The Department of Microbiology and Immunology supports seminars for faculty, invited speakers and graduate students. Unless otherwise noted, seminars take place on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. (or as noted), in Auditorium A at Queen Lane, or in the New College Building, or via Zoom webinar. For more information about upcoming seminars in the current schedule or in future schedules, contact Christine Kinsinger, administrative assistant.
2016
September 7, 2016: Deregulated NOTCH Signaling in Adult T-cell Leukemia
Speaker/Institution: Christophe Nicot, University of Kansas Medical Center
Host: P. Jain
September 14, 2016: 4th International Symposium on Molecular Medicine & Infectious Disease: Cancer and Pathogen Genomics
Prevention, Treatment and Cures
HIV Disease and NeuroAIDS
September 21, 2016: Compartmentalization of Metabolism at Physiological and Cellular Levels
Speaker/Institution: Nathanial Snyder, Drexel Autism Institute
Host: S. Kortagere
October 5, 2016: Interferon-alpha regulates the transcription and metabolism of hepadnaviral cccDNA
Speaker/Institution: Muhammad Sheraz, College of Medicine
Host: J.-T. Gou
October 12, 2016: Knowledge-Guided Integration of Biological Datasets to Increase Experimental Power
Speaker/Institution: Bernie Daigle, Univ of Memphis
Host: A. Vaidya
October 19, 2016: My Journey from DUCOM to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Through Fuels, Immunology, and Images
Speaker/Institution: Alfred H. J. Kim, Washington University
Host: J. Burns
November 2, 2016: Nutritional Immunity Promotes Pathoadaptation and Persistence of Haemophilus influenzae
Speaker/Institution: Kevin Mason, Ohio State Univ
Host: G. Ehrlich
November 16, 2016: Nutraceutical Apigenin regulates DC function in a Rel-B dependent manner during neuroinflammation
Speaker/Institution: Rashida Ginwala, Drexel
Host: P. Jain
December 7, 2016: Characterizing the germinal center response to DNA immunogens
Speaker/Institution: Ebony Gary, College of Medicine
Host: M. Kutzler
December 14, 2016: Defective viral genomes as key determinants of antiviral immunity during respiratory viral infections
Speaker/Institution: Carolina B. López, UPenn
Host: A. Carey
2017
January 11, 2017: "Do Bacteria Have Sex?" and Other Questions We've Gotten Wrong
Speaker/Institution: Rosie Redfield, University of British Columbia
Host: G. Ehrlich, J. Mell
January 18, 2017: Role of cGAS-STING Pathway in Control of HBV Replication
Speaker/Institution: Liudi Tang, College of Medicine
Host: J.-T. Guo
February 1, 2017: Speciation Cascades in Bacterial Diversification
Speaker/Institution: Jeff Lawrence, Pitt
Host: G. Ehrlich
February 15, 2017: Exploiting Natural Competence as a Genomic Tool for Understanding Bacterial Pathogenesis: A Case Study of Haemophilus influenzae in Otitis Media
Speaker/Institution: Kevin Raible, College of Medicine
Host: J. Mell
February 22, 2017
Speaker/Institution: Chris Moore, Arbutus Biopharma, Inc.
Host: B. Wigdahl
March 8, 2017: Investigating the Role of an Oxysterol Binding Protein in the Lipid Pipeline of Plasmodium falciparum
Speaker/Institution: Sezin Patel, College of Medicine
Host: A. Vaidya
March 15, 2017: Plasma Membrane Lipids and Their Role in Fungal Virulence
Speaker/Institution: Maurizio del Poeta, Stony Brook University
Host: B. Bergman
March 22, 2017: Pathogenesis of Invasive Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease
Speaker/Institution: Tara Randis, New York University
Host: A. Carey
April 5, 2017: Genetic Approaches to Cryptosporidiosis a Leading Cause of Global Child Mortality
Speaker/Institution: Boris Striepen, UGA
Host: A. Vaidya
April 12, 2017: Unusual Cytokinesis Pathways in the Early Divergent Trypanosomes
Speaker/Institution: Ziyin Li
, Univ of Texas Health Ctr
Host: H. Ke
April 19, 2017: Understanding the Role of Peptide Acaly18 in Modulating ER-Stress Responses and Glycosylation, and Its Impact on Pathological Diseases
Speaker/Institution: Aarti Ramanathan, College of Medicine
Host: C. Artlett
May 3, 2017: Investigating the role of an oxysterol binding protein in the lipid pipeline of Plasmodium falciparum
Speaker/Institution: Sezin Patel, College of Medicine
Host: A. Vaidya
September 6, 2017:
Influenza A Virus Infection of Neurons and Pathogenesis in the CNS
Speaker/Institution: Riley Williams, Drexel University
Host: Glenn Rall
September 13, 2017: Dopamine Increases in HIV Infection of Macrophage
Speaker/Institution: Peter Gaskill, Drexel University
Host: Mike Nonnemacher
