Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity

Lena Al-Harthi, PhD, has accepted the vice dean for research role in an acting capacity. The transitions were effective Feb. 1, 2024.  Read more…

Lena Al-Harthi, PhD will lead the transition of these graduate programs into the division of translational science.  Read more…

A recent study by Jeffrey Schneider, PhD and researchers at Rush University and Northwestern University.  Read more…
The results of the study were recently published in Cell Reports.  You can learn more about the study here.

Research highlight featuring the study by Lena Al-Harthi, PhD is posted on the NIMH website.  Read more…

Rush News article “Test Tube to Bedside: The RUSH Way” by Lena Al-Harthi, PhD.  Read more…

Rising seniors from the British International School of Chicago-South Loop (BISC-SL) completed a research internship at Rush University, organized by MPI. The students also participated in several activities to learn about the career paths of biomedical scientists. A special thank you to the laboratories of  Dr. Dino Samartzis, Dr. Ryan Ross, Dr. Robin Pourzal, Dr. Xiu-Ti Hu, Dr. Edward Barker, Dr. Hannah Lundberg, and Dr. Lena Al-Harthi for hosting them and facilitating their learning experience.
See more photos of BISC-SL students working in the lab of Dr. Al-Harthi here.

Jeffrey Schneider PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity and Jeffrey Borgia PhD, associate professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology have received a $1.4 million grant to study "breakthrough" infections of COVID-19 in vaccinated people who have received booster shots. Read more...

Dr. Lena Al-Harthi was quoted in this Washington Post article. Read more…  [PDF]

An article published in PLOS Pathogens by Dr. Al-Harthi and others with the media coverage.

HIV can reside in brain cells, and the AIDS-causing virus can spread from the brain to the body, even if it’s been suppressed by antiretroviral therapy, according to a study by Lena Al-Harthi, PhD, chairperson of the Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity and an immunology expert. Read more...

Dr. Al-Harthi articles in the press and media coverage highlight her recent work. Read more...

Dr. Lena Al-Harthi was interviewed by CNN.

• Lab Re-entry Task Force Recommendations
• MPI Lab Re-entry Guidelines

Kudos to one of our own, Edward Barker, PhD, for publishing an opinion piece on preventing bat viruses from infecting the human population! As you recall, Dr. Barker was selected to the Public Voices fellow program through the OpEd project championed by the President's Office.

Bats transmitted the three coronaviruses causing epidemics/pandemics in the last decade (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-COV2). Targetting vaccinating them against their own viruses could stop transmission the human population! Read more...

Lena Al-Harthi, PhD, has accepted the vice dean for research role in an acting capacity. The transitions were effective Feb. 1, 2024.  Read more…

Lena Al-Harthi, PhD will lead the transition of these graduate programs into the division of translational science.  Read more…

A recent study by Jeffrey Schneider, PhD and researchers at Rush University and Northwestern University.  Read more…
The results of the study were recently published in Cell Reports.  You can learn more about the study here.

Research highlight featuring the study by Lena Al-Harthi, PhD is posted on the NIMH website.  Read more…

Rush News article “Test Tube to Bedside: The RUSH Way” by Lena Al-Harthi, PhD.  Read more…

Rising seniors from the British International School of Chicago-South Loop (BISC-SL) completed a research internship at Rush University, organized by MPI. The students also participated in several activities to learn about the career paths of biomedical scientists. A special thank you to the laboratories of  Dr. Dino Samartzis, Dr. Ryan Ross, Dr. Robin Pourzal, Dr. Xiu-Ti Hu, Dr. Edward Barker, Dr. Hannah Lundberg, and Dr. Lena Al-Harthi for hosting them and facilitating their learning experience.
See more photos of BISC-SL students working in the lab of Dr. Al-Harthi here.

Jeffrey Schneider PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity and Jeffrey Borgia PhD, associate professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology have received a $1.4 million grant to study "breakthrough" infections of COVID-19 in vaccinated people who have received booster shots. Read more...

Dr. Lena Al-Harthi was quoted in this Washington Post article. Read more…  [PDF]

An article published in PLOS Pathogens by Dr. Al-Harthi and others with the media coverage.

HIV can reside in brain cells, and the AIDS-causing virus can spread from the brain to the body, even if it’s been suppressed by antiretroviral therapy, according to a study by Lena Al-Harthi, PhD, chairperson of the Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity and an immunology expert. Read more...

Dr. Al-Harthi articles in the press and media coverage highlight her recent work. Read more...

Dr. Lena Al-Harthi was interviewed by CNN.

• Lab Re-entry Task Force Recommendations
• MPI Lab Re-entry Guidelines

Kudos to one of our own, Edward Barker, PhD, for publishing an opinion piece on preventing bat viruses from infecting the human population! As you recall, Dr. Barker was selected to the Public Voices fellow program through the OpEd project championed by the President's Office.

Bats transmitted the three coronaviruses causing epidemics/pandemics in the last decade (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-COV2). Targetting vaccinating them against their own viruses could stop transmission the human population! Read more...

Giselle Sandi, PhD has been selected by Great Minds in STEM to receive the 2019 Hispanic Engineer National Achievement award for education. This prestigious award honors Giselle’s life-long commitment to promote STEM education for under-represented minority groups. Her efforts have had a sustained regional and national impact for STEM education at all levels from elementary to higher level education. She will receive this prestigious award at the upcoming Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference (HENAAC).

The Q&A with Graduate College alumna Jennillee Wallace, MS, PhD.

Read more...

Nell S. Lurain, PhD, professor of the Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity, recently received a Rush Faculty Excellence in Education Award.

Faculty Recognition Reception celebrating winners to be held on June 25, 2019.
2019 Faculty Excellence Award Winners and Recognition Reception Video.