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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.

Cortez Bowlin, Ph.D., under the mentorship of Michael Gray, Ph.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology, has been appointed for the 2024-2025 Dr. Louis Sullivan Science Policy Fellowship at Research!America.

J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, Ph.D., professor and chair of the UAB Department of Microbiology, recently attended the International Society for Antiviral Research (ISAR) annual conference in Gold Coast, Australia, where he presented the Diversity in Science and Excellence Award.

Geethika Polepalli, a second-year undergraduate majoring in Immunology and on the pre-medicine track at UAB, 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.

The UAB Department of Microbiology would like to welcome its newest graduate students, who joined the department in June 2024. These students will support research being conducted in the labs of our faculty members. 

"Having graduate students gain valuable research experience by mentoring under the leadership of our esteemed faculty members is a unique aspect of our department," said J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, Ph.D., professor and department chair. "We welcome the knowledge these promising scientists will bring to our department's research efforts." 

Charles Turnbough, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the UAB Department of Microbiology, has been selected as a recipient of the National Institute of Health (NIH) R21 Grant for his study, “Describing the stable, non-covalent BclA-BxpB attachment in B. anthracis spores."

Nick Lennemann, Ph.D. presenting at the Virology in Progress Seminar on May 17, 2024.The UAB Department of Microbiology is proud to announce the launch of two innovative seminar series to foster collaboration and advance research within the scientific community.

These series provide an invaluable platform for researchers and trainees to share findings, exchange ideas, and build meaningful partnerships across the campus.

Lochlain Corliss, a Ph.D. candidate in the UAB Department of Microbiology, recently received an F31 grant from the NIH. Corliss is a trainee in the lab of Nicholas Lennemann, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology.Lochlain Corliss, a Ph.D. candidate in UAB’s Graduate Biomedical Sciences program, was recently awarded a prestigious two-year F31 grant from the NIH for her research titled “Elucidating the proteolytic determinants of flavivirus infection.” Corliss is training in the lab of Nicholas Lennemann, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology.

Unraveling the mystery of long COVID is like solving a complex puzzle. After recovering from an initial COVID-19 infection, some people continue to experience a range of troublesome symptoms that can last for months or even years.

J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, Ph.D., department chair and professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology, and Frances Lund, Ph.D., professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology and director of the UAB Immunology Institute, were recently recognized by Anupam Agarwal, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the Heersink School of Medicine, as newly appointed endowed chairs.

Louis B. Justement, Ph.D., professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology, has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in the section of medical sciences for his distinguished contributions to the field of immunology and outstanding service in science policy, particularly in increasing diversity and education.

The annual UAB Service Awards honor employees who have made significant career commitments to UAB by recognizing them at each five-year milestone. The Department of Microbiology is proud to honor the following employees for service milestones as of the conclusion of the 2023 calendar year.

The UAB Department of Microbiology has undergone a remarkable journey of growth and transformation since its founding in 1945. Initially consisting of just three faculty members primarily focused on anti-infectives research, the department's trajectory shifted dramatically with the recruitment of immunologists, notably Raymond Hiramoto, Ph.D., in 1966.

The 36th Bertram M. Marx Endowed Lecture hosted by the UAB Department of Microbiology took place on March 11, 2024, and featured distinguished immunologist and 40-year UAB career veteran Max D. Cooper, M.D. Cooper is known for his research characterizing T cells and B cells and having made numerous unprecedented contributions to the field of immunology. Cooper's presentation was titled "Evolution of Lymphocyte-Based Immunity."

Amarshi Mukherjee, M.Sc., Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the UAB Department of Microbiology, recently received two awards for his work at UAB’s Postdoc Research Day, an event designed to showcase the research of UAB Postdoctoral Scholars and to promote networking and collaboration among trainees.

Frances Lund, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Microbiology and director of the Heersink School of Medicine Immunology Institute, has ranked 10th nationally out of 1,000 principal investigators in the fields of microbiology, immunology, and virology, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research report for 2023. Lund earned the ranking after securing more than $5.2 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.

An ongoing lecture series within the UAB Department of Microbiology celebrating nearly 40 years since its establishment has brought a wealth of knowledge to the UAB research community among its distinguished lecturers.

The UAB Department of Microbiology has been ranked No. 12 in the country among 96 other microbiology departments, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research report for 2023. This represents a substantial climb from its position at No. 16 in 2022.

Max D. Cooper, M.D.Distinguished immunologist and 40-year career veteran of UAB, Max D. Cooper, M.D., will be returning to UAB on March 11 as this year’s lecturer for the 36th Bertram M. Marx Endowed Lecture, hosted by the UAB Department of Microbiology. Cooper is known for his research characterizing T cells and B cells and having made numerous unprecedented contributions to the field of immunology.