September 20, 2017: Hepatitis B Virus Regulation of Metabolism: An Assessment in Established and Novel Hepatocyte Model Systems
Speaker/Institution: Ronak Loonawat, Drexel University
Host: Michael Bouchard
October 4, 2017: Porphyromonas gingivalis Pathogenesis and Kinship
Speaker/Institution: Ann Progulske-Fox, University of Florida
Host: Garth Ehrlich
October 11, 2017: Precision Medicine: Past, Present and Future
Speaker/Institution: Anne-Marie Martin, Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Host: Libby Blankenhorn
October 18: Deciphering the Pneumococcal Language
Speaker/Institution: Luisa Hiller, Carnegie Mellon University
Host: Garth Ehrlich
November 1, 2017: Role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in Protecting the Neonate During an Influenza Infection
Speaker/Institution: Ogan Kumova, Drexel University
Host: Alison Carey
November 8, 2017: Regulation and Perturbation of Myocyte Enhancer Factor2(MEF2) Activity in Adult T Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma
Speaker/Institution: Kiran Kumar Madugula, Drexel University
Host: Pooja Jain
November 15, 2017: International Symposium on Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease
December 13, 2017: From Influenza to HIV Vaccine: Targeting Common Elements
Speaker/Institution: Adrian McDermott, NIH
Host: Elias El Haddad
2018
January 10, 2018: Innate Immune Defense Against Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens
Speaker/Institution: Sunny Shin, University of Pennsylvania
Host: Jim Burns
January 17, 2018: Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children with ASD: The Chicken, or the Egg?Speaker/Institution: Steve Walker, Wake Forest
Host: Garth Ehrlich
January 24, 2018: RIGEL: Analytical System for Known and Unknown Microbial CharacterizationSpeaker/Institution: Willy A. Valdivia, Orion Integrated Biosciences Inc.
Host: Garth Ehrlich
POSTPONED: January 31, 2018: Towards Translational Evolutionary Biology Using the Lens of Genomics
Speaker/Institution: Vaughn Cooper, University of Pittsburgh
Host: Josh Mell
February 6, 2018: One Brain, Two Viruses
Speaker/Institution: Vincent Racaniello, Columbia University
Host: Sandra Urdaneta-Hartmann
February 14, 2018: The Cholera Bacterium: Human Pathogen and Bacterial Predator
Speaker/Institution: Stefan Pukatzki, University of Colorado
Host: Amy Ma
February 21, 2018: Discovering the Dark Matter of Microbial Secondary Metabolism
Speaker/Institution: Mohammad R. Seyedsayamdost, Princeton University
Host: Joris Beld
March 7, 2018: Examining the Functional Alterations of HIV-1 Tat Genetic Variants Within the Drexel Medicine CARES Cohort
Speaker/Institution: Anthony Mele, Drexel University
Host: Mike Nonnemacher
March 14, 2018: Designing Optimized gRNAs to Enhance CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated HIV-1 Transcriptional Silencing
Speaker/Institution: Cheng-han Chung, Drexel University
Host: Brian Wigdahl
March 21, 2018: Understanding and Overcoming Azole Antifungal Resistance in Candida glabrateSpeaker/Institution: P. David Rogers, University of Tennessee
Host: Bill Bergman
April 4, 2018: Dynamic Translational Repression Complexes and the Transmission of the Malaria Parasite
Speaker/Institution: Scott E. Linder, Penn State University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
April 11, 2018: Isoprenoids in Malaria Parasites: Metabolic Insights Leading to New Diagnostics
Speaker/Institution: Audrey Odom John, Washington University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
April 18, 2018: Taming a Plastid to Eradicate a Parasite
Speaker/Institution: Ellen Yeh, Stanford University
Host: Hangjun Ke
May 2, 2018: Seropositive vs. Seronegative Immune Response to Dengue Live Attenuated Vaccine in Humans
Speaker/Institution: Abdullah Izmirly, Drexel University
Host: Elias El Haddad, Michele Kutzler
September 6, 2018: Understanding Merozoite Invasion, or How to Make a Good JunctionSpeaker/Institution: Peter Preiser, Nanyang Technological University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
September 12, 2018: Omics Studies in Ecological Interactions
Speaker/Institution: Yves Moné, Drexel University
Host: G. Ehrlich
September 19, 2018: Novel Mechanisms of Triazole Antifungal Resistance in the Pathogenic Mold Aspergillus fumigatus
Speaker/Institution: David Rogers, University of Tennessee
Host: B. Bergman
October 3, 2018: Modulation of Epigenetic Regulators in Astrocytes: Role of Tat and EVs
Speaker/Institution: Prasun Datta, Temple University
Host: F. Krebs
