EPIC: At the forefront of biomedical research on eukaryotic pathogens
EPIC: At the forefront of biomedical research on eukaryotic pathogens
Eukaryotic pathogens cause some of the most devastating and intractable diseases in humans, including malaria, amoebic dysentery, sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and fungal meningitis. Globalization has increased such infections in the U.S. Many eukaryotic pathogens are classified as bioterrorism agents and/or neglected tropical diseases.
Clemson University’s Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center — EPIC — is an interdisciplinary research cooperative founded in 2013 that is at the forefront of biomedical research on these devastating pathogens.
EPIC scientists have a lengthy track record of major contributions in this globally important area of research.
EPIC News Bites
Dr. James Morris receives Dean’s Distinguished Professor Award
Dr. James Morris has been recognized with the College of Science Dean’s Distinguished Professor Award, one of only two awarded annually. This prestigious honor celebrates faculty who have demonstrated outstanding career achievement in research, mentorship, and impact within their field.
Three members of Dr. Stephen Dolan’s lab were recognized for outstanding presentations at the Spring 2025 South Carolina Branch Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.
Jessica Aycock, a second-year Ph.D. student, won Best Graduate Student Poster for her presentation on how Pseudomonas aeruginosa activates a novel defense cascade in response to fungal toxins. First-year Ph.D. student Muhammad Shafiul Alam Mondal earned Best Graduate Student Talk for his research on species-dependent physiological changes in Aspergillus fumigatus during polymicrobial biofilms. Freshman Cameron Kennedy received Best Undergraduate Student Poster for her work on parallel evolution in P. aeruginosa during fungal interactions and chronic lung infections.
Congratulations to all!
Griffin Thomas Named Outstanding Senior in Biochemistry
Griffin Thomas, a former Seifert Scholar from Dr. James Morris’s group, has been recognized as the Outstanding Senior in Biochemistry for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Mallory Murphy Receives Blue Key Academic and Leadership Award
Congratulations to Mallory Murphy, microbiology major and psychology minor, on receiving the prestigious Blue Key Academic and Leadership Award. This honor is awarded to one student from each of Clemson’s seven colleges who has demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and leadership on campus.
Mallory has been a dedicated research team member in Dr. Stephen Dolan’s lab, where she investigates the RTA1-like protein family—potential therapeutic targets against pathogens. She has presented her work at two national conferences and is a co-author on a forthcoming publication.
In addition to her research, Mallory has mentored first-year medical students through EPIC’s MEnTOR program and holds leadership roles in the Honors College as chair of the Student Advisory Board, a curriculum committee delegate, and a peer mentor. She is also a Chapman Leader Scholar and volunteers at the Clemson Free Clinic.
After graduation, Mallory plans to attend medical school and pursue a career as a physician.
Celebrating Our 2025 EPIC Graduates
EPIC congratulates our outstanding graduates from the Class of 2025! We are so proud of your hard work, dedication, and achievements. Best wishes as you take the next steps in your academic and professional journeys!
Samuel Kwain, PhD in Chemistry, Whitehead Lab
Victoria Murphey, MS in Biological Sciences, Temesvari Lab
Deeya Patel, MS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dolan Lab
Griffin Thomas, BS in Biochemistry, J. Morris Lab
JJ Ammerall, BS in Biochemistry, J. Morris Lab
Dylan Carroll, BS in Biochemistry, Smith Lab
Morgan Kuess, BS in Biochemistry, Smith Lab
Emily Bernabe, BS in Biochemistry, Smith Lab
Elizabeth Caldwell, BS in Genetics, Sehorn Lab
Emily Peak, BS in Biochemistry, Sehorn Lab
Sofia Willey, BS in Genetics, Sehorn Lab
Britana Myers, BS in Genetics, Sehorn Lab
Stamatikos named American Heart Association Fellow
Congratulations to Alexis Stamatikos, a faculty scholar in the Clemson University Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences Department, who has been elected Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA). This fellowship recognizes and awards premium professional members for excellence, innovative and sustained contributions in scholarship, practice and/or education, and volunteer service within the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. Read more.
EPIC Alum Christine Hart Awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Christine Hart, a 2018 Clemson biochemistry graduate and former researcher in EPIC’s Meredith Morris Lab, has been awarded a prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. One of only 1,000 recipients nationwide, Hart will receive three years of support to pursue graduate studies in STEM. Her research focuses on the impact of environmental change on insect communities, with a commitment to equitable science education for K-12 students with language-based learning differences. Hart currently works part-time in vegetable entomology at Clemson’s Coastal Research and Education Center and runs a small business supporting students with learning disabilities. She plans to pursue a master’s and Ph.D., with aspirations of becoming a professor and championing sustainable insect conservation strategies.
