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Allen Elected to the American Academy of Microbiology

Lee-Ann H. Allen, PhD, Professor in Infectious Diseases and of Microbiology and Immunology, has been elected as a Fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM). The AAM is an honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology, the world’s oldest and largest life science organization. Fellows are nominated by existing members and elected based on outstanding records of leadership as well as excellence and originality in research related to the microbiological sciences. Dr. Allen’s nomination was sponsored by Dr. Larry Schlesinger, President of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute and former Professor and Chair of Microbial Infection and Immunity at The Ohio State University, Dr. Michele Swanson, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at University of Michigan, and Dr. Herbert Virgin, Professor and Chair of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Dr. Allen holds joint primary appointments in Internal Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology. As a member of the Iowa Inflammation Program, Dr. Allen works with researchers from a variety of disciplines, all of whom contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms, causes, and consequences of inflammation. Dr. Allen’s primary focus has been the pathogenesis of Francisella tularensis and Helicobacter pylori and their impact on phagocyte function and immune dysregulation. Her research program has been continually funded by the VA and the NIH since 1999. She has a consistent record of publication in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals; last year she was senior author on articles that appeared in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Blood, Cellular Microbiology, and the Journal of Immunology. In addition, Dr. Allen is the current President of the Society for Leukocyte Biology (2018 & 2019).

Dr. Allen’s status as a Fellow in the AAM is a lifetime appointment and takes effect immediately.