University of Virginia School of Medicine

Stephanie was selected to give a short talk at the Keystone Symposia on Cells vs. Pathogens: Intrinsic Defenses and Counterdefenses in Monterey, California. Congratulations on a beautiful talk, Stephanie!

Alison was named to the 2018 class of Pinn Scholars, named for Vivian Pinn, the first African-American and female graduate of the UVA School of Medicine. The Pinn Scholars program rewards mid-career faculty based on their scientific expertise and contributions to the School of Medicine and to the greater research community.

Even more good grant news arrived, with the renewal of R01 AI097312 on “Survival of Neisseria gonorrhoeae after primary human neutrophil challenge” being funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the NIH.

We are delighted to welcome Lab Manager Mary Gray!

The Thematic Issue on Neisseria in the FEMS journal Pathogens and Disease was released. Alison and colleague Chris Tang (Oxford, UK) jointly guest edited the issue. It is available at https://academic.oup.com/Femspd/pages/neisseria

Congratulations to Jacqueline, whose review with Alison on gonococcal pathogenesis in the female genital tract was accepted for publication in Current Opinion in Hematology! The article can be accessed HERE.

Alison and Jacqueline attended the Cold Spring Harbor Meeting on Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Response. Alison gave a talk, and Jacqueline presented a poster.

More exciting grant news – new R01 AI127793 on nutritional immunity in Neisseria gonorrhoeae pathogenesis was funded by the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the NIH. Alison and colleague Cynthia Nau Cornelissen (VCU) are co-PIs.

Congratulations to Stephanie, whose review with Alison “From bacterial killing to immune modulation: Recent insights into the functions of lysozyme” was accepted for publication in PLOS Pathogens! The review can be accessed HERE.

Alison and co-PI Jayasimha Rao (Carilion Clinic/Virginia Tech) received a 4-VA Collaborative Research Grant to study novel antimicrobial peptides to combat superbug bacteria.