David W. Niesel, Ph.D. joined the UTMB  faculty in the Dept of Microbiology and Immunology in 1983.  He was appointed chairman in 2000.  Dr. Niesel received his Ph.D. in 1980 from North Carolina State University.  In 1997, Dr. Niesel was named Vice Dean for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.  He became Dean in 2013 and the UTMB Chief Research Officer in 2015.   He retired in 2021 and is an Adjunct Professor.  His research was focused on investigating bacterial pathogens. His lab investigated alterations in gene/protein expression and the virulence of S. pneumoniae and in space on the space shuttle.  His work also developed a sensitive method for antibiotic resistance detection.   Dr. Niesel is co-host of the Medical Discovery News, a radio show and newspaper column that for the past 18+ years seeks to educate the public about advances in biomedical science in an understandable and entertaining format.  

Dr. Norbert Herzog is Prof. Emeritus in the Dept of Medical Sciences at the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine in CT and was among the founding faculty in 2012.  He is also Prof. Emeritus of the Depts of Pathology & Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas.   Previously, he was a Professor in the UTMB Depts of Pathology & Microbiology and Immunology, a Member of the Center for Biodefense & Emerging Infectious Diseases. He is also The UT Leon Bromberg Distinguished Professor for Excellence in Teaching and a UT System Distinguished Teaching Professor.  He holds a B.S. in Bacteriology from UCLA, an M.S. in Biology from CSUN and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from UT Austin.  

His research interests included cellular signal transduction in pathogenesis of viruses, viral pathogenesis and drug design.   His hobbies are photography, travel, music and work with Special Olympics.