Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical SciencesMicrobiology and Molecular Genetics

Program Overview
Prospective Students
Areas of Research
Cirriculum
Faculty
Students
Research Environs and Affiliate Resources


FEATURED SCIENTIST


Anice Lowen, Ph.D.,
Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine

The underlying mechanisms governing two processes critical to the evolution and epidemiology of influenza viruses: inter-host transmission and the reassortment of gene segments.
Despite its clear importance to the epidemiology of influenza, the process by which human influenza viruses travel from one individual to another is not well understood. The lack of transmission of H5N1 influenza viruses among humans and other mammals has shown that, contrary to expectation, viral growth is not the only prerequisite for transmission. Research over the past six years has revealed that viral, host and environmental factors each play a role in determining the efficiency with which an influenza virus transmits. We previously showed, for example, that humidity and temperature have a strong impact on the efficiency of transmission, that host-specific adaptive changes in the viral polymerase can alter transmission efficiency, and that host immunity resulting from vaccination or natural infection limits transmission to varying degrees. Despite such progress, an in-depth understanding of transmission remains a high priority in the influenza field. Going forward, my research will focus on the viral traits which allow transmission to proceed in guinea pigs, a mammalian model system which we have demonstrated to reflect humans well in terms of influenza virus transmissibility. Reassortment is the process by which influenza viruses, which carry RNA genomes comprising eight segments, exchange genetic material. Reassortment of the genome segments of two differing influenza strains has the potential to vastly increase the diversity of circulating influenza viruses. Despite its importance to influenza virus evolution, the frequency with which reassortment occurs in an animal infected with two or more variant viruses is unclear. I therefore propose to assess the incidence of reassortment in experimentally infected guinea pigs. By studying the process under well-controlled conditions, I aim to identify factors which dictate how readily reassortment can occur. For example, the roles of pre-existing immunity to one subtype, sequential rather than coincident infection, genetic compatibility between differing viruses, and the likelihood of two distinct strains to infect the same cell type will be studied.



WELCOME


Message from the Director
David Steinhauer, Ph.D.
Director, Graduate Program in (MMG) Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Thank you for visiting our web site; a clear indication that you have developed an interest in microbiology and want to learn more about obtaining a Ph.D. in this area of science. What can our graduate program offer you? What is unique about our program that distinguishes itself from other graduate programs both here at Emory and elsewhere? These are questions that I hope you are asking. First, we offer you the opportunity to develop into a scientist by learning the "language" of microbiology, develop the ability to critically read and critique the literature, and learn how "to do science". Neither this nor any other graduate program will result in your being a "finished product" when you earn your Ph.D. This takes time. It is our goal that our graduate students leave here not only with their doctorate, but also with a commitment to being a lifetime learner. By examining the research interests of the faculty you will notice that we are a diverse group of microbiologists. This is not surprising because microbiology has many sub-disciplines. Is there a common theme among our faculty? The short answer is that regardless of whether a group studies bacteria or viruses, we are all interested in what makes microbes "tick". We humans are in constant contact with microbes in our environment and a major effort or common theme for us is to understand the dynamics of this interaction with a concentration on the microbial side of the equation. I strongly urge you to do your "homework" in evaluating your opportunities for graduate study in our MMG program. Read papers published by the faculty. Even if you find it difficult to understand the details of the experimental design or results obtained, a cursory reading of the Introduction and Discussion sections of a manuscript often will give you a good idea regarding the work done in a laboratory. I also find it helpful for prospective students to contact faculty in order to learn more about our program so please feel free to e-mail me (dsteinh@emory.edu) and other members of our faculty. We look forward to hearing from you!



Selected one of
"THE NEW IVIES"



S E M I N A R S 



Spring 2013

All seminars are at 4 PM in the Whitehead Auditorium unless noted otherwise

Special Seminar

January 14, 2013

Rita Tamayo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Title: "Regulation of Clostridium difficile Virulence by the Second
Messenger c-di-GMP"


Distinguished Scientist Seminar

February 4, 2013
Simon Davis, Ph.D.
Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Oxford University

Title: "Evidence for, and therapeutic implications of, the
kinetic-segregation model of immune receptor triggering"


February 11, 2013
Lee-Ann Allen, Ph.D., Professor
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
University of Iowa
Title: "Human neutrophil dysfunction and pathogenesis of tularemia"


February 18, 2013
MMG Student Presenters

Dana Shaw Fallaize, Lian Li's Lab
Title: TBA

Bree Szostek-Barker, Phil Rather's Lab
Title: TBA

Faculty Candidate


February 25, 2013
Jens Wrammert, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Infectious Diseases
Emory University School of Medicine
Title: TBA



March 4, 2013

Diana Downs, Ph.D., Professor
Department of Microbiology
University of Georgia
Title: TBA


March 11, 2013
MMG Student Presenters

Jill Seladi-Schulman, Anice Lowen's Lab
Title: TBA

Justin Kandler, Bill Shafer's Lab
Title: TBA

Faculty Talk


March 18, 2013
Mary Galinski, Ph.D., Professor
Medicine:Infectious Diseases
Emory University School of Medicine
Title: TBA


March 25, 2013
Adriano Henriques, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor
Microbial Development
University of Coimbra, Portugal
Title: TBA

Sponsored by CDC


April 1, 2013
Christopher Richardson, Ph.D., Professor and Canada
Research Chair in Viral and Vaccinology and Therapeutics
Department of Microbiology and Immunology/Pediatrics
Dalhousie University
Title: TBA

Faculty Candidate

April 8, 2013
Joanna Goldberg, Ph.D., Professor-TT
Pediatrics
Emory University School of Medicine
Title: TBA


April 15, 2013
MMG Student Presenters

Tim Sampson, David Weiss' Lab
Title: TBA

Jessica Prince, Eric Hunter's Lab
Title: TBA

Faculty Candidate

April 22, 2013
Mehul Suthar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Pediatrics: Infectious Diseases
Emory University School Of Medicine
Title: TBA



April 29, 2013
Virginia Miller, Ph.D., Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology/Genetics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Title: TBA


May 6, 2013

Melanie Ohi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Cell and Developmental Biology
Vanderbilt University
Title: TBA


May 13, 2013
Commencement No Seminar

Stojiljkovic Seminar
(Sponsored by Department of Microbiology and Immunology)

May 20, 2013
Robert Nicholas, Ph.D., Professor and Vice Chair
Department of Pharmacology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Title: TBA



 FALL 2012

IBS 504 - Intro Prokaryotic Genetics
IBS 555 - Principles of Basic Biomedical & Biological Science
IBS 545r - Intro to Faculty Research
MMG 570r -Introductory Graduate Seminar
MMG 597r - Lab Rotations
MMG 792r - Colloquium in Microbiology

 SPRING 2013

IBS 513 - Virology
PSI 600 - Program for Scholarly Integrity (Ethics Course)
MMG 570r - Introductory Graduate Seminar

MMG 597r - Lab Rotations
MMG 792r - Colloquium in Microbiology
Choose one additional Elective








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