October 10, 2018: Exploring and Exploiting Life-Cycle Stage Reprogramming in Protozoan Parasites
Speaker/Institution: Erik W. Debler, Thomas Jefferson
Host: A. Vaidya
October 17, 2018: Impact of Morphine and HIV-1 Tat on the Blood-Brain Barrier
Speaker/Institution: Jamie Marino, Drexel University College of Medicine
Host: M. Nonnemacher
October 24, 2018: Brain Endothelial EVs as Indicators of Vascular Remodeling and Facilitators for Immune CNS Access
Speaker/Institution: Servio Ramirez, Temple University
Host: P. Jain
November 7, 2018: 55th Annual Marion Spencer Fay Lecture and Award Presentation
Honoring Jean Bennett, MD, PhD: Seeing the Light With Retinol Gene Therapy: From Fantasy to Reality
November 14, 2018: Preclinical Development of a Trivalent Typhoid/Non-typhoidal Salmonella Glycoconjugate Vaccine for Sub-Saharan Africa
Speaker/Institution: Rafi Simon, University of Maryland
Host: M. Kutzler
December 5, 2018: Following Formation of Bacterial Persister Cells
Speaker/Institution: Phillip Palmer, Drexel University College of Medicine
Host: W. Dampier
December 12, 2018: Role of the Integrated Stress Response in Dysfunction of Multiple CNS Cell Types in HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorders
Speaker/Institution: Kelly Jordan-Sciutto, University of Pennsylvania
Host: M. Nonnemacher
2019
January 9, 2019: Age-dependent Effects of Interferons in Bordetella pertussis Pathogenesis
Speaker/Institution: Nicholas Carbonetti, University of Maryland
Host: Alison Carey
January 16, 2019: Deciphering the Microbiome-Host Interactions in Cancer to Predict Risk and Response to Therapy
Speaker/Institution: Leigh Greathouse, Baylor University
Host: Garth Ehrlich
January 23, 2019: Characterization of Insect and Bacterial Three-domain Synthases
Speaker/Institution: Amanda Platt, Drexel University College of Medicine
Host: Joris Beld
February 6, 2019: Vibrio cholerae’s Gut Feelings
Speaker/Institution: Jun Zhu, University of Pennsylvania
Host: Amy Ma
February 13, 2019: Characterization of the Unique Biosynthesis of Thiopeptide Antibiotics
Speaker/Institution: Haley Majer, Drexel University College of Medicine
Host: Joris Beld
February 20, 2019: A Biophysical Chemist Thinks About Vancomycin Resistance
Speaker/Institution: Pat Loll, Drexel University College of Medicine
Host: Joris Beld
March 6, 2019: Making and Breaking Burkholderia pseudomallei Biofilms
Speaker/Institution: Brad Borlee, Colorado State University
Host: Garth Ehrlich
March 13, 2019: Etiology of Hyperinfection With the Human Nematode Parasite Strongyloides stercoralis in NSG Mice and Humanized NSG Mice: Steroids vs. HTLV-1
Speaker/Institution: David Abraham, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Host: Jim Burns
March 20, 2019: Predicting the Cell-type Specific Effect of LRAs on HIV-1 Activation Using Deep Learning
Speaker/Institution: Robert Link, Drexel University College of Medicine
Host: Will Dampier
April 3, 2019: Sphingosine-1-Phosphate and Cryptococcosis
Speaker/Institution: Maurizio DelPoeta, Stony Brook University
Host: Bill Bergman
April 10, 2019: Special Seminar: Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science Recipient
Speaker/Institution: James Allison, PhD, Nobel Laureate
April 17, 2019: Host Cell Invasion by Malaria Parasites: Molecular Mechanisms, Vaccine Development and Beyond
Speaker/Institution: Prakash Srinivasan, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute
Host: Akhil Vaidya
May 1, 2019: CAR T cells for Cancer Therapy: Grand Challenges and Opportunities on the Road to Clinical Success
Speaker/Institution: Joseph Fraietta, University of Pennsylvania
Host: Akhil Vaidya
May 8, 2019: Antigenic Variation and the Mechanisms That Drive Genetic Diversification in Malaria Parasites
Speaker/Institution: Laura Kirkman, Weill Cornell Medicine
Host: Akhil Vaidya
2020
January 8, 2020: Bacteriology/Pathogenisis Pandemic Vibrio cholerae origins, evolution within patients, and interactions with gut microbiota
Speaker/Institution: B. Jesse Shapiro, University of Montreal
Host: Josh Mell
January 22, 2020: Bacteriology/Pathogenisis Immunoglobulin A as an anchor for gut bacteria
Speaker/Institution: Armand Dichosa, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Host: Garth Ehrlich
February 5, 2020: Compartmentalization of metabolism within the eukaryotic cell determines metabolite fate
Speaker/Institution: Nathaniel Snyder, Temple University
Host: Joris Beld
February 12, 2020: Bacteriology/Pathogenisis Effects of Bioactive Lipids on Host-Pathogen Interactions during Influenza/Staphylococcus aureus Super-infection
