Gollnick elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology

Paul Gollnick, a University at Buffalo professor of biological sciences, has been elected as a fellow of The American Academy of Microbiology (AAM), a prestigious leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology.

The AAM is key in the continuing advancement of scientific research, and fellows in the Academy are eminent leaders in the field of microbiology who are relied upon for authoritative advice and insight on critical issues in microbiology.

An accomplished scholar, Gollnick, PhD, has collaborated on and published more than 100 academic articles, helping to advance the field of microbiology.

He studies gene expression, looking specifically at how DNA is converted to RNA through a process known as transcription that takes place inside cells. Transcription enables cells to create protein, and its proper function is critical to the life and survival of all organisms, ranging from viruses to animals and plants. Originally focused on bacteria, Gollnick has expanded his research to examine the process of transcription within the vaccinia virus, a pox virus that was used in the smallpox vaccines.

"Dr. Gollnick’s career is a model for intelligent, multifaceted and skillful inquiry,” says Gerald Koudelka, PhD, UB chair of biological sciences. “He has shown great creativity in creating and identifying the best experimental approaches to answer profound questions in transcriptional regulation.

“His intellect and persistent innovation has allowed him to pursue his research questions, wherever they have taken him. He is very highly respected, both nationally and internationally, and we are thrilled by the recognition afforded to him by his election as a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology."

Gollnick earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry at Washington State University in 1981 and went on to earn a PhD in biochemistry from Iowa State University in 1986. Afterward, he went on to Stanford University to work on postdoctoral research while being sponsored as a fellow in the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association. He continued his work at Stanford until 1990, when he made the move to Buffalo to begin his career at UB.

Gollnick will be honored at ASM Microbe, a conference held from June 16-20 in Boston, Massachusetts by the American Society for Microbiology, recognized by many as the oldest and largest single life science membership organization in the world.