New Faculty – Houra Merrikh

I am delighted to announce that Dr. Houra Merrikh, University of Washington, has accepted our offer to join the Vanderbilt Department of Biochemistry with tenure. Dr. Merrikh’s program will have deep-rooted connectivity to a number of entities on campus including VI4, VICB, VICC, Biological Sciences and PMI. She brings a tremendous award winning research portfolio, intellect, creativity, drive and scholarship to Vanderbilt. As a mechanistic biologist and discovery scientist, Dr. Merrikh studies DNA replication, bacterial evolution and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance that span fundamental basic and clinically relevant microbial research (see Merrikh Lab).

Dr. Merrikh’s spouse, Dr. Chris Merrikh, will join the Department as a Research Assistant Professor. Chris plays an integral role in the laboratory in bioinformatics and molecular genetic approaches. Houra and Chris, along with their two children (ages 9 and 5) anticipate arriving to campus sometime on or before June 1, 2019.

Special thanks to all those who participated in the recruitment process. Your assistance is crucial and played a major role in the decision process for Dr. Merrikh.

With much excitement and appreciation,

John