MCO researcher gains endowment

7/24/2001

A Medical College of Ohio faculty member was named recipient of the Stranahan Endowed Chair in microbiology and immunology, it was announced yesterday during a meeting of the college's board of trustees.

Dr. Garry Cole, chairman of the department of microbiology, performs research in microbial genomics, bioinformatics, and proteomics, which can be applied to develop vaccines against fungal infection.

Dr. Cole, who has been with the MCO for six years, said fungal infections have soared since the spread of the AIDS pandemic.

No vaccines to combat fungal disease are available.

The Stranahan Endowed Chair provides $1.6 million for research and will allow Dr. Cole to hire three junior faculty members.

He also gets funding from the National Institute of Health and California HealthCare Foundation.