Zhicheng Dou Awarded $3.2 Million FDA Grant for Groundbreaking Research on Histomonosis
Zhicheng Dou, associate professor in Clemson University’s Department of Biological Sciences and member of the EPIC team, has been awarded $3.2 million in funding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The five-year grant supports Dou’s collaborative research with Danielle Graham of the University of Arkansas to combat histomonosis, a devastating parasitic disease also known as blackhead disease, which significantly impacts turkey flocks.
The research, funded through the FDA’s Animal and Veterinary Innovation Center initiative, focuses on understanding disease transmission and exploring existing FDA-approved drugs for treatment. Preliminary studies by Dou and Graham revealed that Histomonas meleagridis, the parasite behind histomonosis, forms cyst-like structures that may allow fecal-oral transmission in poultry, challenging long-standing theories of disease spread.
Dr. Lesly Temesvari Secures NIH Grant to Explore Innovative Treatment for Blinding Eye Infections
Dr. Lesly Temesvari, a faculty member and researcher in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC), has been awarded a NIH R21 grant to investigate potential treatments for Acanthamoeba castellanii, a pathogenic amoeba that can cause severe, blinding eye infections, particularly in contact lens wearers.
The study will assess the efficacy of thymosin-beta-4, a naturally occurring peptide with anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, as a potential treatment for Acanthamoeba keratitis. This research could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies to combat a challenging and often misdiagnosed infection.
Dr. Temesvari’ s work highlights EPIC’s commitment to advancing biomedical research and addressing pressing public health challenges
EPIC is excited to announce the 2025 Seifert Scholars Undergraduate Research program.
The 2025 program will be for ten weeks (May 21 – July 30).
Each Scholar will receive a stipend of $4200 (paid in three installments), and the Center can provide the Scholars lab with up to $500 for the purchase of supplies and materials.
Please see the pdf announcement for more information and for the Scholar application. The application deadline is February 14th, 2025.
Sarah McKay and Jessica Aycock Receive Bauer Family Travel Award
Congratulations to Sarah McKay and Jessica Aycock, the 2024 winners of the Bauer Family Travel Award!
Through a generous donation by Marty and Dr. Sarah Bauer, EPIC created the Bauer Family Travel Award. The award designates funds for PhD students in EPIC labs to attend national and international conferences.
EPIC Welcomes Dr. Jessica Larsen
We are excited to welcome Dr. Jessica Larsen to EPIC. Dr. Larsen holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University. Her outstanding contributions to research and mentorship have earned her several prestigious accolades, including Clemson University’s Phil and Mary Bradley Award for Mentoring in Creative Inquiry, the NSF CAREER Award, and the South Carolina Governor’s Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Scientific Research.
Dr. Larsen’s research focuses on addressing the critical challenge of delivering treatments to the brain by developing polymeric biomaterials that can bypass the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Her lab creates polymeric nanoparticles designed to respond to disease-specific stimuli, promoting natural healing processes within the brain. This pioneering work addresses a crucial need, as neurologic disorders represent the largest global health burden. We are thrilled to have Dr. Larsen join us and look forward to her contributions to EPIC.
Undergraduate, Jennifer Covel, Showcases Cryptococcus Research in Flash Talk at UK Microbiology Society Annual Meeting
Jennifer Covel, sophomore genetics major in the Smith lab, presented her research (Exploring the Roles of Phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1 and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFK2-FBP2) in Cryptococcus neoformans) at the UK Microbiology Society Annual Meeting in Ireland on November 5-6 in Athlone, Ireland. In addition to presenting at the poster session, she was also selected to give one of the Flash Talks.
EPIC Welcomes Dr. Christopher Chouinard
We are excited to welcome Dr. Christopher Chouinard to EPIC as our newest faculty member. Dr. Chouinard earned his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Florida, where he pioneered ion mobility-mass spectrometry methods for analyzing small biomolecules in complex samples. Following his doctoral work, he pursued postdoctoral studies at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, focusing on Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM). Before joining Clemson in August 2022, he spent four years on faculty at Florida Tech.
Dr. Chouinard’s research aims to enhance analytical sensitivity and selectivity by improving ionization efficiency through targeted chemical reactions, employing high-resolution ion mobility spectrometry for separation, and utilizing mass spectrometry imaging for spatial localization. We are thrilled to have him on board and look forward to his contributions to advancing EPIC’s mission!
Congratulations to Carrie Baumgardner!
We are thrilled to announce that our student, Carrie Baumgarder, has been accepted to participate in the Workshop on Computational Modeling of Proteins for Infectious Disease Researchers. Held at Seattle Children’s Research Institute from December 9-11, this prestigious workshop will provide Carrie with hands-on training in structural resources and computational tools, equipping her with advanced skills essential for infectious disease research.
In recognition of her achievement, Carrie was also awarded a travel stipend from the workshop organizers. We are incredibly proud of Carrie’s dedication and look forward to seeing her contributions to the field of infectious disease research!
Other EPIC News
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