The Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science has announced that Blossom Damania, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, has been selected to be a 2017 AAAS Fellow. Each year, the Council considers thousands of nominations from all branches of science and selects Fellows from those whose “efforts on behalf of the … Read more
M&I Assistant Professor Nilu Goonetilleke will head an NIH U01-sponsored multidisciplinary research effort to test a therapeutic vaccine in people living with HIV. Strengthening and redirecting the immune system’s anti-HIV response are the primary goals of the $5.6M five-year study. “The first generation of this vaccine produced an impressive immune response in people living … Read more
On Wednesday, May 24, fourteen PhD students and two MD-PhD students joined M&I and embarked on the dissertation phase of their predoctoral training. We celebrate this transition each year with a symposium featuring short talks on the students’ final rotation projects, followed by a “white coat ceremony” (see picture below), followed by a reception to … Read more
Congratulations to M&I faculty member Gina Donato, who is the recipient of the 2017 Spurgeon Faculty Appreciation Award. Each year, the first year DDS students nominate a faculty member for this honor, and this is the second year in a row that the students have selected Gina in recognition for her outstanding work as Course … Read more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded contract will allow UNC researchers to develop serological diagnostics for the Zika virus, which could mean more accurate testing for potential recent and remote exposure to the virus. De Silva lab awarded $3 million federal contract to develop Zika test
Congratulations to M&I Professor Jenny Ting, who is one of this year’s recipients of the Hyman L. Battle Distinguished Cancer Research Award: Earp, Ting recognized for career achievements in cancer research
Congratulations to Christof Smith, winner of the 2017 D. Gordon Sharp Graduate Innovator Award. In his dissertation work in Jon Serody’s lab, Christof has been developing approaches to exploit neoantigens for anti-tumor therapy. Tumor neoantigens newly arise from mutations in tumor cells and therefore are recognized as foreign by the immune system, facilitating immunotherapy. Christof’s … Read more
The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is pleased to announce that Vivien Maltez is the 2017 recipient of the G. Philip Manire Graduate Student Excellence in Research Award. For her dissertation work in Ed Miao’s lab, Vivien has been exploring the role of inflammasomes in protection against pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. By provoking the innate … Read more
After more than 20 years as an M&I faculty member, Ed Collins has moved to Pfizer (in Sanford, NC), where he will be working on the pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar. Ed’s expertise in structural biochemistry and immunology has been the stimulus of many collaborative relationships at UNC, and he has also been highly regarded for his … Read more
