Semi-Annual Notable News

News from the Departments of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, the Emory Vaccine Center (EVC), Biological Discovery through Chemical Innovation (BDCI), and Emory Center for New Medicines (CNM)

Fall 2024

Biochemistry Welcome New Faculty

Biochemistry welcomed four new faculty: Blerta Xhemalçe, PhD, Associate Professor; Xu Liu, PhD, Assistant Professor; Diego Sastre, PhD, Assistant Professor; and John Calvert, PhD, Associate Professor, secondary faculty.

(Pictured clockwise: Blerta Xhemalçe, PhD, Xu Liu, PhD, Diego Sastre, PhD, John Calvert, PhD)

Blerta Xhemalce, Xu Liu, Diego Sastre, John Calvert

Cell Biology Welcome Dr. Michael Deans

Cell Biology is pleased to welcome Michael Deans, PhD, who will join the department January 2025 as Associate Professor of Cell Biology. His new lab will be located on the 5^th floor of WBRB.

Microbiology and Immunology Microbiology and Immunology Welcome Two New Faculty

Microbiology and Immunology will welcome two new faculty in 2025. Boyoung Shin, PhD, will be Assistant Professor starting September 17, 2025. Ammar Zafar, PhD, will join the department as Associate Professor on February 1, 2025.

(Pictured left to right: Boyoung Shin, PhD, and Ammar Zafar, PhD)

Pharmacology and Chemical Biology Emory Center for New Medicines

The Center for New Medicines (CNM) is a new groundbreaking initiative to develop a drug discovery pipeline for translating fundamental biological discoveries into the next generation of life-saving treatments. CNM was co-founded by Haian Fu, PhD, professor and chair of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory School of Medicine, and Dennis Liotta, PhD, co-founder and former executive director of Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) and the Emory Institute for Drug Development.

(Pictured left to right: Dennis Liotta, PhD, and Haian Fu, PhD)

Co-directors (left to right): Dennis Liotta and Haian Fu.

Progress by the Numbers:

Biochemistry March - September FY24

Congratulations for a a 64% increase in submitted proposals, March - September FY24.

Cell Biology March - September FY24

Congratulations for a 66% increase in award funding and an 29% increase in submitted proposals, March - September FY24.

Microbiology and Immunology March - September FY24

Congratulations for a 19% increase in award funding and an 16% increase in submitted proposals, March - September FY24. The department also had an 11% increase in submitted proposals from FY2023 to FY2024.

Pharmacology and Chemical Biology March - September FY24

Congratulations for a 19% increase in award funding and a 30% increase in submitted proposals, March - September FY24. The department also had a 9% increase in awards from FY2023 to FY2024.

Departments/Centers

Biochemistry

Cell Biology

Microbiology and Immunology

Pharmacology and Chemical Biology

Emory Vaccine Center

BDCI

Fall 2024 News section navigation