Marianne Bronner

Marianne Bronner is the Edward B. Lewis Professor of Biology and Director of the Beckman Institute at the California Institute of Technology. She holds a Sc.B. from Brown University (1975) and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University (1979). Her career at Caltech spans roles including Ruddock Professor (2000-21), Distinguished Professor (2021), and Executive Officer (2013-16).

Her research focuses on neural crest development, integrating molecular, cellular, and evolutionary approaches. Key areas include neural crest induction, placode formation, and their roles in craniofacial and sensory organ development. She explores evolutionary innovations like the vertebrate head by comparing lamprey, amphioxus, and jawed vertebrates. Her lab investigates mechanisms of cell migration, epigenetic regulation, and oncogenic processes linked to neural crest-derived cancers.

Techniques employed include transcriptomics, CRISPR/Cas9, laser speckle imaging, and lineage tracing in chick, zebrafish, and lamprey models. Recent work highlights neural crest contributions to heart regeneration and neurofibromatosis modeling in zebrafish. The lab collaborates with the Caltech Women in STEM initiative and has pioneered tools for in vivo imaging and genetic manipulation.

• Lab Leadership: Bronner Lab at Caltech
• Key Projects: Neural crest gene regulatory networks, placode evolution, cancer biology
• Tools: Laser speckle imaging, CRISPR, lineage tracing

Her work bridges developmental, evolutionary, and translational research, with implications for birth defects, cancer, and regenerative medicine.