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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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Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Virology Seminar 💉 Tuesday 5/5/26 12-1 PM 209 Johnson Pavilion Clara Malekshahi, Moncla Lab “Wild Anseriformes Ecology is Driving the Dissemination of HPAI H5N1 in North America” Jordan Ort, Hensley Lab “Immune history shapes cross-reactive antibody responses to H5N1 neuraminidase”
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Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Microbiology Seminar 🔬 Wednesday 4/29/26 12-1PM CRB Austrian Auditorium Ricardo Rajsbaum, PhD "Regulation of immunity and virus Replication by the host ubiquitin system: Novel therapeutic opportunities" https://njms-web.njms.rutgers.edu/profile/myProfile.php?mbmid=rr1234
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Monday, April 27, 2026
Virology Seminar 💉 Tuesday 4/28/26 12-1 PM 209 Johnson Pavilion Clayton Otter, Weiss Lab “What makes a common cold (corona)virus?” Helen Stillwell, Weiss Lab "West African clade C MERS-CoV camel viruses induce more robust innate immunity compared to wild-type in human cells”
Departmental Events
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Prokaryotic Seminar
Monday, May 4: 4pm in 209 Johnson Pavilion
Subham Mridha, PhD :: Abt Lab
"Immune driven adaptive evolution of Clostridioides difficile in the intestinal lumen”
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Virology Seminar
Tuesday, May 5th: 12pm in 209 Johnson Pavilion
Clara Malekshahi, Moncla Lab :: Jordan Ort, Hensley Lab
“Wild Anseriformes Ecology is Driving the Dissemination of HPAI H5N1 in North America”
“Immune history shapes cross-reactive antibody responses to H5N1 neuraminidase”
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Microbiology Seminar
Wednesday, May 6th: 12pm in CRB Austrian Auditorium
Amelia Escolano, PhD :: Wistar
“Rapid elicitation of a new class of neutralizing antibodies against the V3-glycan epitope of HIV-1"