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2017

  • Conlon lab: Altering antibiotic susceptibility in chronic co-infections

      CHAPEL HILL NC – Scientists at the UNC School of Medicine have found that a bacterium can become much more or less susceptible to an antibiotic depending on the specific bacterial community in its midst. The scientists found specifically that the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa can produce specific molecular factors that dramatically increase or decrease … Read more

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    The rebirth of Mary Ellen Jones

    For nearly four decades, the Mary Ellen Jones Building (originally called FLOB for Faculty Laboratory Office Building) was home to the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. Part of the renovation process is a complete facelift to make her appear as if she’s the sister of Marsico Hall, where most of M&I now lives. The photos … Read more

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    Blossom Damania named as AAAS Fellow

      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

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    Goonetilleke lab: Therapeutic vaccine for HIV

      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

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    UNC’s Ned Sharpless to head NCI

      Trump names Sharpless to lead U.S. cancer institute

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    Welcome, new M&I graduate students!

    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

  • Gina Donato Received Spurgeon Faculty Appreciation Award

    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

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    De Silva and colleagues: Serological diagnostics for Zika

      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

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    Jenny Ting honored with Battle Cancer Research Award

      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

  • Christof Smith receives the D. Gordon Sharp Graduate Innovator Award

    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

  • Vivien Maltez receives G. Philip Manire Graduate Student Excellence in Research Award

    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

  • Ed Collins in 2017

    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

  • Lorrie Cramer selected for 2017 Johnston Teaching Excellence Award

    Congratulations to M&I faculty member Lorrie Cramer, who was honored last night with a Johnston Teaching Excellence Award. These annual awards were established in 1991 to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching at UNC, and this is Lorrie’s second time as an awardee (the first was in 2009). Lorrie received the award in front of more … Read more

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    Oliver Smithies, 1925-2017

      I am sad to relay the news that our friend and colleague Oliver Smithies died after a brief illness. Oliver joined the UNC faculty in 1988 and was awarded a Nobel Prize in 2007 for “discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells.” The list … Read more