News
Research News: Understanding antibodies at play in long-lasting COVID-19 immunity
February 23, 2021
Research News: Understanding antibodies at play in long-lasting COVID-19 immunity Subheading: A team of researchers across Canada, including collaborators from Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, is shedding light on how our bodies develop immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and may help to assess how effectively current vaccines are at conferring long-term immunity.Announcement: Jimmy Dikeakos selected as President of the Canadian Society for Virology
January 06, 2021
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Jimmy Dikeakos, PhD, will be leading the executive committee of the Canadian Society for Virology, effective January 1, 2021.Western makes new commitments on anti-racism
June 23, 2020
A response to the report of the Anti-Racism Working GroupCOVID-19 Planning and Recovery
May 21, 2020
Information for Schulich Medicine students, faculty and staff regarding COVID-19 planning and recovery.Dr. John Yoo begins his term as Dean
May 01, 2020
Dr. John Yoo, the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry’s 20th Dean, begins his first term effective May 1, 2020 to June 30, 2025.Gregory Dekaban, PhD, has been extended as Acting Chair, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
April 28, 2020
Gregory Dekaban, PhD, has been extended as Acting Chair, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University effective from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 or until a new Chair is appointed.Western University researchers begin work on COVID-19 vaccine
March 19, 2020
Led by Department of Microbiology & Immunology Professors Stephen Barr, Eric Arts, Chil-Yong Kang, and Ryan Troyer, (with co-PIs Jimmy Dikeakos, Greg Dekaban and Mansour Haeryfar), the work is possible thanks to new funding announced today from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. This funding was rapidly made available to fast-track a comprehensive Canadian response to the pandemic. The team at Western received $998,840 for the project.Coronavirus information students, faculty and staff
January 31, 2020
Information for Western students, faculty and staff regarding Novel Coronavirus.Using probiotics to protect honey bees against fatal disease
October 30, 2019
A group of researchers at Western and Lawson combined their expertise in probiotics and bee biology to supplement honey bee food with probiotics, in the form a BioPatty, in their experimental apiaries. The aim was to see what effect probiotics would have on honey bee health.ImPaKT Facility Opening
July 30, 2019
The $16-million imaging pathogens for knowledge translation facility (ImPaKT) contains a level two biosafety containment lab where researchers will study microbes including HIV and antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA. Researchers in ImPaKT’s level three containment lab will study viruses including SARS-CoV-2, Zika and West Nile and the highly contagious bacterial infection tuberculosis. The 650 square metre secure facility features several different types of state-of-the-art imaging technology including an MRI and super-high resolution microscope.CIHR funding success
July 12, 2019
Dr. John McCormick (Staphylococcus aureus at the commensal-pathogen interface: the superantigen paradox) and Dr. Jamie Mann (Engineering HIV virus-like-particles (VLPs) for improved Env antigenicity and neutralizing antibody responses) in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology have each received CIHR funding. Congratulations to both.Acting Chair appointed - Microbiology and Immunology
July 09, 2019
Gregory Dekaban, PhD, has been appointed as Acting Chair, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University effective from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020.400 million year-old evolutionary arms race helps researchers understand HIV
May 25, 2019
Dr. Stephen Barr Understanding the evolution of a 400 million-year-old anti-viral protein that first emerged in marine life, is helping researchers get the upper-hand on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Distinguished University Professor
March 21, 2019
Gregor Reid is recognized as a Canadian and international pioneer in the areas of probiotics, beneficial microbes, and the microbiome. Reid’s research has led to significant clinical translational and commercial applications. He was a pioneer in understanding the microbiome and the possibility of probiotic treatment in an era when this research was largely considered ‘fringe’ science.Research: Boosting Subdominant Cancer-Specific T Cells
December 12, 2017
Dr. Mansour Haeryfar and his team at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry have uncovered a new mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of PD-1-based “checkpoint inhibitor”, therapeutic agents that are approved for the treatment of several types of cancer and also under investigation in clinical trials for numerus other types.Dr. Gregor Reid elected to Royal Society of Canada
September 07, 2016
From crafting a global definition of probiotics to developing novel therapies used by millions, Dr. Gregor Reid has significantly advanced our knowledge of how beneficial microbes, especially bacteria, contribute to health. Recognizing his role as a world leader in probiotics research, Dr. Reid has now been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Canada.Six prestigious Canada Research Chairs named at Western
March 01, 2016
Eric Arts, PhD, one of the world’s leading HIV researchers, is developing vaccines to prevent new HIV-1 infections and vaccines to cure people already infected and living with HIV. To do so, Arts, who came from Case Western University, is using newly developed technologies related to genetic engineering, immune surveillance and next-generation sequencing.Eric Arts joins global initiative to accelerate the search for HIV vaccine
November 09, 2015
Eric Arts, PhD, is leading Schulich Medicine & Dentistry’s contribution to the newly established European AIDS Vaccine Initiative (EAVI2020) — a C$33.2 million initiative that will bring together leading researchers from around the world to develop an effective HIV vaccine.Quirks & Quarks 40th Anniversary Special
November 02, 2015
Eric Arts, PhD, Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Western Ontario's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, describes the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which emerged as a mysterious killer in 1981. Since then, 39 million people have died, and a million-and-a-half still die every year, mostly in Africa. But we've made enormous progress against the epidemic with effective drug treatments, and the long search for a vaccine is making meaningful progress.Researchers from Schulich Medicine & Dentistry receive more than $23.5 million in grants from CIHR
July 03, 2015
Four Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry researchers received grants totalling $9.9 million over seven years from the inaugural Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Foundation Grant. Each is studying factors which may lead to improved health outcomes for people living with osteoarthritis, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.Class of 2015
June 30, 2015
Congratulations Graduating Honors Students: - Jessica He for winning the Western Gold Medal for the Honors Specialization in Microbiology and Immunology - Diliana Stratkova for winning the Gold Medal for the Honors Specialization in Biochemistry of Infection and Immunity - Tayler Farrell for Winning the Kimberly Clarke Corporation Honors Thesis Award.Trio honoured with Distinguished University Professorships
March 19, 2015
Western’s latest honorees of Distinguished University Professorships (DUP) join a select group of faculty members recognized for exceptional scholarly careers. David Heinrichs, PhD, in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, was selected as one of Western's Faculty Scholars.Legacy gift enriches excellence in graduate studies
April 04, 2014
Robert Murray, PhD, and his late wife Marion, are, and will forever be, part of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Their research, administrative and personal contributions have helped to create an outstanding culture of excellence within the Department and across Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.
