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The inhabitants of Earth are mostly microbes, and their activities are central to human welfare. Microbes can cause disease, but a properly functioning microbiome is essential for health. Microbes spoil food, but drive many forms of food production. Microbes mediate organismic decay, but catalyze numerous geochemical processes essential for life on Earth.
Research in the Penn Microbiology Department focuses on infectious agents that threaten global health, with an emphasis on understanding molecular mechanisms and developing key new methods. Areas of focus include SARS-CoV-2, HIV, pathogenic bacteria of the airway and gut, cancer causing viruses, emerging infectious diseases, and the human microbiome. On the host side, faculty study many areas of immunology related to infection, including innate and adaptive immunity, tumor immunology and vaccine development.
Penn Micro on Bluesky
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Wednesday, December 3, 2025
As a reminder, to avoid a scheduling conflict with the PennCHOP Microbiome Symposium, there will be no Microbiology Seminar today, 12/3. We will resume next week on Wednesday, 12/10, with Dr. Chelsey Spriggs.
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Wednesday, December 3, 2025
It's time! The 2025 PennCHOP Microbiome Symposium is this Week. Day 1: 12/3 – Workshop event BRB Gaulton Aud 10am – 3pm Day 2: 12/4 – Main symposium with speakers and poster displays BRB Gaulton Aud 9am – 5pm, with reception 5–6pm
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Friday, November 21, 2025
NO ProK Virology or Micro Seminars next week. Happy Thanksgiving🦃
Departmental Events
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Prokaryotic Seminar
Monday, December 8: 4pm in 209 Johnson Pavilion
Arkaprabha Banerjee, Zhu Lab
“Zooplankton interactions drive phage resistance and enhanced infectivity in Vibrio cholerae”
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Virology Seminar
Tuesday, December 9: 12pm in 209 Johnson Pavilion
Jack W Dowling, Weitzman Lab :: Suvadip Mallick PhD, Bar Lab
“Identifying Proteins Localized to Virus-Induced Nuclear Structures via Nanobody-Directed BioID”
“A model for HIV persistence in the brain: dual-tropic SHIV infection of nonhuman primates”
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Microbiology Seminar
Wednesday, December 10: 12pm in Austrian Auditorium, CRB
Chelsey Spriggs, PhD :: Univ Michigan
“Deciphering the cellular entry mechanisms of DNA viruses”