From 1997 to 2001, Lakadamyali studied Physics at the University of Texas at Austin, USA. During the end of her university time, she gained some practical experience by working in the labs of Prof. Ken Shih and Prof. Josef A. Käs. From 2001 to 2006, she earned her Ph.D. in Physics at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA, advised by Prof Xiaowei Zhuang, focusing on the visualization of viral infection and intracellular transport in live cells.