Victor J. DiRita, PhD, will join Michigan State University as the inaugural Rudolph Hugh Endowed Chair in Microbial Pathogenesis and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, which is a shared department of the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, and Natural Science. He will assume his new role on June 1, 2015.

DiRita comes to MSU from the University of Michigan (U-M) where he is currently professor of Microbiology and Immunology, and associate dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in the Medical School. He earned his BS in Microbiology and Public Health at Michigan State University, PhD in Biological Sciences from Purdue University, and carried out postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School before joining the faculty at U-M.

DiRita’s research is aimed at uncovering and characterizing pathogenicity mechanisms in the diarrheal pathogens Vibrio cholerae and Campylobacter jejuni. As an independent investigator his research has been federally supported since he joined the faculty at U-M in 1991. He is also program director of the NIH-funded Molecular Mechanisms in Microbial Pathogenesis Training Program at U-M.

DiRita has other leadership and service experience at the U-M and nationally, through various positions including as former vice chair of the U-M Medical School Biological Sciences Scholars Program Faculty Search Committee, past chair of the U-M Medical School Biomedical Research Council, former chair of the Gordon Research Conference on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity, member of the NIH Bacterial Pathogenesis Study section, editor for Journal of Bacteriology and chair of the American Society for Microbiology Membership Board.

“I am very pleased to welcome Dr. DiRita to the MSU community,” said College of Veterinary Medicine Dean John Baker, speaking for the College of Veterinary Medicine and also on behalf of the deans of the Colleges of Natural Science, Osteopathic Medicine, and Human Medicine. “Victor is a strong academic leader and creative research scientist. I expect we will see a focus on interdisciplinary outreach and collaboration. We look forward to having him take on his new roles at MSU.”

As chair, DiRita will lead the department of approximately 50 faculty members. His responsibilities will be divided between research and administration.

“Coming to the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at MSU is a wonderful opportunity,” said DiRita. “Returning to the department where my research focus was sparked and fostered as an undergraduate in the lab of Robert Brubaker is very special. I look forward to joining the excellent community of scholars in the department and working with them to build strong cross-campus collaborations in research and education."

He succeeds Robert Hausinger, professor, who has served as interim chair of the department since 2013.

The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics is at the forefront of new and exciting discoveries in microbial ecology, evolution, microbial pathogenesis, molecular genetics, virology, genomics, immunology, and cancer. In addition to serving three medical colleges (Veterinary Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, and Human Medicine), the department serves the College of Natural Science and AgBioResearch. It houses or is affiliated with other units on and off campus, including the Center for Microbial Ecology, the BEACON Center, the Ribosomal Database Program, the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, the Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research Program, the Cell and Molecular Biology Program, the Genetics Program, and the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan.