Our microbiologists and immunologists study the life cycles of bacteria and viruses, how they become pathogenic and how our immune systems combat infection. They develop new strategies to prevent and treat infectious disease, and their work has deepened our insight into how human immune systems distinguish self from non-self and how pathogenic microbes cause diseases.
![Profile image of Jeffrey E. Barrick](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2023-09/2018%20Barrick%20APX%20Full%20Res_1.jpg)
Jeffrey E. Barrick
- Associate Professor
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Ethel Bayer-Santos](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2024-06/Ethel%20650px.jpg)
Ethel Bayer-Santos
- Assistant Professor
- Molecular Biosciences
The EBSlab is focused on (micro)biological conflicts and the weapons used by bacteria to target competitors. The group uses Salmonella and a specialized contractile nanoweapon called T6SS to understand how enteric pathogens overcome colonization resistance imposed by members of the microbiota and establish an infection. The effectors secreted by the T6SS comprise a pool of proteins with interesting new biochemical activities, providing opportunities for several interdisciplinary projects encompassing microbiology, cell biology, biochemistry, structural biology and bioinformatic.
![Profile image of Bryan W. Davies](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-06/davies.png)
Bryan W. Davies
- Associate Professor
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Jaquelin P. Dudley](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-06/JacquelinDudley_2%20copy.png)
Jaquelin P. Dudley
- Professor
- Associate Director, LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease
- Professor of Oncology
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Lauren I. Ehrlich](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-12/Lauren%20Ehrlich.jpg)
Lauren I. Ehrlich
- Professor
- Associate Professor of Oncology
- Lorene Morrow Kelley Endowed Faculty Fellowship Fund
- L. Leon Campbell, Ph.D. Distinguished Professorship in Microbiology
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Ilya J. Finkelstein](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-06/Finkelstein-1-1.jpg)
Ilya J. Finkelstein
- Associate Professor
- Lorene Morrow Kelley Endowed Faculty Fellowship Fund
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of George Georgiou](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-06/georgiou-1-1.jpg)
George Georgiou
- Professor
- Dula D. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering #2
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Rasika M. Harshey](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-06/harshey.jpg)
Rasika M. Harshey
- Professor
- Mary M. Betzner Morrow Centennial Chair in Microbiology
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Gregory C. Ippolito](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2023-08/GCI_Su23_Mooov-In_5.png)
Gregory C. Ippolito
- Research Associate Professor
- Associate Professor of Oncology
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Zunlong Ke](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2024-02/ZunlongKe_headshot.jpg)
Zunlong Ke
- Assistant Professor
- Molecular Biosciences
The Ke Lab started in 2024 and is actively recruiting:
- graduate students
- postdoctoral fellows
![Profile image of Ken Keiler](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2024-05/ken-keiler_0.jpg)
Ken Keiler
- Professor
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Alan Lambowitz](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2023-10/Alan%20Lambowitz%20Directory.jpg)
Alan Lambowitz
- Professor
- Professor of Oncology
- Mr. and Mrs. A. Frank Smith, Jr. Regents Chair in Molecular Biology
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Despoina Mavridou](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2023-08/DespoinaMavridou_3.jpg)
Despoina Mavridou
- Assistant Professor
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Jason McLellan](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-06/McLellan-1-1.jpg)
Jason McLellan
- Professor
- Robert A. Welch Chair in Chemistry
- Molecular Biosciences
Ian J. Molineux
- Professor
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Shelley M. Payne](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-06/Web-Shelley_Payne-0821.jpg)
Shelley M. Payne
- Professor
- Director, LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease
- Marie Betzner Morrow Centennial Chair
- Distinguished Teaching Professor
- Molecular Biosciences
![Profile image of Christopher S. Sullivan](https://directory.cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/2022-12/Chris%20Sullivan.jpg)
Christopher S. Sullivan
- Professor
- Molecular Biosciences