Satoshi Namekawa, a professor of microbiology and molecular genetics whose research has advanced our understanding of fertility, epigenetics and genome organization, has been named chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG). He will begin serving in the role on July 1, 2026.

“MMG is an outstanding department with exceptional faculty, staff, students, and postdoctoral scholars,” said Namekawa. “I look forward to working closely with everyone to continue strengthening our research and teaching missions, supporting our community, and building on the department’s many successes.”

Advancing a tradition of discovery

Namekawa joined the UC Davis faculty in 2020 in a Target of Excellence recruitment and has built an internationally recognized research program focused on one of biology’s most fundamental questions: how genetic information is organized, regulated and transmitted across generations.

Since joining UC Davis, Namekawa's research has focused on how DNA is packaged inside reproductive cells and how that organization influences fertility, embryonic development and long-term health. His laboratory has uncovered molecular mechanisms that help ensure genetic stability during reproduction and identified proteins that regulate how DNA is folded and packaged in sperm cells, advancing understanding of infertility, developmental disorders and the factors that influence the health of future generations. 

“I am delighted that Satoshi will be the next MMG chair,” said Wolf-Dietrich Heyer, a Distinguished Professor in the department and its current chair. “Satoshi is a stellar researcher, a dedicated academic teacher and outstanding mentor to his students and postdoctoral fellows; he will be a great chair of our department.”

A department spanning the breadth of modern biology

The work of MMG faculty spans genetics, genomics, cell biology, immunology, host-pathogen interactions, reproductive biology, genome stability, microbial physiology and other areas at the forefront of modern life science.

Building on more than a century of excellence in microbiology at UC Davis, the department has evolved alongside the field itself, expanding from the study of microbes to include many of the molecular and genetic processes that shape life, health and disease. 

The department also plays a central role in the College of Biological Sciences, contributing to undergraduate and graduate education while driving discoveries that shape our understanding of health, disease and biological systems.

As chair, Namekawa will help guide the department's research, teaching and service missions while supporting a community of faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars and students engaged in cutting-edge biological research.

“I am so pleased to welcome Satoshi into this new role,” said Mark Winey, dean of the College of Biological Sciences. “He has made invaluable contributions to the department’s teaching and research efforts, and I am confident he will make many more contributions supporting the faculty, staff and students, as well as the college.”

The future of microbiology at UC Davis

Namekawa said he looks forward to working with faculty, staff and students to build on the department's strengths in research, teaching and mentorship while supporting the next generation of scientific discoveries and scholars.

“I am deeply honored to serve as the next MMG chair,” said Namekawa. “I am very grateful to Dean Winey for his confidence and support, and to Wolf for his extraordinary leadership and remarkable service to the department over the past 15 years. I have learned a great deal from Wolf, and I know that MMG is in a strong position because of his dedication and vision.”

Namekawa succeeds Heyer, who has served as chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics since 2011 and helped guide the department through a period of significant growth in both research and education.