Past News & Announcements

November 2019: Mrinalini (Mira) Ghoshal, 3rd-year PhD candidate in the Microbiology Department received the 1st Prize Award for the Best Oral Presentation at the 9th Annual Life Sciences Graduate Research Symposium. The Symposium was held at the UMass-Amherst Campus on November 22, 2019.  The title of Mira’s presentation was: “Exploring the role of low molecular weight metabolites in the formation of host brain lesions during Cryptococcus neoformans infection”.  Cryptococcus is an important fungal disease problem that kills 181,000 people each year, and Mira is exploring a new mode for the way the fungus attacks the brain. Her research is conducted in collaboration with her advisor, Professor Barry Goodell in the Microbiology Department.

September 2019: Dr. Yasu Morita received tenure and was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor. Jeffrey Kane, AMB Lecturer and Advisor, was promoted to Senior Lecturer. Both promotions were effective September 1, 2019.

May 2019: Wilmore Webley, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Director of Pre-Med Advising, was one of five University of Massachusetts faculty to receive the Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching. One prize was awarded from each of the five University campuses. The award was established in 2016 by UMass Lowell alumni Rob and Donna Manning to honor UMass professors who excel in teaching and service. Read more...

April 2019: Dr. Reuben Shipway, who joined the Microbiology Department and Professor Barry Goodell’s Lab as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in April, was recently featured in the New York Times for his research.  Shipway’s discovery of a new marine mollusk species included DNA sequencing of the shipworm mollusks and their bacterial symbionts. Goodell has an ongoing collaboration with Northeastern University researchers, and Shipway’s arrival allows for a continuation of this as the team explores the role of bacterial symbionts in shipworm metabolism. Read more...

February 2019: Kathryn Rahlwes, Microbiology Ph.D. candidate, was awarded the Curtis B. Thorne "Carry On" Award on February 16, 2019. The award was established in 2008 to honor former Microbiology Faculty member Curt Thorne. The graduate student is chosen based on contributions to the Department and their discipline and for serving as a role model to other students.