AIM2 is well known to be involved in activation of the inflammasome, but how AIM2 is linked to tumor suppression is not well understood. A new Nature Medicine article from M&I Professor Jenny Ting’s group shows that AIM2-mediated restriction of tumorigenesis in colitis-associated colon cancer is through a mechanism that is independent of inflammasome activation … Read more

M&I Professor Steve Bachenheimer was honored on June 12 at a retirement luncheon celebrating his faculty years at UNC. Over 60 guests heard Gail Wertz, Jack Griffith, Ron Swanstrom, Dirk Dittmer, Nat Moorman, and Steve’s son, Aaron, pay tribute to Steve’s life and career. Thanks to Jack for capturing some wonderful candid photos, which you … Read more

M&I Professor Jenny Ting reflects on her career and research directions, past and present, in a UNC News feature at the link below. Leading immune system discovery at the molecular level

An article on former M&I Chair Fred Sparling discusses his career choices before and during his long history at UNC. This year, Fred was selected to give the Kober Lecture at the joint meeting of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. The Kober Lectureship is the AAP’s highest honor, … Read more

n the UNC News article at the link below, M&I Professor Nancy Fisher discusses new equipment and capabilities for the Flow Cytometry Core, which will be moving into Marsico Hall soon. Flow Cytometry Core Facility Secures Equipment Grants

It’s that time of year when graduate students, having finished their research rotations, choose both a laboratory and a doctoral program to complete the requirements for their PhD. M&I is one of 14 doctoral programs that are selected by students who have been admitted through one of two interdisciplinary portals: the Biological and Biomedical Sciences … Read more

M&I alumnus Josh Hall, Director of UNC’s postbac program PREP, is also the organizer of the annual NC DNA Day, an innovative science outreach initiative. On April 24, UNC graduate students and postdocs served as “ambassadors” to high schools throughout North Carolina, talking to teenagers about science and the life of scientists. The DNA Day … Read more

May 2015 Graduate degree candidates: Lydia Aybar successfully defended her dissertation in July 2014. Lydia’s research, conducted in the laboratory of Ronald Falk, revealed that reduced numbers of regulatory B cells in patients with active anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated (ANCA) vasculitis permit increased circulating autoantibodies. Dr. Aybar is currently a postdoc at UNC’s Kidney Center, continuing … Read more

December 2014 Graduates: Justin Callaway successfully defended his dissertation in October 2014. Justin conducted his research in the lab of Dr. Jenny Ting. His research identified that dengue virus immune complexes induce elevated inflammatory cytokine expression by activating a signaling axis through spleen tyrosine kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2. Dr. Callaway will … Read more

Sixteen M&I graduate students completed their PhD work during this past academic year and are eligible to participate in the doctoral hooding ceremony at the Dean Smith Center on May 9. Below are short summaries of their doctoral work and current activities/plans. August 2014 Graduates: Myra dela Pena graduated in August 2014. Her doctoral research … Read more