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UAB reports Blue Ridge results, marked by departmental progressApril 2, 2026A rise in research funding within UAB’s Department of Family and Community Medicine highlights its expanding research impact. -
2026 pilot grant awardees announced for the Mary Heersink Institute for Global HealthApril 2, 2026The UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, in conjunction with the UAB Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation, proudly announces the fifth cohort of pilot grant awardees.Four innovative projects have received pilot funding to encourage collaboration between UAB investigators and international partners, tackling critical global health challenges. -
Internationally-recognized immunologist Dr. E. John Wherry to present 38th Bertram M. Marx Endowed LectureMarch 19, 2026The UAB Department of Microbiology will welcome E. John Wherry, Ph.D., as its keynote speaker for the 38th Bertram M. Marx Endowed Lecture on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 3 p.m. in ALGEN 102. -
Inside the flu: The science behind the virusMarch 17, 2026As the flu lingers late into the season, many are asking how it spreads so easily and which precautionary steps actually help. To separate the science from the noise, three UAB experts, representing the departments of Microbiology and Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, outline what happens in the body during infection and how to slow transmission. -
UAB Microbiology celebrates 2025 Service Awards recipientsMarch 17, 2026UAB recently recognized nine individuals for their years of service in the Department of Microbiology, ranging from five years up to 20 years. The UAB Service Awards honors employees who have made a significant career commitment to UAB with recognition happening at every five-year milestone. -
Bowlin awarded prestigious Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Postdoctoral FellowshipMarch 17, 2026Cortez Bowlin, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Microbiology, has been selected for a Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions (MSCA) Global Fellowship, one of the European Union’s most competitive and respected research awards. -
UAB researchers reveal why some transplants trigger harmful antibody responsesMarch 12, 2026When a patient undergoes an organ transplant, failure to match the donor and recipient can lead to the recipient's immune system attacking the new organ, a process triggered by a specific HLA (human leukocyte antigen) protein. -
DEAL kicks off with new cohort of high-potential staff of UAB and UAB MedicineFebruary 26, 2026Twenty-nine employees were selected for the 2026 cohort of the Developing Emerging Administrative Leaders program, which exposes promising staff members to the essential components of administrative and management positions across UAB. Meet the new class. -
Department of Microbiology Grants Club aims to strengthen faculty grant applications through collaboration and feedbackFebruary 17, 2026A new initiative in the UAB Department of Microbiology aims to bring faculty together each month to strengthen grant applications through collaborative feedback, idea sharing, and peer support. -
Cassell gift to support creation of Peter Burrows, Ph.D., Distinguished Alumni Lecture SeriesDecember 22, 2025Gail Cassell, Ph.D., former chair of the Department of Microbiology, has pledged an annual gift to support the Peter Burrows, Ph.D., Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series. The series will be a standing feature at the department’s annual faculty retreat and will feature a distinguished alumnus, who will be awarded the honor of Peter Burrows, Ph.D., Distinguished Alumnus. -
17 Leaders graduate from Institute for Leadership, Cohort 11December 18, 2025UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) celebrated the graduation of the 11th cohort from the Institute for Leadership on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. -
Uncovering how pneumonia-related bacteria may lead to deadly heart conditionsDecember 4, 2025A new study reveals how a bacterial gene and FIVAR-equipped proteins allow pneumonia bacteria to invade heart cells, causing severe cardiac damage. -
Department hosts 31st Gail Cassell Microbiology Research RetreatNovember 26, 2025The UAB Department of Microbiology hosted the 31st Gail Cassell Microbiology Research Retreat Nov. 21-23 at Joe Wheeler State Park. The event represents a decades-long tradition bringing together faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and alumni for a weekend showcasing the best of the department’s research. -
Heersink faculty honored at Fall 2025 Endowed Chairs and Professorships ReceptionNovember 24, 2025On Thursday, Nov. 20., the Heersink School of Medicine honored 20 faculty members at the Fall 2025 Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception. This event recognizes Heersink faculty who have made major contributions to research, education, and clinical care. -
‘From pizza to proteases:’ Highlighting Lennemann’s career path toward becoming a molecular virologistNovember 13, 2025In a new paper published in mSPhere, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, Nicholas Lennemann, Ph.D., reflects on this career journey, highlighting the significance of mentorship and supportive work environments in shaping his career. -
10 faculty members complete UAB LEAD Program, Cohort 7October 30, 2025UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) celebrated ten distinguished faculty members from the seventh cohort of the LEading, Advancing, Developing (LEAD) at a graduation ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 23. -
