Dr. Bert L. Semler
blsemler@uci.edu
Distinguished Professor, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics
School of Medicine
B.S., University of California, Irvine, 1974
Ph.D., University of California, San Diego, 1979
Bert Semler went to graduate school at the University of California, San Diego. There, he joined the laboratory of Dr. John Holland, working on the genetic determinants of the replication of VSV defective interfering particles. Bert went on to carry out postdoctoral research with Dr. Eckard Wimmer at the State University of New York at Stony Brook (now called Stony Brook University) where he began his lifelong research on poliovirus molecular biology. He then made his way back to southern California to establish his own laboratory at the University of California, Irvine, where he has been a faculty member since 1983. His research focuses on the molecular biology of picornaviruses, with forays into non-canonical host cell translation initiation. In his spare time, he enjoys softball with the departmental team (Microbrewers), traveling with his spousal unit, fly fishing, and searching out great food and wine.
Academic Distinctions
American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship
NIH National Research Service Award
American Cancer Society Faculty Research Award
NIH Research Career Development Award
Athalie Clark Outstanding Research Award-UCI College of Medicine
ISI Highly Cited Researcher
Elected, Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
Elected, Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Elected, President of the American Society for Virology
Professional Societies
American Society for Microbiology
American Society for Virology
RNA Society