• Morita Lab Studies Glycolipid Biosynthesis as a Potential Drug Target

    The American Lung Association recently awarded Dr. Yasu Morita a grant to advance research to identify a protein involved in the production of glycolipids that can be targeted by new drugs. Read more »

  • Applied and Molecular Biotechnology (AMB) Master's Program in its Fourth Year

    The Applied and Molecular Biotechnology Program welcomed its fourth class in Fall 2016. Read more »

  • DeAngelis Lab Studies Climate Change and Its Affects on Soil Microbial Communities

    One of several research projects underway in Kristen DeAngelis' Molecular Microbial Ecology Lab is the study of how long-term climate warming affects microbial feedbacks to climate change. Read more »

  • Holden Studies Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents in Northeastern Pacific

    One of the many research projects currently underway in the Holden Laboratory is the study of geomicrobiology of deep-sea hydrothermal vents along the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Read more »

  • Derek Lovley

    Lovley Invention Boosts the University's Number of Patents Recorded in One Year

    Derek Lovley, Distinguished University Professor, and Kelly Nevin Lovley, Research Assistant Professor, have developed and licensed a new technology, microbial electrosynthesis, which led the University of Massachusetts to record 62 patents in 2015 which is a record-high for the University. Read more... Read more »

News & Announcements

Microbiology Welcomes Two New Faculty Members

August 2017: Microbiology welcomes two new faculty members to the Department. In September 2017, Dr. Mandy Muller, will join the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the field of virology and host-pathogen interactions.  In January 2017, Dr. Barry Goodell joined the faculty as a Research Professor. Dr. Goodell's research focuses on biomass deconstruction by fungi; fungal and neurodegenerative disease and biomaterials structural durability.

Emily Melzer Awarded Traineeship

August 2017: Emily Melzer has been awarded a two-year traineeship through the Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) Program, an NIH-funded predoctoral training program. The pre-doctoral training program aims to produce a grouop of chemists who have also received significant training in biology and of biologists who have also received significant training in chemistry, without sacrificing in-depth training in a core discipline. Ms. Melzer is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Microbiology Assistant Professor, Sloan Siegrist. Read more...

In Memory of Elizabeth Stuart

July 2017: Dr. Elizabeth (Lee) Stuart, a retired Microbiology faculty member, passed away on June 29, 2017, at the Fisher House in Amherst. Lee began her career at the University of Massachusetts in 1974 as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. In 1979 she moved to the Microbiology Department and held a number of positions through the years as research fellow, Director of Molecular and Microbial Lab Services, and Associate Professor, all while maintaining a program of Chlamydia vaccine research. She retired from UMass in 2011.

Shelley Thibodo Retirement

June 2017: Shelley Thibodo retired from the Department of Microbiology on June 3, after 38 years of service to the University. She served as the undergraduate program director and advisor to Microbiology majors. In addition to these roles she was the instructor for junior year writing and medical microbiology. Congratulations!

Corelle Rokicki Awarded ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship

May 2017: Corelle Rokicki, a Microbiology junior, was recently selected to participate in the ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program (ASM-URF). Under the fellowship program, ASM recognizes rising young scientists who will represent the society and themselves to their full potential. The fellowship includes a summer stipend and travel funds to attend the ASM Microbe Academy for Professional Development (MAPD) and ASM Microbe Meeting. Ms. Rokicki is currently working on research in the lab of Yasu Morita, Assistant Professor of Microbiology.

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