Rebecca Abergel

Rebecca Abergel is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, with dual appointments in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and the Department of Chemistry. She is also the Heavy Element Chemistry Group Leader at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Chemical Sciences Division, focusing on the multidisciplinary intersection of coordination chemistry, nuclear chemistry, photophysics, and chemical biology.

• Ph.D., UC Berkeley (2006)
• B.Sc., École Normale Supérieure de Paris / Université Pierre & Marie Curie (2002)

Her research explores the biological coordination chemistry and toxicity mechanisms of f-block elements (lanthanides and actinides), emphasizing the development of chelating agents for decontamination, waste management, and radiopharmaceutical applications. She leads collaborative efforts on drug development for heavy metal and radionuclide contamination, including a candidate that achieved FDA Investigational New Drug status in 2014 and entered Phase I clinical trials.

Recent work includes evaluating chelating drugs for MRI-related gadolinium toxicity and investigating lanthanide toxicity using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism. Her scientific contributions have been recognized through election as an AAAS Fellow and receipt of the 2024 Bakar Prize.

• Leadership Roles:
• Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence, College of Engineering
• Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Glenn T. Seaborg Center