NC ASM Branch Meeting 2022
Saturday, November 5th
Hosted By Appalachian State University
Thank you to our Platinum & Gold Sponsors:
Please visit our sponsors on the first-floor hallway and atrium
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NC ASM Meeting 2022 |
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Registration & breakfast 7:30 - 8:15am |
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Leon Levine Hall atrium |
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Introductions (103)* |
Speaker |
Title |
*The introductions and plenary talks in room 103 will also be displayed on screen in the atrium* |
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8:30-8:45 |
Cara Fiore |
Welcome and introduction |
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8:45-9:00 |
Megan Damico |
ASM advocacy |
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Morning session A Talks (103) |
Speaker |
Institution |
Title |
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9:00 |
Quinton Krueger |
UNC Charlotte |
Comparative transmission of bacteria from Artemia salina and Brachionus plicatilis to the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis |
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9:15 |
Andrea Suria |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Determining genes involved in bacteria-bacteria killing in Hawaiian bobtail squid reproductive symbionts |
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9:30 |
Andrea Ward |
North Carolina State University |
Development of media for growth and quantification of a synthetic community for plant-microbe research |
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9:45 |
Denise Rohlik |
East Carolina University |
Exploiting bacterially-derived mechanisms of inhibition for the development of small-molecule inhibitors targeting the classical pathway of complement |
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10:00 |
Andrew Bray |
Wake Forest School of Medicine |
Klebsiella pneumoniae's type VI secretion system: regulation and role in gut colonization |
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10:15 |
Alan Schmalstig |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Bacteriophage infection of intracellular Mycobacterium abscessus |
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Morning session B Talks (246) |
Speaker |
Institution |
Title |
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9:00 |
Michael Aguilar |
University of North Carolina Wilmington |
ASADH inhibition against antibiotic-resistant microorganisms |
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9:15 |
Hanna Berman |
NC State University |
Culture and Assessment of Pathogenic Phenotypes of Gardnerella spp. |
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9:30 |
Madeline E. Wight |
Appalachian State University |
Impact of Severe Food Restriction on Gut Microbiome Diversity |
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9:45 |
Samuel Cooke |
Appalachian State University |
Biofilm Analysis of Adherent-Invasive E. coli and E. faecalis Co-cultures: an exploration of water channels |
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10:00 |
Sam McMillan (A.S. McMillan) |
North Carolina State University |
Loss of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron encoding bile acid altering genes impact bacterial fitness and the global metabolic transcriptome |
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10:15 |
Samantha Kisthardt |
North Carolina State University |
Microbial derived bile acids inhibit C. difficile growth and pathogenicity while sparing other members of the gut microbiota |
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Poster Session 1 & coffee break: 2nd floor atrium (Odd numbers) |
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10:30-11:30 |
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11:45-12:30: Plenary I: NC Lecturer: Dr. Blake Ushijima, University of North Carolina, Wilmington (room 103 and atrium via zoom) |
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"Coral Probiotics: Using host-derived microbes to help threatened ecosystems" |
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Lunch: Buffet in atrium, outside space & Meet with speaker opportunity 1 |
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12:30-1:30 |
Box Lunch |
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12:45-1:30 |
NC ASM business meeting (rm 112) |
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1 - 1:30 |
Dr. Ushijima (room 103) |
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1 - 1:30 |
Dr. Babady (room 246) |
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1-1:30 |
Prokaryotes and Penmanship: A Hand Lettering Workshop (room 205) |
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Afternoon concurrent session C (room 103) |
Speaker |
Institution |
Title |
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1:45 |
Shilpi Bhatia |
North Carolina A&T State University |
SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology & Wastewater Surveillance at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University |
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2:00 |
Andrew Dunphy |
University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
Substance P augments neutrophil attracting chemokine expression by bacterially-challenged human glia |
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2:15 |
Kelli Furr |
University of North Carolina Charlotte |
The induction of protective type I interferon responses in primary osteoblasts following Staphylococcus aureus infection |
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2:30 |
Charles Booth Jr. |
East Carolina University |
The dynamic duo: how protein flexibility and conformation affect the function of borrelial C1r inhibitors |
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2:45 |
Jacob A. Kazenelson |
University of North Carolina Wilmington |
Spatiotemporal tracking of Covid-19 on the UNCW campus using a wastewater based epidemiologic approach |
