Tennessee-Kentucky ASM Regional Fall Meeting

Last Friday and Saturday the University of Kentucky hosted the Fall 2021 Kentucky-Tennessee ASM Branch Meeting. Organized by Drs. Erin Garcia and Sarah D’Orazio, the virtual meeting featured talks over the work of select trainees and invited guests as well as 3-minute thesis competitions for undergraduate and graduate students.

The branch meeting included participants from five Kentucky universities/colleges: the University of Kentucky (UK), the University of Louisville (UofL), Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), Murray State University (MSU), and Georgetown College. Drs. Natalia Korotkova and Ashfaqul Alam from the UK College of Medicine Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, were two of the guest speakers. Research analyst Timothy Saylor from the Brian Stevenson lab was also one of the chosen abstract applicants to present their research.

The graduate 3-minute thesis competition included two ASM chapter members, Treasurer Zaria Elery, and President Jamila Tucker. Jamila placed third in the tight race with her talk: “What’s the niche?” Understanding the Systemic Spread of L. monocytogenes After Foodborne Infection”.

The next branch meeting will be in the spring and will potentially be held in Memphis, Tennessee. A big congratulations to Jamila and Zaria and everyone who participated! A special thanks to all who joined in to enjoy the exciting world of microbiology!