origin of animals, exploring the genetic and developmental foundations of animal evolution through the study of choanoflagellates, protozoan relatives of animals. She investigates the minimal genomic complexity of animal progenitors, ancestral gene functions, and molecular mechanisms in choanoflagellate biology and their interactions with bacteria. Her work aims to address the evolutionary transition to multicellularity. For more information, visit her lab website at kinglab.berkeley.edu.

Nicole King is a Professor in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, with research interests in evolution, cell biology, genetics, choanoflagellates, and host-microbe interactions. Her work explores the evolutionary origins of animal traits, focusing on the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying multicellularity, cell adhesion, and signaling. King's research utilizes choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals, to investigate the evolutionary transitions from unicellular to multicellular life. Her studies have contributed to understanding the origins of key cell signaling and adhesion protein families, as well as the genetic innovations that underpin animal development.