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3:00 |
Sophie Sipprell |
University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
Osteoblast production of neutrophil-recruiting chemokines following infection with Staphylococcus aureus |
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Afternoon concurrent session D (room 246) |
Speaker |
Institution |
Title |
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1:45 |
Jessica Gronniger |
Duke University Marine Laboratory |
Gulf Stream cold-core cyclonic frontal eddy harbors a unique microbiome relative to surrounding waters |
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2:00 |
Melanie Cohn |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Bringing the estuary into the lab: Maintaining ecocosms to investigate microbial community dynamics and biogeochemical cycling |
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2:15 |
Liang Zhao |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Quantifying metagenome-assembled-genome contributions to Galápagos microbial communities and fine scale population structure |
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2:30 |
Garrett Sharpe |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Estimating in situ growth rates and functional capabilities of marine microbes with quantitative metagenomics |
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2:45 |
Colin Finlay |
East Carolina University |
Hydrology and plant effects interact to influence greenhouse gas production and the taxonomic and functional gene composition of wetland soil microbiomes |
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3:00 |
Jeanette Black |
University of North Carolina at Wilmington |
Investigation of anti-inflammatory drugs for their ability to reduce equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) cell to cell spread. |
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Poster session 2 & coffee break: 2nd floor atrium (Even numbers), Meet with speaker opportunity 2 |
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3:15 - 4:15 |
Posters |
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4 - 4:30 |
Dr. Babady (room 103) |
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4 - 4:30 |
Dr. Ushijima (room 246) |
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4 - 4:30 |
Prokaryotes and Penmanship: A Hand Lettering Workshop (room 205) |
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4:15 - 4:30 |
Judges meeting (room 112) |
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4:45 - 5:30: Plenary II: ASM Distinguished Lecturer Program - Waksman Foundation Lecture (room 103 and atrium via zoom) |
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Dr. Esther Babady, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center “C. difficile Diagnostic Challenges” |
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Closing remarks and awards (103) |
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5:30 – 5:45 |
Cara Fiore |
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Reception with cash bar: 5:30 - 7pm, Atrium and outside |
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Poster Sessions:
Session A: 10:30-11:30, 2nd floor atrium
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Title |
Presenter |
Institution |
Poster number |
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Co-evolution and Gene Flow Drive Speciation Patterns in Host-Associated Bacteria |
Caroline Stott |
University of North Carolina, Greensboro |
1 |
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Differential expression of Cardinium hertigii proteins provides insights into symbiont-mediated reproductive manipulation of the insect host Encarsia suzannae |
Olivia L. Mathieson |
North Carolina State University |
3 |
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Transductomics- detecting viral transduction events in microbiomes using metagenome sequencing reads |
Jessie Maier |
North Carolina State University |
5 |
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Seasonal Dynamics of Estuarine Thaumarchaea in Coastal North Carolina |
Parker Lawrence |
University of North Carolina, Wilmington |
7 |
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Characterization of Entomopathogenic Fungi Metabolites Isolated from North Carolina Soil |
Hannah Walsh |
Campbell University |
9 |
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Evolving resistance to wall teichoic acid synthesis inhibitors in Bacillus subtilis. |
Fahad Nassam |
North Carolina A&T State University |
11 |
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Effects of moderate malnutrition during pregnancy on neonatal immunity to malaria |
Robert Onjiko |
Appalachian State University |
13 |
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Role of Ethanolamine Metabolism on Gastrointestinal Colonization of Klebsiella pneumoniae |
Andrew Barnes |
Wake Forest School of Medicine |
15 |
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Examining nutrient enrichment effects on greenhouse gas production in a coastal plain wetland |
Scott Siebor |
East Carolina University |
17 |
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Identification and Impact of Iron-Oxidizing Bacteria on Steel Structures in Freshwater Environments |
Meredith Cox |
East Carolina University |
19 |
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Functional redundancy in the ascidian microbiome: A metagenomic comparison of Eudistoma capsulatum microbiomes from marina and reef habitats in North Carolina |
Brenna Hutchings |
University of North Carolina, Wilmington |
21 |
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Microbial Influenced Corrosion on Accomac, A Freshwater, Ferrous-Hulled Shipwreck: Community Diversity & Species Abundance |
Maggie O. Shostak |
East Carolina Univeristy |
23 |
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Human impact in Appalachian cave systems: how the presence of people influences the native microbial cave species |
Anna-Maria Riley |
Appalachian State University |
