Microbiology

S. Edward Sulkin Endowments

S. Edward Sulkin, Ph.D., was the second Chair of the Department of Microbiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, from 1945 to 1972. Dr. Sulkin was interested in a number of the subdisciplines of microbiology, including diagnostic bacteriology and laboratory safety, but was most noted for his pioneering studies on the natural history of the rabies virus. Dr. Sulkin first established that bats were a principal reservoir for the rabies virus, and he performed novel studies to explain the association and persistence of the rabies virus in bats.

Upon Dr. Sulkin's death, his widow, Lorraine Sulkin Schein, established three separate endowments honoring the visionary work, standard of scientific excellence, and memory of Dr. Ed Sulkin. The endowments are:

S. Edward Sulkin Visiting Lectureship in Microbiology

In 1989, Lorraine Sulkin Schein generously endowed the S. Edward Sulkin Visiting Lectureship in Microbiology to allow the Microbiology Department to host annually a scientist of the highest caliber working in a subdiscipline of microbiology. As such, the Sulkin Visiting Lectureship each year marks a major event for the Department and for UT Southwestern.

Past Sulkin Visiting Lecturers

1990 – Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D.
1992 – Stanley Falkow, Ph.D.
1993 – David Baltimore, Ph.D.
1995 – William E. Paul, M.D.
1998 – Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
1999 – Peter C. Doherty, Ph.D.
2000 – Elliott Kieff, M.D., Ph.D.
2001 – Thomas E. Shenk, Ph.D.
2002 – Arnold J. Levine, Ph.D.
2003 – J. Michael Bishop, M.D.
2004 – Bernard Roizman, Sc.D.
2005 – Francis V. Chisari, M.D.
2006 – Charles Rice, Ph.D.
2007 – Robert C. Gallo, M.D.
2008 – Stephen P. Goff, Ph.D.
2009 – Paul Ahlquist, Ph.D.
2010 – Peter M. Palese, Ph.D.
2011 – Joan Steitz, Ph.D.
2012 – Angela Belcher, Ph.D.
2013 – David M. Knipe, Ph.D.
2014 – Stanley Lemon, M.D.
2015 – Gary J. Nabel, M.D., Ph.D.
2016 – Robert F. Siliciano, M.D., Ph.D.
2017 – Herbert W. Virgin IV, M.D., Ph.D.
2018 – Ann M. Arvin, M.D.
2019 – Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Ph.D.
2020 – Akiko Iwasaki, Ph.D

S. Edward Sulkin, M.D., Scholarship Fund

Shortly after Dr. Sulkin's death, Richard Finkelstein, Ph.D., solicited support from Dr. Sulkin’s friends, colleagues, and Sulkin family members to establish a Memorial Scholarship Fund in Dr. Sulkin’s name to assist deserving graduate students. The Southwestern Medical Foundation holds the Fund, and the income from the Fund is used to provide an annual scholarship of $1,000.

In consultation with Lorraine Sulkin Schein, the Fund was established to provide a competitive scholarship annually for a graduate student in Microbiology (basic, medical, and virology) enrolled at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Criteria for the awarding of the scholarship include: 1) demonstrated potential for a professional career in the subdisciplines of virology, general microbiology, or medical microbiology, and 2) the award will benefit the student’s educational program by encouraging participation in meetings or extramural courses or workshops. The details are as follows:

  • Eligibility. Entering or currently enrolled full-time students whose major area of concentration is general microbiology, medical microbiology, or virology.
  • Term of Award. Scholarships are awarded for one academic year, effective the registration date of the fall semester.
  • Publicity. Entering students are notified at the time of their interview of the availability of scholarships; when funding is available, students are notified by mail to apply. 
  • Administration. The Committee on Stipends and Standing of the Molecular Microbiology Graduate Program receives from the Program Chair the scholarship applications, together with the applicants’ files, and makes recommendations for awards consistent with the stated purposes.

Lorraine Sulkin Schein Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Microbial Pathogenesis

In 2000, Lorraine Sulkin Schein pledged $250,000 to establish a professorship in microbial pathogenesis, now known as the Lorraine Sulkin Schein Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Microbial Pathogenesis. It supports research in virology, bacteriology, parasitology and mycology. Dr. Eric Hansen was the first holder until his retirement in November 2018. Dr. Neal Alto is the current holder.