News

Dari Trujillo named the new Academic Advisor for the Microbiology Program

Thu, 08/24/2017 - 16:43

The Microbiology Program welcomes Kaitlin "Dari" Trujillo as the new Academic Advisor for the program. Dari will begin with the program on August 31st.  We thank Kate Johansen for her many years of service to the program and wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Congratulations to UA Microbiology Undergraduate Haley WIlliams

Wed, 06/14/2017 - 15:22

Haley, a rising sophomore has been awarded an Undergraduate Reserch Fellowship by the American Society of Microbiology. These competitive awards support summer research, participation in national meetings, and professional development for promising young microbiologists. Haley is working with Drs. Joseph Spraker and Betsy Arnold to study...

56th Annual ASM Regional Meeting in Tucson on April 1st, 2017

Fri, 02/17/2017 - 18:31

The University of Arizona and Dr. VK Viswanathan, President Elect of the Arizona/Southern Nevada American Society of Microbiology Branch, will be hosting the 56th Annual Meeting of the Arizona/Southern Nevada ASM Branch.
When: Saturday, April 1st, 2017
Where: University of Arizona
For abstract submission and other details,...

Plant Sciences Faculty Member publishes a review on modern challenges in bacterial classification

Wed, 02/15/2017 - 18:06

Dr. David Baltrus of the School of Plant Sciences published a review in Trends in Microbiology (June 2016), describing the challenges and complexities in modern bacterial taxonomy, using Pseudomonas syringae as an example. He proposes the need to use whole genome sequencing with relational classification to allow strain comparisons...

ACBS Researchers Identify Cell Surface Polymers Essential for Cell Shape and Involved in Host-Recognition

Wed, 02/15/2017 - 17:17

The laboratories of Dr. VK Viswanathan and Gayatri Vedantam recently published their findings on the importance of the Clostridium difficile cell wall glycopolymers PSII in bacterial cell shape, and cell surface polysaccharide deposition.  Mutants with decreased deposition are hypervirulent, possibly leading to altered cell surface...