UAB Microbiology hosts 2025 Susan Roberts Dubay Endowed Lecture featuring Lora Hooper, Ph.D.October 21, 2025The Department of Microbiology hosted the 2025 Susan Roberts Dubay Endowed Lecture on Oct. 14, welcoming Lora Hooper, Ph.D., as this year’s keynote speaker presenting, “How the microbiome harnesses vitamin A to shape gut immunity.” -
UAB delegation visits Africa to deepen collaborations with AHRI and CIDRZOctober 17, 2025From September 21-27, 2025, a delegation from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) traveled to South Africa and Zambia to enhance institutional partnerships aimed at improving global health outcomes. The UAB delegation included Alan Tita, M.D., Ph.D., senior associate dean for Global and Women’s Health; J. -
UAB Microbiology to host 2025 Susan Roberts Dubay Endowed Lecture featuring Lora Hooper, Ph.D.October 8, 2025The UAB Department of Microbiology will host the 2025 Susan Roberts Dubay Endowed Lecture on Oct. 14, welcoming Lora Hooper, Ph.D., as this year’s keynote speaker presenting, “Vitamin A and barrier immunity.” -
Leading innovation: Blazer Bridge Fund announces 2025 winnersSeptember 29, 2025The Blazer Bridge Fund encourages discovery among the UAB community by providing financial support to innovative ideas and inventions. -
Kearney to retire after half a century of innovation and mentorshipSeptember 25, 2025John Kearney, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Endowed Professor in Immunology in the UAB Department of Microbiology, will officially retire from UAB on Sept. 30, 2025, after more than five decades of service to the institution. -
SARS-CoV-2 drives lung foam cell formation linked to long-COVID damage, study findsSeptember 12, 2025A study published in Nature Microbiology shows that SARS-CoV-2 triggers foam cell formation in lungs, contributing to long-COVID lung damage, which can be mitigated by early antiviral treatment with molnupiravir. -
UAB Microbiology researchers present at IAS 2025 in RwandaAugust 28, 2025At a time when science is reimagining what it means to prevent and potentially cure HIV, UAB Microbiology researchers carried their discoveries to the global stage. -
UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office welcomes 11th cohort of Institute for LeadershipAugust 25, 2025UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office welcomed 18 individuals in its 11th cohort of Institute for Leadership in August 2025. -
UAB Department of Microbiology holds inaugural State of the Department addressAugust 25, 2025J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, Ph.D., professor and chair, Charles H. -
Groundbreaking research uncovers link between SARS-CoV-2 and lung foam cell formationAugust 22, 2025A multi-institutional study led by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) has revealed a previously underappreciated mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 infection contributes to long-term lung damage. -
New antibody therapy shows promise in reducing Zika virus in reproductive tissuesAugust 18, 2025UAB researchers say this study shows passive antibody therapy can dramatically reduce Zika virus infection in critical tissues that could potentially lead to decreased transmission of virus through sex and from pregnant mothers to their babies. -
With family by his side, UAB lab tech graduates with Ph.D.August 15, 2025Driven by a passion for discovery, a deep commitment to science and the support of his family, Joshua Huffines is graduating with a Ph.D. in microbiology. -
In the water: How pathogens like Legionella spread illnessAugust 13, 2025A recent deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York is a stark reminder that this invisible threat could be lurking in the water mist you breathe every day, from your shower to a decorative fountain or a building’s cooling towers. Though it feels like a new danger, the bacteria behind this illness have haunted public health for nearly 50 years. -
Gut check: How probiotics impact digestion and the body’s microbiomeAugust 7, 2025Digestion is often thought of as a simple process confined to the stomach; but the reality is far more intricate, as one UAB researcher shares.
The Bacterial Physiology and Pathogenesis Seminar Series aims to provide a platform for in-depth discussions and presentations on the latest developments in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis.
Join the Bacterial Physiology and Pathogenesis Seminar Series mailing list by filling out the form below.
David E. Wells Research Award
Request for Applications
An award ($1000) will be given for the best student presentation at the David E. Wells Memorial Symposium (December 6, 2022).
Eligibility
Any Ph.D. student in the fourth year of study or beyond mentored by a primary microbiology department faculty member is eligible to compete for this award.
Application Procedure
The first stage of the Wells Award is submission of a two-page synopsis of the student’s dissertation research and a curriculum vitae. The synopsis should include a detailed description of the project: goals and objectives, the hypothesis, a summary of results with interpretation and some discussion of how the work fits into the field.
After faculty review of these documents, the top three students will be selected and invited to participate in the annual UAB Department of Microbiology “David E. Wells Memorial Symposium” where they will deliver a 20-minute oral presentation describing their research to a panel of faculty judges, members of the department and the UAB research community. The presenters will have an opportunity answer questions from the audience and panel of judges.
Application Deadline
The deadline is November 4th. Please apply online and upload the packet as a single PDF.