News | Department of Microbiology and Immunology

New Research Shows That Bacteria Get “Hangry,” Too

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. Have you ever been so hungry that you become angry, otherwise known as “hangry?” … Read more

Kelly Olsen defends her PhD!

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 shared, leukemia-specific minor histocompatibility antigens … Read more

Scientists Create Long-acting Injectable Drug Delivery System for Tuberculosis

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. To address that problem, scientists with the UNC Department of Medicine, the UNC Institute for Global … Read more

9th Annual Graduate Student Welcome Event

The Department of Microbiology & Immunology at UNC Chapel Hill held their 9th Annual Graduate Student Welcome event on May 20th, 2022. The program commenced with a symposium where new students presented on their chosen research projects. Families and guests of the students were invited to tour the Microbiology & Immunology facilities and attended an … Read more

Microbiology and Immunology trainees attend spring social event

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 their peers. The organizers also … Read more

8th Annual Graduate Student Welcome Event

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 Hill were welcomed in-person for … Read more

Shrestha wins 2021 Sharp Award

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, and the independence in their … Read more

Fall ‘20 and Spring ‘21 Graduates of the UNC Chapel Hill Department of Microbiology & Immunology

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 Chapel Hill Peter Xu (Serody … Read more

Dinnon receives 2021 Manire Award

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 investigate disease progression and treatments. … Read more

Casazza and Lopez awarded Dissertation Completion Fellowships

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 for MCRO students, 11 of … Read more