MMI 291 Seminar Series: Emerging Challenges in Microbiology and Immunology
Current Theme: Interdisciplinary Research
All seminars are held Fridays at 12:10 p.m. at 1005 Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility (GBSF Main Auditorium).
Winter Quarter 2025
January 10, 2025
Speaker: Russell Hovey, Ph.D., Professor and Lead Faculty Advisor, Animal Science, University of California, Davis
Title: “The inflammatory microenvironment within the mammary gland as an active participant in growth and lactation” (PDF)
January 17, 2025
Speaker: Chang-il Hwang, D.V.M., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis
Title: “Epigenetic Landscape of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma” (PDF)
January 24, 2025
Speaker: Andrew Fisher, Ph.D., Professor, Chemistry and the Molecular and Cellular Biology Depts., University of California, Davis
Title: “Structural Basis for RNA editing by ADARs: Advancing Tools to Treat Genetic Disorders” (PDF)
January 31, 2025
Speaker: Fereydoun Hormozdiari, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis
Title: “Computational and machine learning approaches in genomics and early prediction of cancer” (PDF)
February 7, 2025
Speaker: Lauren Radlinski, Post-doctoral Researcher, Andreas Bäumler Research Lab
Title: “Metabolic reprogramming of the host epithelium drives pathogen outgrowth during vaginal dysbiosis” (PDF)
Speaker: Leticia Lazaro-Anton, Post-doctoral Researcher, Renée Tsolis Research Lab
Title: “Sphingosine‐1‐ Phosphate links ER Stress to Nod1/2-mediated Inflammation In response to Brucella abortus infection” (PDF)
February 14, 2025
Speaker: Aidan E. Gilchrist, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis
Title: “Engineered environments for cell fate decisions” (PDF)
February 21, 2025
Speaker: Samuel T. Hwang, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis School of Medicine
Title: “The Contribution of Western Diet and Microbiome to Psoriatic Inflammation” (PDF)
February 28, 2025
Speaker: Oliver Fiehn, Ph.D., Director, UC Davis West Coast Metabolomics Center, University of California, Davis
Title: “Space Odyssey: Metabolism in the small intestine” (PDF)
March 7, 2025
Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department TGIF Seminar
March 14, 2025
Speaker: Henry Ho, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis
Title: “New perspectives on an ancient developmental pathway that controls tissue shape” (PDF)
April 4, 2025
Speaker: Chi Zhang, Ph.D. Candidate, BMCDB Graduate Group, Stefan Rothenburg Research Lab
Research Presentation Title: “Eptesipox virus inhibits host protein kinase R pathway in a species-specific manner and successfully replicates in cell lines from multiple species” (PDF)
--
Speaker: Natasha Tanner, Ph.D. Candidate, Sebastian Winter Research Lab
Research Presentation Title: “Lactate Metabolism of Intestinal Epithelial Cells Promotes Gut Inflammation” (PDF)
April 11, 2025
Speaker: Sasha Shafikhani, Ph.D., Professor, Director of Microbiome Research, Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis
Title: “Why is ExoT so Essential to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenesis” (PDF)
April 18, 2025
Speaker: Vladimir Diaz-Ochoa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor CAMPOS Faculty Scholar, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis
Title: “Nutrition is Linked to Immunity Against Bacterial Pathogens via the NRAMP1 Metal Transporter” (PDF)
April 25, 2025
Speaker: Jessica Huang, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar, Janine LaSalle Research Lab
Research Presentation Title: “Role of a novel micropeptide in hypoxiainduced oxidative stress” (PDF)
May 2, 2025
Speaker: Sanchita Bhatnagar, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis
Title: “Targeting Oncogenic Vulnerabilities in Triple- Negative Breast Cancer” (PDF)
May 9, 2025
Speaker: Vanessa Sperandio, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Title: “The highs and lows of enteric infections” (PDF)
May 16, 2025
Speaker: David AuCoin, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno
Title: “Challenges developing rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases” (PDF)
May 23, 2025
Speaker: Hannah Savage, D.V.M., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis
Title: “Exploring the interface between the host and microbiota with a One Health focus” (PDF)
May 30, 2025
Speaker: Karen Shapiro, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis
Title: “Toxoplasmosis in California sea otters” (PDF)
Contact the IOR, Professor José V. Torres (jvtorres@ucdavis.edu), if you would like to meet with the speaker.
