Joseph Mougous, PhD, an international leader in microbiology, will soon join the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and the Microbial Sciences Institute at West Campus. Mougous, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, is currently a professor of microbiology, director of the Microbial Interactions and Microbiome Center, and Garvey Endowed Chair of Gastroenterology at the University of Washington.
Known for his significant contributions to the field of microbiology, Mougous has discovered how bacteria build “hypodermic needles” to deliver toxins into other bacteria, uncovered unprecedented mechanisms of action for antibacterials, and revealed the biology of mysterious microbes that represent approximately 15% of bacterial diversity but have resisted previous experimental efforts. His research has identified novel antimicrobial strategies and produced new tools for gene editing of mammalian cells. For these and other contributions, Mougous was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2022.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Mougous to Yale,” said Andrew Goodman, PhD, chair and C.N.H. Long Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis at YSM and director of the Microbial Sciences Institute. “He is a creative and inspiring scientist and collaborator, and his arrival will complement the ongoing growth of microbiology here at Yale. He will be launching a program to develop new strategies in antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance, which will bring together scientists across the university to address this important challenge.”
Faculty in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis address important questions related to the mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis, host response to pathogens, and the development of strategies to prevent and combat infectious diseases. The Microbial Sciences Institute brings together ecologists, biophysicists, chemists, structural biologists, and others focused on understanding the microbial world.
Mougous noted, “This is a tremendous opportunity, and I look forward to seeing how interacting with so many talented new colleagues at Yale will shape our research program over the coming years.”