University of Iowa microbiologist Stanley Perlman, M.D., Ph.D., has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. The honor recognizes scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.

Perlman, professor of microbiology and pediatrics in the UI Carver College of Medicine, was one of 78 scientists elected to the academy this year.

Perlman's research focuses on coronaviruses, a group of viruses that includes the virus that caused SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Perlman's work on understanding immune system responses to SARS infection may lead to a vaccine that could protect against future outbreaks of SARS.

Perlman also studies how coronaviruses cause nerve cell connections to lose protective insulation, which is a problem in multiple sclerosis (MS). This research may lead to better understanding of and treatments for MS.

For more information on Perlman's research, visit https://perlman.lab.uiowa.edu/.

For more information about the American Academy of Microbiology, visit http://academy.asm.org.