Speaker/Institution: Vincent Tam, Temple University
Host: Amy Ma
February 19, 2020: Structural biology in situ by cellular cryo-electron tomography
Speaker/Institution: Yi-Wei Chang, UPenn
Host: Akhil Vaidya
March 4, 2020: Microbial Movement and Sensing: A Tale of Orphan Nuclear Receptors
Speaker/Institution: Sridhar Mani, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Host: Sandhya Kortagere
March 11, 2020: Microfluidic Generation and Nanobiosensing Applications of Aptamers
Speaker/Institution: Qiao Lin, Columbia University
Host: Garth Ehrlich
March 18, 2020: Eukaryotic Pathogens Candida fungal infections and mechanisms of drug resistance
Speaker/Institution: Kelly Healey, William Patterson University
Host: Santosh Katiyar
April 1, 2020: Activation and antagonism of the OAS-RNase L pathway
Speaker/Institution: Susan Weiss, University of Pennsylvania
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin
April 8, 2020: Global species level characterization of tick-borne diseases characterization of tick-borne diseases via MCSRMT full length 16S rRNA microbiome analysis
Speaker/Institution: Kayla Socarras, Drexel University
Host: Garth Ehrlich
April 15, 2020: Discovering the unexpected role of cholesterol homeostasis in the blood stages of malaria parasites
Speaker/Institution: Avantika Ahiya, Drexel University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
May 6, 2020: Should I stay or should I go? How malaria parasites exit from their host cells
Speaker/Institution: Vasant Muralidharan, University of Georgia
Host: Akhil Vaidya
July 21, 2020: Transcending a self-imposed barrier: PTEX function in transport across the malaria parasite vacuole membrane
Speaker/Institution: Josh Beck, Iowa State University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
July 29, 2020: Successful Development of a Chimeric Epitope-based Vaccine for Lyme Disease (Zoom Webinar)
Speaker/Institution: Richard Marconi, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center
Host: Garth Ehrlich
September 4, 2020: A Vaccine for Preventing Genital Herpes: A Pipedream, Reality or Unnecessary?
Speaker/Institution: Harvey Friedman, University of Pennsylvania
Host: Steve Jennings
September 9, 2020: HIV-1 Tat and Substances of Abuse: Drivers of Neuropathogenesis Virology
Speaker/Institution: Zachary Klase, Drexel University
Host: Michael Nonnemacher, PhD
September 11, 2020: Using Bacterial and Fungal Toxins to Understand Cholesterol Homeostasis in Animal Cells
Speaker/Institution: Arun Radhakrishan, Southwestern University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
September 16, 2020: Tick microbiome and borrelia pan-genome characterization: towards the development of a two-tiered diagnostic for Lyme borreliosis
Speaker/Institution: Kayla Socarras, Drexel University
Host: Garth D. Ehrlich, PhD
September 18, 2020: Challenges in Drug Discovery: RSV and Ebola Antiviral Development
Speaker/Institution: Robert Jordan, Vir Biotechnology
Host: Mary Ann Comunale
September 23, 2020: Remdesivir in response to global viral diseases Virology
Speaker/Institution: John Billelo, Gilead
Host: Michael Nonnemacher, PhD
October 2, 2020: A Biophysical Chemist Thinks About Vancomycin Resistance
Speaker/Institution: Patrick Loll, Drexel
Host: Joris Beld
October 7, 2020: Cellular mechanisms that influence antifungal drug resistance in Candida species
Speaker/Institution: Kelley Healey, William Paterson University, Alumni Fellow
Hosts: Michael Nonnemacher, PhD and Santosh Katiyar
October 9, 2020: The Roles of Gene Duplication and Protein Evolution in the Evolution of the Genotype-Phenotype Map
Speaker/Institution: David Liberles, Temple University
Host: Garth Ehrlich
October 14, 2020: Systems Biology/COVID-19 Virology
Speaker/Institution: Manolis Kellis, PhD, MIT
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin, PhD
October 15, 2020: IMMID Workshop: HIV Disease, Vaccines, and Therapies Working Toward a Cure
October 21, 2020: Should I stay or should I go? How malaria parasites exit from their host cells
Speaker/Institution: Vasant Muralidharan, University of Georgia
Host: Akhil Vaidya, PhD
October 22, 2020: IMMID Workshop: Applications of Artificial Intelligence to Microbial Genomics in Health and Disease
October 23, 2020: IMMID Workshop: Novel Approaches to Control and Eliminate Malaria
November 4, 2020: Innate Immunity Immunology
Speaker/Institution: Volker Theil, University of Bernn
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin, PhD