25 |
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Design and delivery of nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) to resident bone cells during Staphylococcal osteomyelitis |
Erin Davis |
University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
27 |
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Title |
Presenter |
Institution |
Poster number |
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Measuring persisters in biofilm to characterize MRSA |
Miranda Gough |
High Point University |
29 |
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Optimization of Biological Control Agent Bacillus thuringiensis Growth Using 5L Fermenters Under Various Environmental Conditions and Different Media Broths |
Grant A Gabzdyl |
University of North Carolina at Pembroke |
31 |
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Suppression of ß-lactamase increases susceptibility of several methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains |
Payton Thomas |
High Point University |
33 |
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Determining the Mechanism of Enzymes Involved in Hydrogen Sulfide Oxidation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa |
Chukwuemeka Steve Adindu |
East Carolina University |
35 |
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Co-culture Interactions Between Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis Indicate Increased Biofilm Formation |
Alyssa Lawing |
Appalachian State University |
37 |
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Uncovering sex differences in gene expression that affect host response to Chlamydia trachomatis infection |
Angela Jones |
Duke University |
39 |
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Retinoic acid inducible gene-I mediated detection of Staphylococcus aureus in murine osteoblasts. |
Mary-Kate Key |
University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
41 |
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Aerobactin enhances metastatic infection and increases mortality in a hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate |
Giovanna Hernandez |
Wake Forest School of Medicine |
43 |
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Differential Binding Affinities of Wild-Type and Mutant OmpR |
Jordan Miller |
North Carolina A&T State University |
45 |
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Investigating Structural Features Utilized by Two-component Flavin-dependent Systems |
Chioma Helen Aloh |
East Carolina University |
47 |
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Exploring the Catalytic Mechanism of Two-component FMNH2-dependent Monooxygenases in Sulfur Acquisition |
Shruti Somai |
East Carolina University |
49 |
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H-NS-like protein MucR coordinates virulence gene expression during host-association in Brucella spp. through silencer/counter-silencer interactions |
Ian Barton |
East Carolina University |
51 |
Session B: 3:30-4:30pm, 2nd floor atrium
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Title |
Presenter |
Institution |
Poster number |
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Something Fishy: Patterns of gut microbiome diversity and composition across baleen and toothed whales correlate with diet |
Brandon J. Rose |
University of North Carolina, Wilmington |
2 |
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Calibrating model bacterial organisms' physiology and metabolism as biosensors of the marine carbon pool |
Samantha Cerda |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
4 |
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Molecular survey of methane-cycling archaea in methane-soaked subsurface sediments (Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California) |
John E. Hinkle |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
6 |
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Longnose gar egg and ectoparasitic isopod-associated bacterial community characterization and bioactivity assessment |
Sandra Bennett |
University of North Carolina, Wilmington |
8 |
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Long-term nutrient enrichment shifts wetland plant-microbe relationships from cooperative to competitive |
Kai Davis |
East Carolina University |
10 |
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Microbial ecology of sand fly breeding sites: aging and larval conditioning alter the bacterial community composition of rearing substrates. |
Nayma Romo Bechara |
University of North Carolina at Greensboro |
12 |
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Histidine kinases and response regulator proteins in two-component signaling systems |
Destinee Harris |
North Carolina A&T State University |
14 |
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Two-Component System YesMN Responds to Environmental Zinc and Contributes Towards Host-to-Host Transmission of Streptococcus pneumoniae |
Alicia Costa-Terryll |
Wake Forest School of Medicine |
16 |
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An Investigation of the Microbial Diversity and Antibiotic Production Potential of Commercial, Pasteurized Kefir and Raw, Goat Milk Kefir |
Anna Braaten |
Campbell University |
20 |
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Identifying proteomic signatures of microbial growth |
Abigail Korenek |
North Carolina State University |
22 |
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Transient Transformation and Tumor Formation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 bglA and bglB Mutants |
Caroline Chandler |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
24 |
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Title |
Presenter |
Institution |
Poster number |
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de novo Transcriptome Analysis of P. lunula to Shed Light on Bioluminescence |
Lila Barrera |
Appalachian State University |
26 |
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Optimization of RNA extractions from Streptococcus mutans for RNAseq |
