Department of Microbiology at UMass Amherst

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Upcoming Events
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Sep21
Why Trans Inclusion Leads to Better Science
Anna Marie LaChance, Ph.D.Lecturer, Chemical Engineering, UMass Amherst11:30amMicrobiology Seminar Series -
Sep28
Carbon Incorporation in Methane-Producing Anaerobes
Michel Geovanni Santiago-Martinez, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Connecticut11:30amMicrobiology Seminar Series -
Oct3
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Investigating Cell Wall Recycling in Mycobacteria
Stefanos StravoravdisUMass Microbiology Graduate Program11:30amGraduate Student Colloquium -
Oct19
Microbiology Student Spotlight
Microbiology Graduate Students Receive Recognition at Three Minute Thesis Competition
In the 2023 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition organized by the Graduate School, Harita Sistu, Ph.D. student, microbiology, was named the 3MT runner-up for her presentation “Tiny Organism Solving Big Problems by Converting Waste to Energy.” The audience voted Briana Kubik, Ph.D. student, microbiology, as the People’s Choice recipient for her presentation “Deep-sea Microorganisms and the Search for Life Beyond Earth.” Sistu and Kubik are both part of Professor James Holden’s lab.


Department News
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Microbiology Faculty Promotions
Effective September 1, 2023, Mandy Muller was promoted to the faculty rank of associate professor with tenure. Wilmore Webley was promoted to the rank of professor and is also the Senior Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion at UMass Amherst. -
Raveen Armstrong Voted Best Poster at Parasitologist Meeting
Raveen Armstrong attended the New England Association of Parasitologists meeting on June 15, 2023 at Boston College. Raveen's research presentation was voted best poster during the symposium. Raveen is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Microbiology Graduate Program under the guidance of Michele Klingbeil, Professor of Microbiology. -
Research Reveals Secret of Microbial Slime
In a recent article in iScience, Professor Barry Goodell and collaborators showed how a unique microbial chemistry allows a gel-like coating to form around many microorganisms. Once formed the gel-layer, known as the extracellular matrix or ECM, prevented the diffusion of large proteins, such as enzymes, into substrates. This finding challenges traditional microbial theory that assumes many large molecules, once secreted, can readily diffuse from microorganisms through the ECM into substrates or hosts.” -
Ashley Eng to be Honored as 21st Century Leader
Ashley Eng, a Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) student and microbiology major, will be one of 10 students to receive the 21st Century Leaders Award at UMass Commencement 2023. The award is given in recognition of a strong academic record, exemplary achievements as well as distinguished intellectual accomplishments. Eng is an undergraduate researcher with Kristen DeAngelis, Professor of Microbiology. Eng's research in microbial ecology and how climate change impacts soil microbes has led her to present her work at national conferences and in 2022 was selected for a Goldwater Scholarship.
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Department of Microbiology