November 6, 2020: Probing the Molecular Drivers of Human Inflammatory Disease Using JAK Inhibition
Speaker/Institution: John Sundy, Gilead Sciences
Host: Akhil Vaidya
November 11, 2020: Immune Response to Dengue / Chikungunya Immunology
Speaker/Institution: Ana Fernandez-Sesma, Mount Sinai
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin, PhD
November 13, 2020: The Impact of Aging on the TLR 7/8 Pathway and Consequences for Immune Function
Speaker/Institution: Jennifer Connors, Drexel
Host: Michele Kutzler, Elias Haddad
November 18, 2020: Coronaviruses: Old and New
Speaker/Institution: Susan Weiss, University of Pennsylvania
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin, PhD
November 20, 2020: Immunomodulation by Non-thermal Plasma: Toward an Immunotherapy Against HIV-1 Infection
Speaker/Institution: Hagar Mohamed, Drexel
Host: Fred Krebs, Vandana Miller
December 2, 2020: Age-dependent Respiratory Mucosal Immunity Against RSV
Speaker/Institution: Dr. Allison Malloy, Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Host: Alison Cary, PhD
December 4, 2020: Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma: An Old Disease Entity With a New Twist
Speaker/Institution: B. Hilda Ye, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Host: Pooja Jain
December 9, 2020: Apicomplexan Evolution and the Mitochondrial Proteome of Plasmodium falciparum Immunology
Speaker/Institution: Ian Lamb, Graduate Student
Mentor: Akhil Vaidya, PhD
December 11, 2020: A Novel Follicular Regulatory Innate Lymphoid Cell Population Present in Human Tonsils Disrupts Germinal Centers and Expands in Chronic Viral Infection
Speaker/Institution: Margaret O'Connor, Drexel
Host: Elias Haddad
2021
January 6, 2021: Understanding How a Probiotic Escherichia coli Strain Biosynthesizes Metabolites
Speaker/Institution: Joris Beld, PhD, Drexel University
Hosts: Jim Burns and Garth D. Ehrlich, PhD
January 13, 2021: Elucidating the Role of M2-like Macrophages in Host-Pathogen Interactions and Disease Using Multi-Organ Humanized Rodent Models
Speaker/Institution: Moses Turkle Bility, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Hosts: Kayla Socarras and Garth D. Ehrlich, PhD
January 20, 2021: Novel Insights in Innate Immune Sensing of an Emerging Flavivirus
Speaker/Institution: Teresa LuPone, Drexel University
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin, PhD
January 27, 2021: Role of ABC Transporters in Nutrient Uptake and Pathogenesis
Speaker/Institution: Heather Pinkett, PhD
Host: Joshua Mell, PhD
February 3, 2021: Population Genomics of Recombining Bacteria
Speaker/Institution: Nick Croucher, PhD, Imperial College
Host: Joshua Mell, PhD
February 10, 2021: Age-associated Defects in the Adaptive Immune Response to Clostridium difficile Infection Impair the Development of a Protective Immune Response in the Elderly
Speaker/Institution: Matthew Bell, Drexel University
Host: Michele Kutzler, PhD
February 17, 2021: Metabolism at the Host-Bacteria Interface
Speaker/Institution: Jason Crawford, PhD, Yale University
Host: Joris Beld, PhD
March 3, 2021: Tuberculosis, Neuroendocrine System, and the Mathematics of Chaotic Systems: Towards Therapeutics
Speaker/Institution: Tawanda Gumbo, MD, Texas Tech University, HSC
Host: Sandhya Kortagere, PhD
March 10, 2021: Hepatitis B Virus Integration and Its Impact on Human Genome
Speaker/Institution: Yih-Ping Su, Drexel University
Host: Garth D. Ehrlich, PhD
March 17, 2021: The Ins and Outs of Antifungal Drug Resistance
Speaker/Institution: Ted White, PhD, University of Missouri at KC
Host: Santosh Katiyar, PhD
March 24, 2021: Plasma Redox Processes in Biomedicine
Speaker/Institution: David B. Graves, PhD
Host: Vandana Miller
April 7, 2021: Role of Macrophage Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles in Attenuation of Chronic Inflammatory Pain
Speaker/Institution: Richa Pande, Drexel University
Host: Seena Ajit, PhD
April 14, 2021: Malaria Drug Discovery at H3D: Phenotypic and Molecular Target-Based Approaches
Speaker/Institution: Kelly Chibale, PhD, University of Cape Town
Host: Akhil Vaidya, PhD
April 21, 2021: The Ins and Outs of Malaria Parasite Egress from Its Host Cell
Speaker/Institution: Michael Blackman, Francis Crick Institute
Host: Akhil Vaidya, PhD
May 5, 2021: Extracellular Vesicles: The Key to Further Understanding Infectious Diseases
Speaker/Institution: Daniel O. Pinto, PhD, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Host: Pooja Jain, PhD and Julie Joseph
May 13, 2021: T.B.D.
