The Department of Microbiology schedules a variety of seminars each semester, all open to the public.
We invite guest lecturers from throughout the Midwest to present research seminars in our weekly Microbiology Seminar Series.
One to two times per semester, we host world-class microbiologists to present their research in our Distinguished Lecture Series.
In addition, our annual Stark lectures, presented by leading biologists, are funded by the family, friends, and students of Orton K. Stark, the founding chair of the Department of Microbiology.
To keep abreast of the research in our department, our graduate students present their latest research findings in our weekly Graduate Seminar Series.
Spring 2026 Seminars
Microbiology Seminar Series
Pearson Hall Room 218 Wednesdays at 4:25 p.m.
January 28
Steven Baker, PhD Assistant Professor - Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology University of New Mexico "Revealing host regulators of influenza virus by exploring the alternative RNA transcriptome"
February 2
Catherine Freije, PhD Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University "Leveraging RNA-based methods for studying viralvariation and host interaction networks"
February 11
Autumn Holmes, PhD Department of Infectious Diseases Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine "Cell tropism and receptor usage in arthritogenicalphavirus dissemination and pathogenesis"
February 25
Craig Altier, DVM PhD (CANCELLED - weather) Professor - Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine "An eavesdropping pathogen: control of Salmonella virulence through interspecies signaling"
March 18
Hilary Dugan, PhD Associate Professor - Department of Integrative Biology, Center for Limnology University of Wisconsin–Madison "Under-ice limnology from Wisconsin to Antarctica"
April 1
Tracey Bonfield, PhD Associate Professor - Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, and National Center of Regenerative Medicine Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine "Stem cells as innovative therapeutics to treat disease"
April 6: NOTE: 4 pm lecture
Trevor Powell M.S. Defense "Examination of the metabolism and ecology of quaternary amine-dependent methanogenesis"
April 7: NOTE: 10 am lecture
Devon Popson M.S. Defense "Too much or not enough: light stress responses in Antarctic algae"
April 8
Allison Rober, PhD Associate Professor & Assistant Director of SENR for Stone Lab Academic Programming The Ohio State University "Hydrologic history regulates microbialbiofilm diversity and functional potential"
April 22
Colin Gates, PhD Assistant Professor - Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Loyola University Chicago
April 27/28
David Schatz, PhD(Orton K. Stark lecture) Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Immunobiology and Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry Yale School of Medicine
May 6
Tamer Uyar, PhD Associate Professor - Department of Human Centered Design Cornell Human Ecology
Graduate Student Seminars, MBI 690
Pearson Hall Room 218 Mondays @ 4:25 pm
March 2
Rut Tallon FCRL1 Recruitment to the BCR and Its Impact on B Cell Immunity
March 9
Kavita Shrestha Regulation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae geneexpression and virulence-associated proteins by oxygen
March 16
Lyla Vivian Chromosome segregation and genome analysis in Mycoplasma species
March 30
Maisey Frederick Seasonal dynamics of algal communities in Lake Fryxell (McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica) revealed through autonomous sensing
April 13
Jett Porter Investigating the diversity of underresearched cryptophyte algae in Lakes Bonney and Fryxell (McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica) to reveal the potential for a switch to a mixotrophic lifestyle
April 15 (Note: Wednesday)
Alex Majeski A mediatory role for B Cells and pDCsin autoimmune disease
