people
current lab members

Email: diego.calderon[at]ucsf.edu
Diego Calderon
Principal Investigator
Diego received his B.A. from Wesleyan University and subsequently conducted his Ph.D. research on the genetics underlying complex traits at Stanford University. Intrigued by massively parallel molecular biology, he then went on to become a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington, where he led projects involving the computational analysis of large-scale single-cell data and developed new massively parallel reporter assays to investigate gene regulation. In 2024, Diego joined UCSF as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences.
Outside of lab, Diego can be found jogging and engrossed in his latest audiobook, while liberally sending kudos on the lab’s Strava account. Currently, he is halfway through ‘Words of Radiance’, part of Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive series.

Kina Atkin-Yamaguchi
Lab Manager
I am the Lab Manager at the Calderon Lab and a Junior Specialist in the PROPEL Program at UCSF. My responsibilities in the lab include general lab operations and research. I obtained my General Biology (B.S.) Degree from the University of Washington in 2024 and worked as a Laboratory Technician at the Shendure Lab in the Department of Genome Sciences during my time there. I conducted plant genetics research at Hokkaido University in the Miwa Lab as a Special Auditor in the Department of Biology. My goal is to attend graduate school to obtain a PhD in a field related to genetics and genomics.
In my free time, I love to run, hike, read at coffee shops, bake, and spend time with my friends and family. My favorite place to visit is Japan!

Join our team!
The lab is looking to recruit talented inviduals interested in joining our science community. If the following roles don’t apply to you, and you’re still interested in joining, feel free to reach out and we’ll figure something out.
Graduate students. Applicants should be accepted through one of UCSF’s graduate programs. Still, I encourage you to reach out before submitting an application because I can I advise you on what might be the most relevant program. Potential rotation students should contact Diego to discuss. A typical ~10 week rotation, will include:
- A rotation project that we collaboratively choose to blend your interests with the interests of the lab, along with mentor availability.
- An initial short lab meeting (5 min) to introduce yourself and your rotation project.
- Scheduled weekly meetings with Diego to update him on your research and career.
- A final lab meeting presentation.
Postdocs. Reach out to Diego with a bit about yourself and your science interests, along with a CV or resume. Promising postdoc candidates will be expected to provide contact information for references. We are happy to submit any paperwork on behalf of the lab for any postdoctoral fellowships.
Environment. Our lab aims to be composed of a unique mix of smart, interactive people from a wide range of personal backgrounds and scientific backgrounds, including genetics/genomics, biology, and quantitative fields like CS/math/stats. My goal is that everyone should have the resources and support that they need to be successful.