Molly Ring, a first-year graduate student in the Department of Microbiology, was awarded an National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF). A highly competitive (>14,000 applicants) program, the NSF GRF recognizes outstanding graduate students across the United States who are pursuing research-based degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Congratulations Molly!
Microbiology News & Announcements
A strong contingent of UW Micro researchers presented their research at the 2025 ASM Northwest Branch Meeting in Portland OR. Several among them were selected for awards, including Best Trainee Talk at Main session (Edith Sawyer - Meeske lab), Best Trainee Talk at Trainee session (Daniel Mwangi - Woodward lab), and Best Poster (Olivia Dong - Mitchell lab). Congrats!
For over 20 years, Prof. Matt Parsek (UW) and Prof. Dan Wozniak (Ohio State) have had an NIH-supported collaboration working on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation, how it influences people with cystic fibrosis, and developent of new treatments. The collaboration was highlighted in a video interview with both PIs by NBC Ohio!
Dr. Shoshanna Kahne, a postdoc in the Meeske lab, was awarded the highly competitive Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship for her work on immune systems of Cyanobacteria. Congratulations Dr. Kahne!
During his 36-year career at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Michael Emerman, PhD, an Affiliate Professor in the UW Department of Microbiology, made fundamental discoveries about HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS. Over his career, Michael trained 27 graduate students and 16 postdoctoral/medical fellows. He was the MCB graduate program co-director for 8 years, taught graduate virology to countless students since 2005, and organized Thursday morning virus group meeting, which has been active since 1992. Thank you Michael for all you've done for our community.
Congratulations to the 2025 Department of Microbiology undergraduate awardees!
Click this link to learn more about the awards and awardees.
Prof. Matt Parsek was named a 2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow. Election as a Fellow honors members whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications in service to society have distinguished them among their peers and colleagues. Congratulations Dr. Parsek!
Dr. Parsek was also featured on The UW Medicine Huddle and the UW NEWS.
Assistant Professor Tristan Jordan has been awarded 5 years of funding through the prestigious NIH DP2 New Innovator Award. Congratulations Dr. Jordan!
Congratulations to Dr. Alex Meeske on being named a 2024 Rita Allen Foundation Scholar for his work demistifying the genomic 'dark matter' of bacterial immune systems. Click here to learn more about the award the Rita Allen Foundation.
Professor Michael Lagunoff has been selected as Co-Director of the Seattle Molecular & Cell Biology PhD program, spanning research labs at UW, FHCC and beyond. Congratulations Dr. Lagunoff!