In the July 18 issue of PLOS Pathogens, Dirk Dittmer’s lab profiles circulating microRNAs associated with KSHV pathogenesis, revealing the potential of miRNA analysis for the diagnosis of diseases like Kaposi’s sarcoma and Primary Effusion Lymphoma. Postdoc Pauline Chugh is the first author on this paper, and collaborators include M&I faculty Blossom Damania, Jack Griffith … Read more

The July 2nd “Early Edition” of PNAS included an article from Nancy Raab-Traub’s lab that describes the impact of EBV and KSHV on the proteomes of B-cell exosomes. Postdoc David Meckes (first author) was selected to give a talk about this work at the 38th Annual International Herpesvirus Workshop. Access the article through PubMed.

From Terry Magnuson, Vice Dean for Research: After a productive and successful tenure as Associate Dean and Director of the Office of Graduate Education (OGE), Dr. Virginia Miller has elected to step down to devote her full effort to her research program in the Departments of Genetics and Microbiology & Immunology. Virginia was recruited to … Read more

In 1995, Bruce Alexander was hired by M&I to manage the medical microbiology laboratory sessions, and his role in the Department’s teaching enterprise has been expanding ever since then. Bruce has been serving as the coordinator for the first year medical student microbiology/immunology course; supervising the TAs and staff of the laboratory sessions for medical, … Read more

… with quotes from organizer Cheryl Miller (M&I student).

The UNC Simmons Scholar Program announced in April that M&I Assistant Professor Rita Tamayo will receive one of their career development awards. Originally established in 1994 by Dean Michael Simmons, this program has many goals, including recruitment of talented and diverse faculty members as well as salary support for junior faculty who will serve as … Read more

If you heard Yisong Wan’s talk at the M&I Symposium on May 16, you had a nice preview of his paper now appearing as an Advance Online Publication in Nature Immunology. Go to PubMed to check out the article that demonstrates a fundamental role for transcription factor GATA-3 in T cell function.

Congratulations to M&I Professor Roland Tisch, who was presented with the Living & Giving Award at The Hope Gala on April 27. This prestigious charity event is sponsored by the regional chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to raise funds for type 1 diabetes research. The annual award recognizes “outstanding community leaders who have … Read more

It’s that time of year when most first-year BBSP students select a dissertation lab and a graduate program, having completed at least three rotations. On May 23rd, fourteen BBSP presented their most recent rotation research at an all-afternoon symposium. Afterwards, department faculty and students welcomed them at a reception – many thanks to Michelle Palacios … Read more

Great to see so many of you at our first M&I Symposium and Alumni Reunion on May 16th! Fifty alumni joined more than 170 students, postdocs, faculty, staff, and colleagues with current or past connections to our Department. The program’s 13 talks – six by alumni and seven by M&I junior faculty – were followed … Read more