Speaker/Institution: Elijah Davis, Drexel University
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin, PhD
August 25, 2021: Cobamide specificity: biosynthesis and utilization of vitamin B12 analogs
Speaker/Institution: Amy Ma, PhD, Drexel University
Hosts: Jim Burns and Garth Ehrlich
September 8, 2021: Biological Parallels of the HIV and SARS-CoV2 Pandemics: Discovering Vulnerabilities for Intervention
Speaker/Institution: Lishomwa Ndhlovu, MD, PhD, Weill Cornell Medicine
Host: Pooja Jain
September 22, 2021: Characterizing the Novel SARS-CoV-2 Accessory Protein ORF8
Speaker/Institution: Doug Krauth, Drexel University
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin
October 6, 2021: Mitochondrial alterations in HIV- and ART-induced neurotoxicity
Speaker/Institution: Jerel Adam Fields, PhD, UC-San Diego
Host: Michael Nonnemacher
October 13, 2021: Natural versus laboratory world: Mice with wild-derived microbiota in preclinical models of inflammation and metabolism
Speaker/Institution: Barbara Rehermann, MD, NIDDK, NIH
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin
October 20, 2021: Histone Acetyltransferase targeting impairs Treg function and promotes anti-tumor immunity
Speaker/Institution: Yujie Liu, PhD, Glaxo Smith Kline
Host: Michael Nonnemacher and Sandhya Kortagere
November 3, 2021: T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Rodney Russell, PhD, McGill University
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin
November 10, 2021: The immunomodulatory functions of IL-27 in HIV specific T cells
Speaker/Institution: Marta Catalfamo, PhD, Georgetown University
Hosts: Elias El Haddad and Jennifer Connors
November 17, 2021: Role of IDO1 in Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy
Speaker/Institution: Dema Ghaban, Drexel University
Host: Alexander Muller
December 8, 2021: Circadian regulation of lung injury and inflammation: About time!
Speaker/Institution: Shaon Sengupta, MBBS, MPH, Children’s Hosp. of Phila.
Host: Alison Carey
2022
January 5, 2022: To Colonize or Infect? The Genetics and Natural History of the Bacterium Haemophilus influenzae
Speaker/Institution: Josh Mell, PhD, Drexel University
Hosts: Garth Ehrlich & Jim Burns
January 12, 2022: Co-immunization with adenosine deaminase-1 as a molecular adjuvant supports robust and durable protective anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity in vivo
Speaker/Institution: Gina Cusimano, Drexel University
Host: Michele Kutzler
January 19, 2022: Deep Learning by Analogy: Applying natural language processing & speech recognition techniques to HIV sequence analysis
Speaker/Institution: William Dampier, PhD, Drexel University
Hosts: Mike Nonnemacher & Jim Burns
February 2, 2022: Immune responses to Staphylococcus aureus in the skin
Speaker/Institution: Nathan Archer, PhD, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Host: Garth Ehrlich
March 2, 2022: Circadian regulation of lung injury and inflammation: About time!
Speaker/Institution: Shaon Sengupta, MBBS, MPH, Children’s Hosp. of Phila.
Host: Alison Carey
March 9, 2022: Pathogen-microbiota cooperation during Clostridioides difficile infection
Speaker/Institution: Joseph P. Zackular, PhD, UPenn
Host: Michele Kutzler
March 16, 2022: T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Giel van Dooren, PhD, Australian National University
Host: Hangjun Ke
March 23, 2022: T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Karine Le Roch, PhD, UC-Riverside
Host: Hangjun Ke
April 6, 2022: T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Robert T. Wheeler, PhD, University of Maine
Host: Sandhya Kortagere
April 13, 2022: T.B.D.
Speaker/Institution: T.B.D.
