Thesis Defense – MIT Microbiology Program

Microbiology Ph.D Thesis Defense: Erika Wirachman (Grossman Lab)

Friday April 18, 2025, 11 AM, Room 76-156

Title: Transcription termination and antitermination in integrative and conjugative element

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense: Joshua Bromley (Shalek lab)

Date and Time: January 22, 2025. 10:30 AM EST.

Location (in-person): Ragon Institute Auditorium, First Floor Auditorium. 600 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139 Thesis Title: “Deciphering Features of Protective or Maladaptive Cellular Immunity in the Airways Following Primary and Repeated Pathogen Exposure”

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Rey Edison (Esvelt Lab)

Monday Dec. 23, 2024 9:00 AM Room E15-341

PhD Candidate: Rey Edison Advisor: Prof. Kevin Esvelt Monday December 23, 2024 Time: 9:00 AM Room: E15-341 Title: Designing for Resilience: Evaluating DNA Screening Vulnerabilities and Designing Mice for Improved Well-being

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Cassandra Vondrak (Lamason Lab)

Monday July 29, 2024 12:30 PM Room 68-181

PhD Candidate: Cassandra Vondrak Advisor: Prof. Becky Lamason ( Biology) Monday July 29, 2024 Time: 12:30PM Room: 68-181 Title: The rickettsial effector Sca4 has a conserved interaction with host clathrin and a tick cell specific role in infection

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Veda Khadka (Lieberman Lab)

Monday April 22, 2024 11:00AM Room E25-119/121

PhD Candidate: Veda Khadka Advisor: Prof. Tami Lieberman (CEE/IMES) Monday April 22, 2024 Time: 11:00 AM Room: E25-119/121 Title: Staphylococci of the skin: consequences for host health

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Jacob Baker (Lieberman Lab)

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 11:00AM Room 68-181

PhD Candidate: Jacob Baker Advisor: Prof. Tami Lieberman (CEE/IMES) Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Time: 11:00 AM Room: 68-181 Title: Highly-resolved within-species dynamics in the human facial skin microbiome

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Annika Gomez (Cordero/Polz Labs)

Tuesday, January 16th, 2024 Room 48-316

PhD candidate: Annika Gomez Advisors: Prof. Otto Cordero & Prof. Martin Poliz, University of Vienna Tuesday, Janaury 16, 2024 Time: 11 AM Room: 48-316 Title: Ecological forces affecting microbial eukaryotes in the coastal ocean

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Linda Zhong-Johnson (Sinskey& Voigt Labs)

Monday, April 1, 2024 2PM Room 68-181

PhD candidate: Linda Zhong-Johnson Advisors: Prof. Anthony Sinskey & Prof. Chris Voigt Monday, April 1, 2024 Time: 2PM Room: 68-181 Title: Biochemical Analysis of PET Degradation Kinetics of Engineered IsPETase Variants

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Jade Bath (Ribbeck Lab)

Tuesday, April 2, 2024 2PM Room 68-181

PhD candidate: Jade Bath Advisors: Prof. Katarina Ribbeck Tuesday, April 2, 2024 Time: 2 PM Room: 68-181 Title: "Mucin glycans regulate virulence and colonization factors in Streptococcus pneumoniae"

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Mandy Levine ( Laub/Li Labs)

Friday, November 17, 2023 10AM Room 1-190

PhD candidate: Mandy Levine Advisors: Prof. Michael Laub & Prof. Gene-Wei Li Date: Friday, November 17, 2023 Time: 10 AM-11 AM Room: 1-190 Title: Temporal gene expression and regulation in T4 phage

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense – Rachel Szabo ( Cordero Lab)

Title: The ecology of prophages at the microscale

Date: Monday, August 7, 2023 Time: 9:30 AM- 10:30 AM ET Location: Building 48-316

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense – Irene Zhang ( Babbin Lab)

Title: Ecology and adaptation of denitrifiers across genomes and environments

Date: Thursday June 22, 2023 Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET Location: Building 54-915

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Jai Padmakumar ( Voigt Lab)

Title: Genomically encoded logic gates and cell-cell communication devices for the implementation of a cryptographic encryption algorithm living cells

Date: April 25, 2023 Time: 12:00 PM Location: Building 47 Room 189