Visiting researcher Ana Maria Murta Santi talks with Stephen Beverley, PhD, about some results. Beverley is the former head of molecular microbiology and has spent most of his career studying leishmaniasis. Once thought to be asexual, single-celled parasites caught in the act – Studying Leishmania parasites’ offspring could lead to improved treatment for deadly infections. 
Dr Pike Dr Hanson Dr. Doering – Investments in basic science are fundamental to biomedical discovery. New endowed professors in basic science. 
Henry Huang, PhD, admires and judges pumpkins that medical students carved during the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic on October 26, 2020. 
UTI treatment reduces E. coli, may offer alternative to antibiotics – Treatment with molecular decoy may lessen recurrent infections, mouse study shows – An E. coli bacterium (above, in gold) attaches to and invades cells lining the inner surface of the bladder. UTIs are among the most common infections, and they tend to recur. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a molecular decoy that reduces the number of UTI-causing gut bacteria. This compound potentially could lower the chance of repeat UTIs. 
Researchers find innovative ways to combat world’s deadliest bacteria – Shabaana Khader, PhD, (seated) discusses the results of a recent experiment with graduate student Nicole Howard. The two have published a paper showing that the same mutation that gives TB bacteria drug resistance also elicits a weaker immune response. 
Graduate student Nicole Howard works in a biosafety cabinet with the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), while Shabaana Khader, PhD, looks on. Howard and Khader found that the same mutation that gives TB bacteria drug resistance also elicits a weaker immune response. 
Carolina Lopez, PhD, and graduate student Lavinia Gonzalez talk about ongoing research in the lab. Lopez, a BJC Investigator in molecular microbiology, studies the relationship between a virus and organism it infects. 
David Sibley, Ph.D., professor of molecular microbiology, talks in his lab postdoctoral fellows Alex Rosenberg, left, and Josh Radke about treatment for common cause of diarrhea more promising-Intestinal parasite Cryptosporidium successfully grown in lab using new technique 
Christina Stallings, PhD, and research technician Sthefany Chavez look over plates and resazurin in her lab to find innovative ways to combat world’s deadliest bacteria. 
David Wang, PhD, and PhD student Luis Sandoval look at plates in his lab studying viruses in the gut to learn more about their impart on health and disease. 
Sean Whelan, PhD, and instructor Louis-Marie Bloyet examine cellular assays with visiting researcher Michael Tartell and visiting researcher Paul Rothlauf examine cellular assays while researching a vaccine for the Covid-19 coronavirus.
“Microbiology remains a key discipline of modern biomedical science. Apart from causing infectious diseases, microbes and microbial communities play critical roles in human health and evolution. The domestication of microbes for medical and scientific purposes promises to have a profound impact on health and medicine. These topics are well-represented throughout the Washington University community, and I view the Department of Molecular Microbiology as providing a central home for the broader Washington University microbiology community”
Sean Whelan, PhD
Marvin A. Brennecke Distinguished Professor
Department Head
Meet our faculty
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News
Recurrent UTIs linked to gut microbiome, chronic inflammation (Links to an external site)
Antibiotics may increase risk of further UTIs by disrupting microbiome
Ernie Simms — a groundbreaking researcher and mentor in St. Louis (Links to an external site)
Beverley was both the inaugural recipient and namer of the Ernest St. John Simms distinguished professorship, which honors the first Black man to hold a tenured academic appointment at the WashU School of Medicine. Simms had an amazing life story.
65 Fellows Elected into the American Academy of Microbiology (Links to an external site)
In February, the American Academy of Microbiology (Academy) elected 65 new Fellows to the Class of 2022, including Dr. Carolina Lopez and Dr. Christina Stallings.
Bridging the COVID-19 funding gap (Links to an external site)
In this Q&A, virologist Sean Whelan, PhD, and business leader Andrew M. Bursky explain how faculty members and donors swiftly came together to advance critical COVID-19 research.