David Weiss, PhD, appointed to Microbiology Endowed Professorship
David Weiss, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, has been appointed to the Microbiology Endowed Professorship.
A Carver College of Medicine faculty member since 1998, Weiss is highly regarded for his research contributions in bacteriology as well as his teaching and service activities in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.
Weiss leads a National Institutes of Health-funded research program in bacterial cell division with a focus on the bacterial cell wall and cell envelope biogenesis. His laboratory uses genetics, biochemistry, and fluorescence microscopy to better understand how bacteria assemble and remodel their cell wall during growth and division—findings that help guide the development of new antibiotics. He is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Bacteriology and Molecular Microbiology, and he regularly reviews manuscripts for many other research journals in his field.
He also is recognized as an outstanding educator and effective instructor by students and his peers. Weiss contributes to undergraduate and graduate teaching, having served as director for courses in molecular biology and microbial physiology as well as a course in writing scientific proposals. He has been an advisor for undergraduate microbiology majors throughout his career, and he has served on dozens of PhD thesis committees.
Since 2005, Weiss has been the contact director for the National Science Foundation-funded Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Microbiology. This REU is a 10-week program for undergraduates who are considering a PhD in microbiology or a related discipline. Students in the program conduct a research project under the guidance of faculty and graduate student mentors. Weiss has made a positive impact on REU, particularly in recruiting and encouraging underrepresented minority students interested in microbiology and immunology. In 2020, Weiss received the Carver College of Medicine Faculty Service Award for his contributions to the REU.
The Microbiology Endowed Professorship was established in 2022 to recognize excellence in research and teaching by a primary faculty member in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.