January 11, 2024
Welcome new Adjunct Assistant Professor Patrick Mitchell!
Patrick earned his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology right here at UW in 2015, under the co-supervision of Harmit Malik, PhD, and Michael Emerman, PhD. He went on to complete his postdoc at UC Berkeley in the laboratory of Russell Vance, PhD. He is currently an Assistant Professor in UW’s Department of Microbiology.
Patrick’s lab combines approaches from evolution, genetics, biochemistry, immunology and microbiology to understand how host-pathogen interactions, particularly those that dictate innate immune sensing of pathogenic infections, influence immunity, disease and microbial replication. In particular, Mitchell lab research focuses on identifying innate immune sensors and investigating how they sense and respond to pathogen-specific activities; the role of inflammasomes in epithelial cells of barrier tissues; and understanding how host-pathogen genetic conflicts shape innate immune sensing of pathogen-specific activities. Patrick’s lab website has more information about their research and recent publications.
In 2023, Patrick was named an HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, a program that supports outstanding early career faculty committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. As many of you may be aware, Patrick is chair of Microbiology’s DEI Committee and has coordinated several initiatives and events with our DEI Committee.
Congratulations and welcome to our community, Patrick!