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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, September 3, 2025
Hi Micro Community, Sending a reminder that the Micro Seminar resumes next week, 9/10- Please join us! Microbiology Seminar 🔬 Wednesday 9/10/25 12-1PM CRB Austrian Auditorium Afam Okoye, PhD "Towards an HIV cure: Strategies for post-ART viral control" ohsu.edu/okoye-lab
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Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Hello Micro Community! Our weekly seminars return next week! Microbiology Seminar 🔬 Wednesday Sept 10 Prokaryotic Seminar 🦠 Monday Sept 15 Virology Seminar 💉Tuesday Sept 16
Departmental Events
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Prokaryotic Seminar
Monday, September 15: 4pm in 209 Johnson Pavilion
Tim Miyashiro, Penn State Univ
"Interference competition mechanisms in a bacterial symbiont"
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Virology Seminar
Tuesday, September 16th: 12pm in 209 Johnson Pavilion
Kaeri Martinez, Cherry Lab :: Rachel Serafin, Hensley Lab
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Microbiology Seminar
Wednesday, September 10: 12pm in CRB Austrian Auditorium
Afam Okoye, PhD :: Oregon Health Sciences Univ
"Towards an HIV cure: Strategies for post-ART viral control"