Past News & Announcements
Protein Characterized that Could Lead to New Anti-TB Treatment Path
November 2017: Kathryn Rahlwes, Ph.D. candidate and first author, recently had findings published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Yasu Morita, Kathryn Rahlwes and a team of researchers for the first time have characterized a protein involved in making a glycolipid compound found in the TB cell wall, which is critical for the disease-causing Mycobacterium to become infectious. This discovery is a step towards a new possible anti-TB treatment path. The findings reported in the article, "The cell envelope-associated phospholipid-binding protein LmeA is required for mannan polymerization in mycobacteria," was also featured in several other news outlets: UMass Amherst News, EurekAlert! and MicroNow. Read more...
In Memory of Martin Wilder, Ph.D.
October 2017: Martin Wilder, Professor Emeritus of Microbiology, passed away on October 6, 2017, in Sarasota, Florida. Dr. Wilder joined the Microbiology faculty at the University of Massachusettts in 1968. Dr. Wilder taught medical microbiology and pathogenic bacteriology in the Department until his retirement from the University in 1993. Read more...
Microbiology Club
October 2017: Interested in learning more about Microbiology? Want to connect with other students and Microbiology faculty? Join the Microbiology Club for Undergraduates on October 18 at 6:00 p.m. in 610N of the Life Science Laboratory to learn more. Read more...
Siegrist Receives NIH Grant to study TB
October 2017: Sloan Siegrist has received a five-year, $2.3 million National Institutes of Health New Innovator Award to study the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. New Innovator Awards are designed to support unusually innovative research from early career investigators. Read more...
What is AMB?
October 2017: Don’t know what to do with your bachelor’s degree? Do you like to work with your hands? Are you curious, creative and like science? Do you want to work in biotech? Please join Applied and Molecular Biotechnology Advisor, Jeffrey Kane, on Monday, October 30, at 6:30 p.m. in Skinner 112 to find out more about this unique one year accelerated master’s program focused on the skills you can apply in a career in biotech.
Microbiology Welcomes Two New Faculty Members
August 2017: Microbiology welcomes two new faculty members to the Department. In September 2017, Dr. Mandy Muller, will join the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the field of virology and host-pathogen interactions. In January 2017, Dr. Barry Goodell joined the faculty as a Research Professor. Dr. Goodell's research focuses on biomass deconstruction by fungi; fungal and neurodegenerative disease and biomaterials structural durability.
Emily Melzer Awarded Traineeship
August 2017: Emily Melzer has been awarded a two-year traineeship through the Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) Program, an NIH-funded predoctoral training program. The pre-doctoral training program aims to produce a grouop of chemists who have also received significant training in biology and of biologists who have also received significant training in chemistry, without sacrificing in-depth training in a core discipline. Ms. Melzer is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Microbiology Assistant Professor, Sloan Siegrist. Read more...
In Memory of Elizabeth Stuart, Ph.D.
June 2017: AMHERST – Dr. Elizabeth Sutton Stuart passed away June 29, 2017, at Fisher Home in Amherst, which provided a place of comfort and peace for her and her family these last few weeks.
Dr. Stuart worked at the University of Massachusetts for 40 years and most recently in the Microbiology Department where she held the position of Associate Professor and Director of Chlamydia Vaccine Research. Read more...
Shelley Thibodo Retirement
June 2017: Shelley Thibodo retired from the Department of Microbiology on June 3, after 38 years of service to the University. She served as the undergraduate program director and advisor to Microbiology majors. In addition to these roles she was the instructor for junior year writing and medical microbiology. Congratulations!
Corelle Rokicki Awarded ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship
May 2017: Corelle Rokicki, a Microbiology junior, was recently selected to participate in the ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program (ASM-URF). Under the fellowship program, ASM recognizes rising young scientists who will represent the society and themselves to their full potential. The fellowship includes a summer stipend and travel funds to attend the ASM Microbe Academy for Professional Development (MAPD) and ASM Microbe Meeting. Ms. Rokicki is currently working on research in the lab of Yasu Morita, Assistant Professor of Microbiology.
Local Newspaper Features Science Column by Bryan Salas-Santiago
April 2017: Bryan Salas-Santiago, a graduate student in John Lopes' lab, recently started writing a science column in El Sol Latino, a newspaper geared towards the local latino community.
Vincent Giacalone Selected as Rising Researcher
April 2017: Vincent Giacalone, a Microbiology senior, has been selected to receive the 2016-2017 Rising Researcher student achievement award. The award will be presented at a reception on April 12, 2017. Mr. Giacalone has been working in the laboratory of Dr. Wilmore Webley on research related to infections that cause asthma in children. In Fall of 2017 he will continue on to pursue a Ph.D. in Immunology at Emory University.
Department of Microbiology