UT San Antonio Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

Welcome to the new academic year!

As part of , we invite you to join us for our department's ice cream float social

Tuesday, August 18th
BSE 3.106
Undergraduate students: 1pm - 2pm
Graduate students: 2pm - 3pm

Due to ongoing heavy rains and flooding, all classes and research activities will move to a remote format tomorrow, July 16. Additionally, all summer camps are cancelled.

Essential personnel should report to campus as scheduled if it is safe to drive. All other employees should work remotely. Employees with questions or special situations should contact their supervisors for guidance.

If you must be on the road, please use extreme caution. Do not drive through flooded roadways or high water and follow guidance from local emergency officials.

We will continue to provide updates on campus operations on UT San Antonio Today (news.utsa.edu).

Join us in the upcoming Doctoral Dissertation Defense by our very own Matthew Mendoza, PhD student! "Immune and Metabolic Determinants of Coccidioidomycosis in a Diabetes condition: Effects on Disease Severity, Vaccine Protection, and Therapeutic Efficacy"

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Join us for the Presentation and Examination of the Ph.D. Dissertation by our very own Megan Medrano.

"Leveraging a Differentiated Human Epithelium Model to Define Fungus Host Interactions During Gastrointestinal Colonization"

Thursday, July 16, 2026
12:30 P.M.

We wish Megan the best as she presents this important milestone in her academic journey.

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Upcoming Doctoral Dissertation Defense by our very own Venus Stanton, PhD student! "Roles of Flagellins and Flagellar Synthesis in Motility, Persistence and Pathogenesis of Vibrio cholerae"

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Congratulations to Kyle Pressley for his upcoming doctoral dissertation defense! UTSA NDRB & wish you the best as you take the next steps in your journey! 

Where science meets the spirit of the West. The 2026 Retreat combined trailblazing research, meaningful discussions, and the unique charm of Texas ranch country. Thank you to for hosting us in Bandera, the Cowboy Capital of the World.

Upcoming Doctoral Dissertation Defense by our very own Zackary Armstrong, PhD student! "Development of Vaccines Against Category A Select Agents of Bioterrorism: Tularemia, Anthrax, and Plague"

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Congratulations to our very own Dr. Jose Lopez-Ribot on receiving multiple prestigious honors and recognitions!

Dr. Lopez-Ribot has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Rhoda Benham Award, recognizing his lifetime achievements and contributions to the field of medical mycology. He was also named to the CHOISEUL 100 Spanish in the Knowledge Economy list, highlighting the top 100 Spanish scientists advancing their fields outside of Spain.

We congratulate Jose Lopez-Ribot, PharmD and PhD, for receiving multiple awards and recognitions this month.
Lopez-Ribot is the Margaret Batts Tobin Distinguished Chair in Biotechnology and professor of microbiology and immunology at UT San Antonio. He also serves as the associate director of the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Lopez-Ribot is receiving the Rhoda Benham Award from the Medical Mycological Society of the Americas in 2026. This award recognizes his lifetime achievements and contributions to the field of medical mycology.
Additionally, he was selected for the “CHOISEUL 100 – Spanish in the Knowledge Economy” list: A prestigious recognition that highlights the top 100 Spanish scientists advancing their fields at universities or institutions outside of Spain.

Upcoming Doctoral Dissertation Defense by our very own Irvin Rivera, PhD student! Zoom link and passcode in bio