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2021

  • 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

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    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

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    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

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    Tian wins 2022 Junior Faculty Development Award

    Vaccination efforts over the past century have provided numerous benefits for society, such as the ability to travel and meet friends and family during the holidays. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only reminded us all not to take these vaccines for granted, but also provided a glimpse into the future where the spread of warmer … Read more

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    Wolfgang granted Creativity Hub Pilot Pre-Proposal Award

    Matthew Wolfgang, associate professor of microbiology and immunology and member of the Marsico Lung Institute, has been granted a UNC Creativity Hubs Pilot Pre-Proposal Award by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. The Creativity Hubs Award program was formed to foster multidisciplinary research for the development of novel discoveries and unique solutions to … Read more

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    Inhalon Biopharma Receives $7 Million from USAMRDC to Study Inhaled “Muco-trapping” Antibody for the Treatment of COVID-19: Sam Lai Article

    Inhalon Biopharma Receives $7 Million from USAMRDC to Study Inhaled “Muco-trapping” Antibody for the Treatment of COVID-19 DURHAM, N.C., May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Inhalon Biopharma, a start-up immunotherapy company developing an inhaled “muco-trapping” antibody platform for treating a variety of acute respiratory infections (ARI), today announced that it has been awarded a $7 million contract … Read more

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    Antibodies Stop Sperm in Their Tracks: Sam Lai Article

    Engineered antibodies trap and immobilize human sperm in the reproductive tract of female sheep, paving the way for possible use as a nonhormonal contraceptive in people. Currently, most available birth control options are barrier methods or rely on hormones to prevent fertilization of an egg—both of which have drawbacks, such as discomfort or side effects, … Read more

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    Dr. Jason Whitmire awarded DoD Investigator-Initiated Research Award

    Jason Whitmire, PhD (Professor, Department of Genetics, Department of Microbiology & Immunology), was awarded a Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award by the US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity of the Department of Defense (DoD). This four year award titled “Pathogenic T Cells in Guillain Barre Syndrome”, is a collaborative project with … Read more