Microbiology and Immunology Trainee Seminar Series
The Department of Virology, Immunology & Microbiology (VIM) and Immunology Training Program (ITP) Trainee Seminar/Journal Club sessions are held on Mondays at 12:00 noon in the X222 VIM conference room. All presentations are in person only, with the exception of defenses which will be hybrid. Email reminders will be sent prior to each seminar.
Please email kfurness@bu.edu if you want to be added to the email listserv.
Click here for previous seminars.
| Spring 2026 VIM and ITP Trainee Seminar and Journal Club Series | |
| January 26 | Cancelled due to inclement weather |
| Thursday, January 29 1:00 PM in L112 |
DISSERTATION DEFENSE SEMINAR “Characterizing the Unique Sperm Glycan Landscape: Determining the Human Contraception Antibody’s Epitope and the effects of Bacterial Vaginosis Derived Sialidases on Sperm” Sarah Dohadwala |
| February 2 | STUDENT SEMINARS “Heterologous Protection against Bacterial Pneumonia” Brittny Garcia, Mizgerd Lab and “Discovering the CRL4 Complex as a Putative Regulator of Ebola Virus Infection” Jillian Grassia, Davey Lab |
| February 9 | STUDENT SEMINARS “Creating Genetically Barcoded Ebola Viruses to Study Viral Population Dynamics” Emil Mah, Sullivan Lab and “Mechanisms driving poly(A)-independent mRNA stability and translation in Arenaviruses” Annie Wen, Cifuentes Lab |
| February 16 | NO SEMINAR |
| February 23 | Rescheduled to April 15 |
| Tuesday, February 24 1:00 PM in X222 |
DISSERTATION DEFENSE SEMINAR “Characterization of a Novel Genomic Locus with Pro-Viral Function in Orthoflavivirus Infection Elizabeth Chavez |
| March 2 | STUDENT SEMINARS “Disentangling Shared and Distinct Gene Signatures of Robust Vaccine Responses” Stephanie Hao, Tomic Lab and “An Investigation of Links between Herpesviruses and Neurodegenerative Diseases” Laura Polanco, Cappione Lab |
| March 9 | POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW SEMINARS “Development of a Novel Humanized Mouse Model for Ebola Virus Infection” Shilpa Kuttikrishnan, PhD, Misasi Lab and “Bone Marrow Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Post Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection” Giulia Unali, PhD, Douam Lab |
| Tuesday, March 10 1:00 PM in L110 |
DISSERTATION DEFENSE SEMINAR “Intragenic Transcription from Defective HIV-1 Proviruses Triggers the Melanoma Differentiation-Associated Protein 5 Innate Immune Sensing Pathway” Jonathan Kilroy |
| Friday, March 13 12:00 PM in L110 |
DISSERTATION DEFENSE SEMINAR “Elucidating Novel Interactions between HIV-1 and Host DNA Responses” Andrew Leal |
| March 16 | JOURNAL CLUB Board, N. L. et al. Bispecific antibodies promote natural killer cell-mediated elimination of HIV-1 reservoir cells. Nat Immunol 25, 462–470 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01741-5 Presenter: Jonathan Eddy |
| March 23 | JOURNAL CLUB Nikolaitchik, O.A. et al. HIV-1 usurps transcription start site heterogeneity of host RNA polymerase II to maximize replication fitness. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 120(23) e2305103120 (2023). https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2305103120 Presenter: Sonia Mukherjee |
| March 30 | STUDENT SEMINARS “Mechanisms of Ebola Virus Entry in CD169+ Macrophages” Tiffany Chan, Gummuluru Lab and “A Novel Class of Orthopoxvirus Inhibitors, Pyridopyrimidinones (PDPMs), Triggers Aberrant Polymerase Functions that Activate Host Antiviral Pathways” Joelle Johnson, Connor Lab |
| April 6 | JOURNAL CLUB Carr, C.R. et al. Deep mutational scanning reveals functional constraints and antibody-escape potential of Lassa virus glycoprotein complex. Immunity 57(9), 2061-2076 (2024). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1074761324003194?via%3Dihub Presenter: Cameron Ong |
| April 13 | POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW SEMINARS “Innate Immune Sensing Mechanism of SIV Infection” Shreya Banerjee, PhD, Gummuluru Lab and “Epithelial Tissue Factor drives Pneumococcal Pneumonia Pathology” Bradley Hiller, PhD, Mizgerd Lab |
| Wednesday, April 15, 12:00 pm |
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW SEMINARS “Characterization of Powassan Virus Pathogenesis in C57BL/6 Mice” Devin Kenney, PhD, Saeed Lab and “Sequencing in Containment: Developing Genomic Surveillance for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus” Emily LaVerriere, PhD, Connor Lab |
| April 20 | NO SEMINAR |
| April 27 | STUDENT SEMINARS “The Human Parainfluenza Virus 3 Replicase is a Functionally Asymmetric L-L Polymerase Dimer” Mustafa Tuncay, Fearns Lab and “Development of Human Skin Organoid Models to Uncover Novel Facets of Arthropod-Borne Viral Infections” Emily Wolfe, Douam Lab |
| May 4 | POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW SEMINARS Jamie Kelly, PhD, Davey Lab and Cassandra Vondrak, PhD, Connor Lab |
| Thursday, June 4 1PM in X222 |
DISSERTATION DEFENSE SEMINAR Christina McConney |
| June 8 12:00-1:30 PM |
QUALIFYING EXAM SEMINARS Jonathan Eddy Sonia Mukherjee Cameron Ong |
| Wednesday, June 24 1PM in X222 |
DISSERTATION DEFENSE SEMINAR Yewoo Lee |
| Friday, June 26 1PM in L206x9 |
DISSERTATION DEFENSE SEMINAR Brianna Close |