News

UNC awarded $2.5 million from NIH to establish collaborative research center

Click here to see how the Dept of Microbiology and Immunology is participating in the new Southeastern STI Cooperative Research Center.

Two Papers by Dr. Jack Griffith named "JBC Centennial Classics"

Two papers by Professor Jack Griffith have been named by editors at The Journal of Biological Chemistry as "JBC Centennial Classics." The Classics collection includes articles by many of the legends in biological chemistry including Folin, Van Slyke, the Coris, Doisy, McCollum, Hastings, Lowry, Kornberg, Kennedy, Brown, Goldstein, and others. Only about 300 papers have been selected from the 150,000 papers published in JBC since 1905, and these are the two from the Griffiths lab:

Electron Microscopic Visualization of the RecA Protein-mediated Pairing and Branch Migration Phases of DNA Strand Exchange (Register, J. C., 3rd, Christiansen, G., and Griffith, J. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 12812–12820)

Formation of DNA Loop Replication Fork Generated by Bacteriophage T7 Replication Proteins (Park, K., Debyser, Z., Tabor, S., Richardson, C. C., and Griffith, J. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 5260–5270)

Science Signaling and Science

Dr. Blossom Damania and Dr. Dirk Dittmer recently had an article - “Toll-like Receptor Signaling Controls Reactivation of KSHV from Latency” - selected as an Editor’s Choice in the July 21, 2009 issues of Science Signaling and Science. Both of these journals are published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

"Nova Science Now" 

 Jack Griffith (Virology) and his research on salt deposits that formed 250 million years ago was featured on PBS’s “Nova Science Now" on July 28th.

Promotion

Dr. Morgan Giddings was recently promoted to the rank of Associate Professor.  This promotion confers permanent tenure.  Congratulations on achieving this important milestone in your career!

Johnston Award for Excellence in Teaching

Professor Lorraine Cramer received the 2009 Johnston Award for Excellence in Teaching.  The Awards Committee found "abundant evidence" for Dr. Cramer's outstanding contributions to undergraduate teaching on campus.  Dr. Cramer was recognized by her students and faculty colleagues for her continued commitment to the highest standards of teaching.  Dr. Cramer was recognized on Saturday, February 18th during the half-time ceremony at the UNC-NC State men's basketball game.  In addition, Dr. Cramer will attend an awards banquet on April 9th where she will receive an award certificate and a cash prize. 

Phillip & Ruth Hettleman Prize

Assistant Professor, Blossom Damania, is the 2008 winner of the Phillip & Ruth Hettleman Prize for artistic and scholarly achievement by a young faculty member.  Dr. Damania will be presenting at a lecture ceremony on April 8, 2009 at The Carolina Club, "KSHV: Oncogenic Rewiring of the Cell Signaling Circuitry."

American Academy of Microbiology

Nancy Raab-Traub, a Kenan Distinguished Professor, was elected in February 2009 to the Fellowship in the American Academic of Microbiology in recognition of her scientific achievement and original contributions in the advancement of microbiology.  Fellows of the Academy are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process.

UNC Professor Elected to American Academy of Microbiology Board

Tuesday, March 10, 2009 — Peter H. Gilligan, Ph.D., a professor in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, was elected to the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Microbiology.

In addition, to serving on the board, Gilligan will serve as the dean of the American College of Microbiology. The college oversees the society’s certification and accreditation programs.

American Association of Immunologists has elected Dr. Jeffrey Frelinger as the 2009-2010 Vice President.

Endeavors Magazine Articles

Dr. Ray Pickles and graduate student Meg Scull discuss bird flu.  Visit http://research.unc.edu/endeavors/spr2009/bird_flu_big_step.php to read the article in the Spring 2009 issue of Endeavors, written by M&I graduate student Beth Mole.  

Dr. Bill Goldman discusses his lab's research on histoplasmosis.  Visit http://research.unc.edu/endeavors/fall2009/the_pharaohs_curse.php to read the article in the Fall 2009 issue of Endavors, written by former M&I graduate student Jessica McCann.