Host: Joris Beld
April 21, 2022: Medicines for Malaria Venture and Drug Discovery for Malaria
Speaker/Institution: Steve Brand, PhD, Medicines for Malaria Venture
Hosts: Akhil Vaidya & Sandhya Kortagere
May 4, 2022: Phenotypic Effects of Resistance Associated Mutation of the Plasmodium Sodium-Proton Pump, PfATP4
Speaker/Institution: Swaksha Rachuri, Drexel University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
May 11, 2022: Role of TLRs following Influenza A virus infection in neonates
Speaker/Institution: Abhishek Rao, Drexel University
Host: Alison Carey
August 10, 2022: Genomic epidemiology and host invasion mechanisms of malaria in Africa
Speaker/Institution: Eugenia Lo, PhD, UNC-Charlotte
Host: Akhil Vaidya
August 24, 2022: Biomolecular condensates in hepatocellular carcinoma
Speaker/Institution: Hien Dang, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University
Host: Michael Nonnemacher
September 7, 2022: Immunoglobulin N-glycosylation Discriminates Acute Lyme disease from Endemic Healthy Controls and Mimic Diseases – A Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic
Speaker/Institution: Benjamin Haslund-Gourley, Drexel University
Host: Mary Ann Comunale
September 14, 2022: Plasma Technology for Decontamination and Health Care
Speaker/Institution: Peter Bruggeman, PhD, University of Minnesota
Host: Fred Krebs
September 21, 2022: T.B.D.
Immunology
Speaker/Institution: Sander Bekeschus, PhD, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology
Hosts: Vandana Miller and Fred Krebs
October 5, 2022: T.B.D.
Virology
October 12, 2022: T.B.D.
Virology
Speaker/Institution: Jacqueline Barker, PhD, Drexel University
Host: Michael Nonnemacher
October 19, 2022: SCARF1 in the regulation of autoimmunity
Immunology
Speaker/Institution: Zaida G. Ramirez-Ortiz, PhD, UMass Chan Medical School
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin
November 2, 2022: Elucidating the role of the HIV-1 antisense gene asp in viral latency and replication
Virology
Speaker/Institution: Fabio Romerio, PhD, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Host: Pooja Jain
November 9, 2022: Investigating the role of toll-like receptor signaling during betacoronavirus infection of macrophages
ImmunoVirology
Speaker/Institution: Adam Glass, Drexel University
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin
November 16, 2022: Protective immunity against Staphylococcus aureus infection
Speaker/Institution: Christopher Montgomery, MD, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Host: Garth Ehrlich
December 7, 2022: Astrocytic HIV-1 Nef – a potent neurotoxin that goes the extra mile on the brain-body highway
Virology
Speaker/Institution: Richard J. Noel Jr., PhD, Ponce Health Sciences University
Host: Michael Nonnemacher
August 10, 2022: Genomic epidemiology and host invasion mechanisms of malaria in Africa
Speaker/Institution: Eugenia Lo, PhD, UNC-Charlotte
Host: Akhil Vaidya
2023
January 11, 2023: Sex differences in vaccine-induced immunity and protection
Speaker/Institution: Sabra Klein, PhD, Johns Hopkins
Host: Amy Ott / Jim Burns
January 18, 2023: Microbial Genomics Big-Data Mining and its Applications in Understanding Infectious Diseases
Speaker/Institution: Ahmed Moustafa, PhD, UPenn/CHOP
Host: Joshua Mell
February 1, 2023: Novel therapeutic approaches to treat and prevent infectious diseases
Bacteriology/Pathogenesis
Speaker/Institution: Gill Diamond, PhD, University of Louisville
Host: Garth Ehrlich
February 15, 2023: Gut bladder axis of recurrent urinary tract infections
Bacteriology/Pathogenesis
Speaker/Institution: Ashlee Earl, PhD, Broad Institute/MIT
Host: Garth Ehrlich
March 1, 2023: The Ins and Outs of Natural Transformation
Bacteriology/Pathogenesis
Speaker/Institution: Briana Burton, PhD, UW-Madison
Host: Joshua Mell
March 8, 2023: t.b.d. (postponed)
Eukaryotic Pathogens
Speaker/Institution: De’Broski Herbert, PhD, UPenn
Host: Jim Burns
March 15, 2023: Characterization of B and T-cell responses following COVID-19 infection and vaccination
Speaker/Institution: Kyra Woloszczuk, Drexel University
Host: Elias Haddad
March 22, 2023: Interrogating the complex dynamics between Plasmodium parasites and their mammalian host
Eukaryotic Pathogens
Speaker/Institution: Alexis Kaushansky, PhD, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Host: Hangjun Ke
April 5, 2023: Nonthermal plasma as the basis for an antiviral and immunomodulatory therapy against HSV-1 infection
Speaker/Institution: Julia Sutter, Drexel University
Host: Fred Krebs / Vandana Miller
April 12, 2023: t.b.d.
