EPIC in the News
EPIC lands NIH Center Grant!
05/04/16
EPIC was recently awaraded a $10.5 million dollar grant from The National Institutes of Health for the establishment of a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE). These funds will go toward the professional development of 5 investigators, additions to two key Clemson core facilities, CUGI and CLIF, and provide administrative support to the center. Exciting times - and you can read more here.
Stephen Patrick, Morris Lab Manager, earns prestigious scholarship to Med School
04/29/16
Stephen Patrick, the Lab Manager in Jim Morris' lab, has been awarded the College of Medicine Academic Merit Scholarship to the Medical Univeristy of South Carolina (MUSC). This scholarship provides full tuition for ALL four years of medical school! Great job, Stephen!
EPIC Students present at the 2016 ACC Meeting of the Minds Conference
04/25/16
Megan Hunt (K.Smith Lab, third from left) and Terral Patel (M.Morris Lab, first on the left) presented research in Syracuse, NY on the weekend of April 8th as a part of the 2016 ACC Meeting of the Minds Conference. Megan's poster presentation focused on the impact of acuL and acuH on Cryptococcus neoformans virulence. Terral's oral presentation explored the identification of signaling molecules in organelle regulation of Trypanosoma brucei.
Knights Templar Eye Foundation funds effort of newest EPIC member
04/12/16
Zhicheng Dou, Ph.D., a member of the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC), was recently awarded funds from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation to study Toxoplasma gondii, the most common pathogen causing posterior uveitis in infants and children in the US and world. His work will focus on understanding how the parasite regulates the proteolytic acitivity within their digestive system to optimize the degradation of ingetsted host proteins. These discoveries could lead to the development of novel strategies to intervene in parasite infections. Great job, Zhicheng!
New NIH Grant to Dr. Ingram-Smith
04/06/16
Cheryl Ingram-Smith, Ph.D., a member of the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC), was recently awarded a 3-year, $423,966 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is studying metabolism in Entamoeba histolytica, which causes as many as 50 million cases of dysentery annually, with 50,000 to 100,000 deaths each year. E. histolytica is a water- and food-borne intestinal parasite that is a major public health problem in developing and underdeveloped countries with poor sanitation. This parasite is unusual in that it lacks many of the typical metabolic pathways and relies on scavenging to get many of the nutrients it needs. Entamoeba has several unusual adaptations to its primary metabolic pathway of glycolysis, which is used for the breakdown of glucose. We are investigating the role of two enzymes that may increase the function of the glycolytic pathway to better provide the cell with the energy it needs to live. A better understanding of Entamoeba metabolism during infection may reveal suitable targets for development of additional drugs against this parasite.
EPIC Undergrad wins prestigious Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for 2016
04/06/2016
Stephen Patrick, a December 2015 Biochemistry graduate that is now the J. Morris Lab Manager, will be recognized at the May 2016 graduation ceremony with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, one of two given annually to Clemson students. This award is given annually “in recognition of the recipient’s influence for good, excellence in maintaining high ideals of living and genuine and disinterested service to others.” A tremendous honor, Stephen - great job!
Cheryl Jones, student in the Ingram-Smith Lab, defends her PhD thesis!
04/05/2016
Cheryl Jones, a student in the Ingram-Smith Lab, successfully defended her PhD thesis, entitled, "Investigating the role of ADP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase from the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica." Great work, Cheryl!
Holly Hendrick Defends her MS Thesis!
04/04/2016
Holly Hendrick, a student in the Temesvari group, successfully defended her MS thesis, entitled, "Phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor-2alpha regulates stress in the human protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica." Great job Holly!
Serena Walker to Summer at the Mayo Clinic
03/22/2016
Serena Walker, a junior Biochemistry student, was accepted into the Summer Lab Science Program at the Mayo Clinic, which offers an internship experience in a clinical laboratory setting.
Dr. Kimberly Paul Selected to Speak at TedX Clemson
02/29/2016
Dr. Kimberly Paul will be speaking at TedX Clemson University on April 16, 2016. She will speak on her favorite topic, neglected tropical diseases, how we judge problems to be big or small, and the importance of choosing to tackle the so-called “small” problems. To learn more, click here.
Happy Birthday to EPIC
02/01/2016
EPIC turned 3 today, and we celebrated with cake, ice cream, and dignitaries! No more terrible two's for us as we move into an age where, per WebMD, we should be able to answer simple questions!
11/04/2015
Dr. Sunayan Ray, a former graduate student in Dr. Kim Paul's lab, has provided his expertise in the analysis of microbes in Will Forte's beard. (See Sunayan at ~3 minutes!)
Relflection on the 3rd Annual Cell Biology of Eukaryotic Pathogens Meeting
October 24, 2015
The 3rd Annual Cell Biology of Eukaryotic Pathognes Symposium is now in the rear view mirror. Click here for photos from the meeting!
For a news release, click here!
September 5, 2015
Register now for the 3rd Annual Cell Biology of Eukaryotic Pathogens Symposium, a joint meeting sponsored by researchers from the Clemson University Eukaryotic Pathogen Innovation Center (EPIC) and University of Georgia’s Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases (CTEGD). The meeting will be a two day event, held on Thursday and Friday, October 22-23, 2015 at Clemson University. Registration will close October 1 and all abstracts are due on that date.
A New Era Begins!
Septemeber 9, 2015
Today marks the initiation of a new era in parasite reserach in EPIC, as Dr. Dou begins to set up his reserach lab. Welcome to the fight, Dr. Dou!
EPIC Faculty Member recognized as a Clemson Univeristy Serivce Alliance Faculty Fellow
September 8, 2015
Dr. Meredith Morris, an Assistant Professor in EPIC, was recently recognized for her engagement in service-learning at Clemson University by selection as a Service Alliance Faculty Fellow. She was one of six faculty selected for this recognition for 2015-16. Great job!
September 5, 2015
Clemson University was awarded a 3-year, $300,000 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Lukasz Kozubowski, Ph.D., has authored this grant proposal and will serve as a Principal Investigator.
Lesly Temesvari, Ph.D., was recently awarded a 2-year, $290,400 grant from the NIH. She will collaborate with Dr. William J. Sullivan, Ph.D., of the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, IN, to further her work on the human pathogen, Entamoeba histolytica.
