Harry Mobley with current or former postdoctoral fellows. Left to right: Surbhi Gupta (University of Michigan), Laura Mike (University of Pittsburgh), Harry Mobley (University of Michigan), Melanie Pearson (University of Michigan), Chelsie Armbruster (SUNY Buffalo), and Allyson Shea (University of South Alabama)
Harry Mobley, Ph.D., was awarded the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the Urinary Tract Infection Global Alliance (UTIGA). The ceremony took place on Friday, July 19, 2024, at the 5th Clinical and Scientific Advances in Urinary Tract Infections conference in Columbus, Ohio.The event was introduced by former Mobley Lab postdoc, and current Associate Professor at SUNY Buffalo, Chelsie Armbruster, Ph.D.. Additional comments were provided in absentia by former postdoc Sargarunathan Subashchandrabose, Ph.D., now Associate Professor at Texas A&M.
Dr. Mobley presented a retrospective on his distinguished 40-year career, which spans 20 years at the University of Maryland and 20 years at the University of Michigan. With a nod to his work in Helicobacter pylori and Proteus mirabilis, the remainder of the talk focused on his substantial contributions to the field of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). He further explained what sets UPEC apart from other E. coli. This work included research about many virulence factors that contribute to establishing and maintaining UTI, such as adherence, motility, and iron acquisition. Mobley also described his group's work into measuring bacterial gene expression, remarkably high growth rates, and metabolism during UTI from women, both during "uncomplicated" bladder infection (cystitis) and more recently in postmenopausal women. Using the cumulative knowledge from these studies, he and his lab tested UTI vaccine formulations in mice. Despite the detail in this paragraph, this is only a snapshot of Harry's many contributions to the field.
Congratulations, Dr. Mobley!
Article written by Melanie Pearson, Ph.D.
Health Lab
Michigan Medicine experts discuss CAR T therapy, its use in other clinical trials at U-M and the new Phase I trials that started in March 2025.
Health Lab Podcast
A new national poll on children's health shows that less than half of parents think they have accurate information about bird flu, 2 in 5 parents wish the government was doing more to prevent a bird flu outbreak and only 1 in 3 parents have taken action to protect their family against it. You can read the full article on the Health Lab website.
Department News
Cristina Mitrea, Ph.D., a lecturer IV in DCMB, was recognized by residential students with an "Honor Instructor" award.
The Fundamentals
People with diabetes often have a host of other conditions including cardiovascular disease and kidney disease driven by inflammation. On today's episode, we talk with Dr. Katherine Gallagher, professor of surgery, professor of microbiology and immunology, and the Leland Ira Doan Research Professor of Vascular Surgery at U of M, who is looking at how epigenetics - the influence of environmental factors and behaviors impact on gene expression - might explain changes in the immune system in people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other conditions related to inflammation.
Department News
Karen (Spriggs Lab) successfully defended her thesis, "Deciphering Host-Pathogen Interactions Governing Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV) Lifecycle and Disease Pathogenesis,” on March 13, 2025.
Health Lab
Avapritinib, an FDA-approved drug used to treat other types of cancer, also decreases aggressive gliomas in animal models and in an initial cohort of patients with high-grade glioma.
