Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Alita Burmeister

Dr. Alita Burmeister, professor of microbiology at UWM, will present a talk about her work entitled “Bio Sci Treehouse of Horror: The Grim Reaper is said to carry a scythe, but it’s seven times more likely that he carries tuberculosis.”

The abstract is as follows:

Every day, evolution shapes our lives. Through the rapid change of bacterial and viral populations, pathogens rapidly evolve new genotypes and phenotypes. Sometimes these new traits allow microbes to evade the immune system, to become more pathogenic, or to increase in resistance to antibiotics and antivirals. My group uses molecular genetics and evolutionary biology to understand populations of bacteria and bacteriophages (‘phages,’ viruses that infect bacterial cells). We also use bacteria and phages to study evolutionary processes, such as the evolution of innovation and relaxed selection. In this talk, I will present ongoing and new projects, seek community feedback on future directions, and share a spooky inspiration for grant writing and teaching. There will be references to Ghost Busters and the Teenage Ninja Mutant Ninga Turtles, among other organisms that frequent the sewers.

The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00 PM.