Eukaryotic Pathogens
Speaker/Institution: Erik Debler, PhD, Thomas Jefferson
Host: Akhil Vaidya
April 19, 2023: Deep Learning Vignettes Series ChatGPT
Speaker/Institution: Willian Dampier, PhD, Drexel University
Host: Jim Burns
May 3, 2023: Extracellular Vesicles in Immune Suppression and Tumor progression
Speaker/Institution: Wei Guo, PhD, UPenn
Host: Pooja Jain / Julie Joseph
May 10, 2023: t.b.d.
Eukaryotic Pathogens
Speaker/Institution: Ali Afify, PhD, Drexel University
Host: Sandhya Kortagere / Jim Burns
September 6, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Immunology
Speaker/Institution: Jennifer Hope, PhD, Drexel University
Host: Alison Carey/Jim Burns Jr.
September 13, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: George Buchlis, PhD, UPenn
Host: Brian Wigdahl/Jim Burns Jr.
September 20, 2023: Role of intracellular DNA sensors in innate immune priming and genome stability
Virology
Speaker/Institution: Nelson Gekara, PhD, Stockholm University
Host: Sonia Navas-Martin
October 4, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Lindsay Barger, Drexel University
Host: Gabriele Romano
October 11, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Immunology
Speaker/Institution: T.B.A.
Host: T.B.A.
October 18, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Virology
Speaker/Institution: Abigail Onufer, Drexel University
Host: Alison Carey
November 1, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Alumni Fellow
Speaker/Institution: E. Scott Halstead, MD, PhD, Penn State University, COM
Host: Michael Nonnemacher
November 8, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Donald J. Hall, PhD, Drexel University (tentative)
Host: Garth Ehrlich/Jim Burns
November 15, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Immunology
Speaker/Institution: T.B.A.
Host: T.B.A.
December 6, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Immunology
Speaker/Institution: Jason Stadanlick, PhD, Cabaletta Bio
Host: Abigail Onufer/MIIM Students
December 13, 2023: Topic T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Kenneth Kim, Drexel University (tentative)
Host: Christopher Rodell/Michael Nonnemacher
2024
January 10, 2024: Control and Enhance CAR-T cells with Precision Biomaterials
Speaker/Institution: Xiao Huang, PhD, Drexel University
Host: Michael Nonnemacher/Jim Burns
January 17, 2024
Bacteriology/Pathogenesis
Immune-microbiota interactions in defense against Clostridioides difficile infection
Speaker/Institution: Michael Abt, PhD, UPenn
Host: Michele Kutzler
January 24, 2024
The Two Isoforms of Soluble Pyrophosphatase are Crucial for the Growth and Development of Plasmodium falciparum
Speaker/Institution: Ikechukwu Nwankwo, Drexel University
Host: Hangjun Ke
February 7, 2024
Bacteriology/Pathogenesis
Evolution in Changing Environments
Speaker/Institution: Megan Phifer-Rixley, PhD, Drexel University
Host: Joshua Mell
February 14, 2024
Bacteriology/Pathogenesis
Bacterial sphingolipids: another chapter in the mystery of the Sphinx
Speaker/Institution: Eric Klein, PhD, Rutgers-Camden
Host: Joshua Mell
February 20, 2024 (Tuesday)
Integral membrane pyrophosphatases: Structure, Function and Drug Design
Speaker/Institution: Adrian Goldman, PhD, University of Helsinki
Host: Hangjun Ke
March 6, 2024
Impaired anti-toxin memory B cell and serum anti-toxin B IgG responses to C. difficile vaccination increase susceptibility to CD196 spore challenge in aged mice
Speaker/Institution: Emily Konopka, Drexel University
Host: Michele Kutzler
March 20, 2024
Eukaryotic Pathogens
April 3, 2024
Eukaryotic Pathogens
Topic T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Megan Povelones, PhD, Villanove University
Host: Hangjun Ke
April 10, 2024
Eukaryotic Pathogens
Topic T.B.A.
Speaker/Institution: Maciej F Boni, PhD, Temple University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
April 17, 2024
An essential mitochondrial protein of Plasmodium falciparum is present in a novel multi-megaDalton complex
Speaker/Institution: Ijeoma Okoye, Drexel University
Host: Akhil Vaidya
May 1, 2024
Shared and Divergent Transcriptional Responses during Haemophilus influenzae Biofilm Formation
Speaker/Institution: Evangeline Williams, Drexel University
Host: Joshua Mell