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The 30th Annual Gail Cassell Microbiology Research Retreat was held Nov. 8-10, 2024, at Joe Wheeler State Park. The event brought together faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, and alumni for a weekend of scientific collaboration in a relaxing setting.

1988 RetreatFor three decades, the annual Gail Cassell Microbiology Research Retreat has brought together members of the UAB Department of Microbiology for a weekend of shared knowledge, thought-provoking discussion, and in-person camaraderie in a collaborative setting. From hosting notable keynote speakers to gathering department members in serene locations, the retreat has provided a productive platform for scientific enrichment.

Diana Battaglia, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the UAB Department of Microbiology, was recently awarded the Postdoctoral Scholar Peer Award from the UAB Graduate School and Office of Global Affairs.

Amarshi Mukherjee, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Microbiology, recently received the Blazing Dragon Award from the Office of Postdoctoral Education for his involvement in the Dokland Lab. This award reflects a lone postdoc contributor's unique role in their lab, blazing a trail with their unique insights and efforts.

The UAB Department of Microbiology welcomed Gürkan Mollaoğlu, Ph.D., as an assistant professor in October 2024.

Terje Dokland, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Microbiology, spends his time on UAB's campus studying the world on a microscopic level. In his free time, however, he takes to the stage. 

The Department of Microbiology would like to acknowledge a handful of recent administrative and HR-related updates happening as of fall 2024.

Hui Hu, Ph.D. has been promoted from associate professor to professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology, effective October 1, 2024.

This achievement highlights his dedication as an immunologist with expertise in the transcriptional regulation of adaptive immunity, showcasing his exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing research in his field.

Carlos Orihuela, Ph.D., will be taking sabbatical leave from Oct. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024, to study in the lab of Jan-Willem Veening, Ph.D., at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. While there, he will be giving talks at the University of Lausanne, the Pasteur Institute, the University of Geneva, and the University of Zurich. 

Sara Edmonds, a Ph.D. candidate in UAB’s Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) program, was recently awarded a prestigious two-year, $82,712 F31 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for her research title “The role of capsule production on the physiology of an oral commensal.” Edmonds is training in the lab of Jessica Scoffield, Ph.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology.

The UAB Department of Microbiology is proud to have a chapter in the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).

Carlos Orihuela, Ph.D., was recently named to an endowed professorship position in the UAB Department of Microbiology. In addition, Elena Frolova, Ph.D., was named Professor Emeritus in the Department of Microbiology.

Suzanne M. Michalek, Ph.D., Ken B. Waites, M.D., FAAM, David Chaplin, M.D., Ph.D. In the midst of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the UAB Department of Microbiology emerged as a leading force, driving groundbreaking research and response efforts. However, the department's influence over the next few decades, specifically from the late 1990s through present-day, extended far beyond this global crisis, as it also made remarkable advancements in other key areas of scientific research and public health.

Jan Novak, Ph.D., distinguished professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology, has received a competing continuation for an R01 grant from the NIH for his study, “Molecular Basis of Pathogenicity of IgA1-containing Immune Complexes,” with a total award of $643,133 for the current year, and a total award of $2,505,094 for 4 years. This marks the 15th year of this award, with the overall project spanning from June 1, 2007 to March 31, 2028.

Masakazu Kamata, Ph.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology, has been selected as a recipient of an R01 grant from the NIH for his study, “The resurgence of antibody-drug conjugates via PMPC-polymer engineering.”

Allan Zajac, Ph.D., has been appointed as the Vice Chair for Strategic Planning, Finance, and Research within the UAB Department of Microbiology.

Zajac, who first came to UAB in 1999, officially assumed the chair of Vice Chair for Strategic Planning, Finance and Research on Aug. 1, 2024. In the new role, he said he looks forward to advocating for his colleagues within the department.

Jessica Lane, a Ph.D. candidate in UAB’s Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) program, was recently awarded a prestigious two-year, $85,000 F31 grant from the NIH for her research focused on Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) disease. Lane is training in the lab of Carlos Orihuela, Ph.D., Triton Endowed Professor in Microbiology, in the UAB Department of Microbiology.

The shift from research to teaching can be transformative and inspiring in academia. Heather Bruns, Ph.D., professor and Vice Chair for Education in the UAB Department of Microbiology, Louis Justement, Ph.D., professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology, and Jared Taylor, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology, vividly illustrate this shift.

Summer trips often inspire us to keep our smartphone cameras at hand to capture sunny locales and shared adventures. However, for one scientist in the UAB Department of Microbiology, telling stories of her travels through the lens of a camera is more of a calling—one meant to inspire and excite those who view her photographs.

Gayatri Kavumkal, a second-year UAB undergraduate student on the pre-medicine track majoring in Cancer Biology and minoring in Chemistry, has been selected for the 2024 Honors College Presidential Honors Fellowship program. Each summer, the Presidential Honors Fellowship program gives students across a variety of fields of study the chance to conduct research related to their majors or areas of interest with a monetary stipend and guidance from faculty mentors.