Korey Wilson |
North Carolina A&T State University |
28 |
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Differential Podosome Development in M1 and M2 THP-1-derived Macrophages |
Hannah Wolf |
Appalachian State University |
30 |
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Investigation of host cell cytokine directed changes in Neisseria meningitidis gene expression |
Krishna Majithia |
University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
32 |
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How lepA and ettA mutations impact Acinetobacter baumannii growth in csrA mutants |
Jackson Wood |
East Carolina University |
34 |
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SARS-CoV-2 Quantification in Wastewater and the Effects of Environmental Variables |
Josie Beasley |
Appalachian State University |
36 |
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Phage off: Evaluating the Efficacy of Mycobacteriophage in Acid, Heat, and Chemical Challenge |
Umar Chaudhry |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
38 |
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In Vivo Targeting of Clostridioides difficile Using Phage Delivered CRISPR-Cas3 Antimicrobials. |
Megan Welch |
Locus Biosciences |
40 |
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In Vivo Recombineering for Insertion of Chromosomal Mutations in Two-Component Response Systems |
Lauren Thomas |
North Carolina A&T State University |
42 |
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The Salmonella effector SarA hijacks host STAT3 signaling to induce an anti-inflammatory response. |
Margaret Gaggioli |
Duke University |
44 |
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Moderate Malnutrition Increases NK Cell Population and Inflammatory Activation in the Spleen |
James Erny |
Appalachian State University |
46 |
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Elucidating the structure and function of a novel class of complement inhibitors of the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi |
Sheila Thomas |
East Carolina University |
48 |
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Evaluating the Effects of Evolutionary Adaptations In Two-Component Response Systems (Escherichia coli K12 MG1655) |
Brittany Sanders |
North Carolina A&T State University |
50 |
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Observing Microbial Community Shifts Through Metagenomics |
David Malcolm |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
52 |
Thank you to our Silver & Bronze Sponsors:
Please visit our sponsors on the first-floor hallway and atrium
NC ASM Advocacy Speaker:
Megan Damico, Ph.D. Candidate
University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Room 103, 8:45 – 9:00 am
Megan Damico is a 5th year Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Health Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where she uses the honey bee as a model system to study how various environmental and genetic factors drive strain-level community structure and dynamics within host-associated gut microbiomes. In addition to her graduate work, Megan is also a Policy Entrepreneurship Fellow with the Federation of American Scientists, where she works to create stronger regulatory policy actions surrounding microbial therapeutic products, such as probiotics, for agricultural animals. She holds a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences from Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Allendale, Michigan. Outside of her research, Megan volunteers with the North Carolina Audubon Society to lead state-wide advocacy efforts and is an avid birder.
Plenary Speakers:
North Carolina Invitational Lecture
Dr. Blake Ushijima
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
Room 103, 11:45 am – 12:30 pm
Blake Ushijima, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Wilmington and is active in the ASM organization as a member of the ASM junior advisory group and the ASM Microbe Applied and Environmental Science planning group. Dr. Ushijima received his Ph.D. at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Microbiology working on bacterial pathogens that infect corals. His work focused on novel coral pathogens with an emphasis on the pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus, which infects a variety of corals and marine invertebrates. He continued as a postdoc at Oregon State University working on bacterial oyster pathogens and probiotics. He was then awarded the George Burch Research Fellowship to work at the Smithsonian Marine Station studying stony coral tissue loss disease and was one of the lead investigators for the Coral Health and Marine Probiotics (CHAMP) Lab. During his time at the Smithsonian, he worked on developing probiotics to combat the outbreak of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) spreading throughout the Caribbean.
ASM Distinguished Lecturer Program - Waksman
Foundation Lecture
Room 103, 4:45 – 5:30pm
Esther Babady, Ph.D., D (ABMM), FIDSA, F(AAM) is the Director of the Clinical Microbiology Service, the Director of the CPEP Clinical Microbiology Fellowship program, an Attending Microbiologist and Member (Professor) in the Departments of Laboratory Medicine and Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City. Dr. Babady received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and completed a postdoctoral CPEP fellowship in clinical microbiology, both at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., before joining MSKCC. She is board-certified by the American Board of Medical Microbiology, a fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America and a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. She is a senior editor for Microbiology Spectrum and serves on the editorial boards of several journals. Her research interests include rapid diagnosis of infections in immunocompromised hosts, fungal diagnostics and the development and evaluation of the clinical utility of molecular microbiology assays. She has published extensively on these topics.