Author Archives: charisse

Adam Rosenthal, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, shows that genetically identical cells within a bacterial community have different functions, with some members behaving more docile and others producing the very toxins that make us feel ill.

Kelly Olsen defended her doctoral dissertation, Shared Minor Histocompatibility Antigen Discovery and Targeting in the Context of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant for Hematologic Malignancies. The presentation took place on Friday, February 24, 2023. Her research, which was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Benjamin Vincent, focused on the discovery of...

In 2020, more than 1.5 million people around the world died of tuberculosis (TB), marking the first time in more than a decade that annual TB deaths had increased and demonstrating the global need for better access to treatments.

“I, [NAME], have entered the serious pursuit of new knowledge as a member of the community of scientists in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. As I embark on my Ph.D. training, I willingly pledge the following: I will contribute constructively to...

On January 20th, student representatives from the Microbiology and Immunology (M&I) Student Leaders Planning Committee held a social event for M&I trainees. The occasion, attended by twenty graduate students and two post-docs, welcomed trainees to the Spring semester. All enjoyed several rounds of games, and the opportunity to network amongst...

On July 26th, 2021, the M&I Department held their 8th annual Graduate Student Welcome event. Family members and guest of new students participated via Zoom from across the country to learn about life as a graduate student, UNC Chapel Hill, and the MCRO Ph.D. program. Department members located in Chapel...

The winner of the 2021 Sharp Award was Bhawana “Suruchi” Shrestha (Lai lab). The D. Gordon Sharp Graduate Innovator Award, established in 2014, is given annually in memory of Dr. D. Gordon Sharp, recognizing his innovation, curiosity, and mentorship to graduate students. Students receiving this award exhibit exceptional creativity, perseverance,...

We are delighted to acknowledge the following 14 Microbiology and Immunology graduate students who earned their Ph.D. degrees. Graduates and their immediate career plans follow: Clare Gyorke (Nagaragjan lab), medical writer at Ashfield MedComms Derek Carbaugh (Lazear lab), scientist at Asklepios BioPharmaceuticals (PA) Olivia Council (Swanstrom lab), postdoc at UNC...

The winner of the 2021 Manire Award was Kenneth (Kenny) H. Dinnon III (Baric lab).  Dinnon’s began his graduate research studying Zika virus, Dengue virus, MERS, and the antiviral drug, remdesivir. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In response, Dinnon created a mouse model for SAR-CoV-2 infection that was used to...

Becca Casazza (Lazear lab) and Lacey Lopez (Arthur lab) were awarded Dissertation Completion Fellowships for the 2021-22 academic year. The fellowships, awarded by The Graduate School, provide at least $18,000 in stipend, and pay tuition, fees, and health insurance in full. Casazza and Lopez continue a long line of success...