Category: Department News

Dr. Jeniel Nett Tackles Catheter-Related Infections Through Collaboration

Spotlight on Collaborative Health Science: Dr. Jeniel Nett Leads Innovative Research to Combat Catheter-Related Infections The Wisconsin Partnership Program (WPP) at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health has awarded $3.6 million through its Collaborative Health Sciences Grant Program, supporting six interdisciplinary research teams tackling some of today’s most pressing health challenges. Among the funded projects is …

Dr. May and Colleagues Organize COMBINE 2025

The Computational Modeling in Biology Network (COMBINE) brings together experts to advance community standards and data formats in systems biology and related fields. We’re excited to share that COMBINE 2025 will be a workshop-style event hosted at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with Dr. Elebeoba E. May and colleagues serving as local organizers. Location: The Pyle …

May Lab Publishes Paper in MDPI

Congratulations to the May Lab! The May Lab has published a new paper in MDPI Microorganisms titled “Methods for Evaluating the Effects of 2D and 3D Culture Environment on Macrophage Response to Mycobacterium Infection.” Led by Danielle Stolley, Komal Rasaputra, and Dr. Elebeoba May, this study establishes experimental and computational methods to compare macrophage behavior …

John Williams Lab Paper Accepted into Journal of National Library of Medicine

We’re pleased to share a new research article from faculty member Dr. John V. Williams and his lab, titled “Limited nasal interferon production contributes to delayed respiratory virus clearance and suboptimal vaccine responses,”published in JCI Insight and available through the National Library of Medicine and the National Center for Biotechnology Information. This study investigates how …

Dr. David Andes Receives AAC Service Award

Congrats to David Andes, MD, William A. Craig Endowed Professor and chief, Infectious Disease, who received the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (AAC) Extraordinary Service Award from the American Society of Microbiology! The Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (AAC) Extraordinary Service Award is a recognition from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) for individuals who have made …

Dr. Federico Rey and Trainee Vaibhav Vemuganti Publish Commentary in Nature

Dr. Federico Rey, with Ph.D. student Vaibhav Vemuganti, published a commentary in the journal Nature regarding the role of the microbiome-produced molecule, imidazole propionate, in promoting atherosclerosis. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02060-5

Dr. Mark Mandel and Trainee Avery Imes Featured on ASM Cover

Work from Genetics Ph.D. student Avery Imes in Dr. Mark Mandel’s Lab was featured on the cover of the American Society for Microbiology journal, Applied and Environmental Microbiology. The article, which also received an Editor’s Spotlight, focuses on development of new squid model system for studies of microbe-host interactions.

Dr. Mark Mandel Receives Collaborative NSF Award

Dr. Mark Mandel  received a collaborative National Science Foundation award with Jason Peters (UW–Madison, Pharmacy) and Julia van Kessel (Indiana University). The purpose of the award is to develop CRISPR technologies first in Vibrio bacteria and then adapt those broadly. The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering …

PBS Wisconsin Features Drs. Alexander and Sperandio

Gut instincts: Microbes, addiction and immunity Margaret Alexander and Vanessa Sperandio delve into the gut microbiome’s connection to human health, including addiction and the body’s response to stress and immunity. The presenters, both from the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, share research and discuss the future of brain-gut health.

Gumperz and Liu Labs Awarded UWCCC Grant to Advance Leukemia Immunotherapy

The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center has awarded a “More for Stage IV Mary Gooze Clinical Trial and Translation Award” to the collaborative team of Dr. Jenny Gumperz from the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology and Dr. Hongtao Liu from the Division of Hematology. This prestigious grant will fund a pilot clinical trial …

Celebrating Innovation in Antibiotic Research: Highlights from the 2025 Perlman Symposium

On April 25, 2025, the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison welcomed students, trainees, and researchers from across the country to the 15th annual Perlman Symposium on Antibiotic Discovery and Development. Held in Ebling Auditorium at the Medical Sciences Building, this year’s event brought together scientific minds from more than …

Dr. Anna Huttenlocher Receives 2026 SLB Legacy Award

The Society for Leukocyte Biology is proud to announce that Dr. Anna Huttenlocher has been named the recipient of the 2026 SLB Legacy Keynote Lecture Award—the society’s highest honor. Presented annually since 1980, this prestigious award recognizes excellence in leukocyte biology research and celebrates individuals whose work has made a lasting impact on the field. …