American Society For Microbiology Honors, October 25 - October 28, 2008

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Conferences;  Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 19 Jul 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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American Society for Microbiology honors Eric Skaar

The 2008 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) ICAAC Young Investigator Award will be presented to Eric Skaar, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee. Sponsored by Merck, U.S. Human Health Division, this award recognizes early career scientists for excellence in research in microbiology and infectious diseases.

While a graduate student at Northwestern, Dr. Skaar focused on the molecular mechanisms of antigenic variation in the Gram-negative pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. His research described novel systems used by N. gonorrhoeae to combat the oxidative stress response of the host

Dr. Skaar completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago, where he studied Gram-positive infections. He was able to characterize a previously unrecognized system used by Staphylococcus aureus to transport iron across the cell wall. During this time, he also pioneered the use of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to measure bacterial nutrient acquisition in vivo. His use of ICP-MS led to the discovery that S. aureus preferentially acquires iron from heme during infection.

Dr. Skaar received his B.S. in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He then received his M.P.H. in Biostatistics and Epidemiology and his Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis, both from Northwestern University. He is a Burroughs Wellcome Investigator in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases and a Searle Scholar.

American Society for Microbiology honors Walter Stamm

The 2008 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) sanofi-aventis U.S. Award will be presented to Walter Stamm, Associate Director, WWAMI Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington. Supported by an unrestricted grant from sanofi-aventis U.S., this award honors outstanding accomplishment in antimicrobial chemotherapy.

Through his professional life, Dr. Stamm has worked with antimicrobial resistance for urinary tract infections, chlamydia infections, and sexually transmitted infections. He is recognized as a leader in the antimicrobial therapy of urinary tract infections and has written guidelines for the therapy of chlamydia and other STIs for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Stamm has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers, about 100 book chapters, and 11 books, most of them about urinary tract infections and genital infections including the role of bacterial pathogenesis, antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance. From 1999 through 2000, Dr. Stamm was a visiting scientist for the World Health Organization in the Antimicrobial Drug Resistance and Surveillance Branch.

Dr. Stamm received his B.A. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and his M.D. from Harvard Medical School.. He completed his residency at the University of Washington.

The sanofi-aventis U.S. Award will be presented during ASM's 48th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy/46th IDSA Annual Meeting, October 25 - October 28, 2008 in Washington, DC. ASM is the world's oldest and largest life science organization and has more than 43,000 members worldwide. ASM's mission is to advance the microbiological sciences and promote the use of scientific knowledge for improved health and economic and environmental well-being.

American Society for Microbiology honors Douglas Weibel

The 2008 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) ICAAC Young Investigator Award will be presented to Douglas Weibel, Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Sponsored by the ASM, this award recognizes early career scientists for excellence in research in microbiology and infectious diseases.

Dr. Weibel's work while a graduate student at Cornell focused on revealing the structures of natural products that are used by insects for defense. Through his chemical background, Dr. Weibel was able to make great advances in this area. Presently, Dr. Weibel investigates how bacteria respond to the environment. He has found a way to control the peptidoglycan synthesis of Escherichia coli, which was shown by his ability to transform these cells into different shapes. Through this research he hopes to explore the role specific bacterial proteins play in determining cell shape. Dr. Weibel also investigates how the chemical and mechanical properties of surfaces play a role in the differentiation and growth of bacterial cells, which has implications for understanding microbial life cycles. As a result of his extensive research, Dr. Weibel has won numerous awards and published over thirty peer-reviewed publications and reviews.

Dr. Weibel received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. He then received his M.S. and his Ph.D., both in Chemistry, from Cornell University. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University.

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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The ICAAC Young Investigator Award will be presented during ASM's 48th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy/46th IDSA Annual Meeting, October 25 - October 28, 2008 in Washington, DC. ASM is the world's oldest and largest life science organization and has more than 43,000 members worldwide. ASM's mission is to advance the microbiological sciences and promote the use of scientific knowledge for improved health and economic and environmental well-being.

Contact: Garth Hogan
American Society for Microbiology