Biology Seminar Series: Bruce McClane

By: TAMU Biology

The Department of Microbiology is pleased to announce that Dr. Bruce McClane will be the guest speaker at our upcoming seminar on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 4:00 PM in BSBE 115. The seminar will be hosted by Dr. Joe Sorg.

Dr. Bruce McClane, a distinguished professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, has dedicated his career to the study of Clostridium perfringens, a bacterium known for causing gas gangrene and intestinal infections. Dr. McClane received his PhD from Penn State and completed post-doctoral research at NYU School of Medicine. Since joining the University of Pittsburgh in 1982, he has published over 200 papers and has been continuously funded by the NIH, including a prestigious 10-year MERIT award.

Dr. McClane’s research focuses on the mechanisms of toxin action, pathogenesis, and the role of plasmids in virulence. He is an editor for several prominent journals, including PLoS Pathogens, mBio, and Toxins, and serves on the editorial boards of Infection and Immunity and Anaerobe. A fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, Dr. McClane is also a founder of the International Conference on the Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis of the Clostridia (Clostpath).

The seminar, titled “With a Little Help From My Friends: Clostridium perfringens Quorum Sensing,” will delve into the bacterium’s ability to produce over 20 different toxins and the regulatory systems that control toxin production. Dr. McClane will discuss recent findings on the VirS/VirR two-component regulatory system and the Agr-like quorum sensing system, highlighting their roles in toxin regulation and potential therapeutic approaches for gas gangrene.