On March 26, 2026, the Institute for Molecular Virology (IMV) hosted the 2nd Annual Ann Palmenberg Molecular Virology Symposium. Sponsored by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the Department of Biochemistry, and generous gifts from alumni and donors, this student-focused meeting serves to recognize and support the outstanding virology research community at UW-Madison. The symposium is an opportunity for attendees to share exciting results with peers, network in a professional setting, and honor the memory of groundbreaking IMV virologist, Professor Ann Palmenberg.
Faculty organizer, Professor Robert Kirchdoerfer, said of the event, “Ann found joy in scientific discovery and supporting up and coming scientists and would be proud to see the students and other researchers gathered here, sharing exciting results and helping each other grow as professionals.”
Approximately 115 students, post-doctoral researchers, scientists, faculty, and staff gathered at the UW-Madison Biochemical Sciences building for a full day of events and discussions. A keynote lecture was provided by Stacey Schultz-Cherry (St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital) thatfocused on the effects of obesity on influenza virus infection and host response.
Schultz-Cherry, an accomplished virologist, author, and professor of infectious diseases, spoke highly of the event: “I’m honored to present the keynote for the Palmenberg Symposium. UW-Madison is a fantastic place with a vibrant virology community that is rooted in history and continuing to grow.”
Another symposium highlight was the mentoring panel discussion led by IMV faculty member Marta Gaglia. In this session, professors James Gern, Thomas Friedrich, and Megan Spurgeon joined Dr. Schultz-Cherry to provide insights into mentor-mentee dynamics and discuss how mentees can make the most of their training.
“A mentor is more than a boss. A mentor is someone to bring out the best in you and help to point you toward success.” said Marta Gaglia.
Out of the many abstracts submitted for consideration, five were selected by a group of faculty reviewers to be featured oral presentations at the symposium. The selected speakers were Alessandra Setaro, Taksoo Kim, Rhiannon Abrahams, Sarah Nelson, and Dandan Shao.
Two poster sessions were also held where attendees presented their latest research findings. Topics ranged across the spectrum of virology from plant viruses to those causing human diseases.
“The Palmenberg Symposium was a great chance for me to connect with other virology graduate students to share pre-publication results, receive feedback, and support others along their scientific journeys.” said PhD student Lauren Kelly, who, along with scientist Dr. Charles Hesser, were each awarded prizes for their posters.
“We are already looking forward to next year’s symposium and continuing to grow and support the UW-Madison virology community.” said IMV Director, Professor Nate Sherer.
“Ann had such a huge impact on virology and on campus that honoring her legacy through the symposium just seems like the right thing to do.” added Kirchdoerfer.
Dr. Ann Palmenberg was a member of IMV and professor in the UW-Madison Department of Biochemistry. She was internationally recognized for her work on picornaviruses, a family of viruses that cause diseases like the common cold and polio. Examples of her groundbreaking research include solving the molecular structures of mengovirus and rhinovirus C. In addition, her work analyzing the sequences of all known rhinoviruses helped understand viral recombination and explain why developing vaccines against the common cold is such a challenge. Beyond scientific accomplishment, Ann was known for her thoughtful mentorship of students and junior faculty, service to the university and professional societies, care and compassion for others, and love of Badgers athletics. Ann passed away in 2025 after a long battle with cancer.
The Institute for Molecular Virology (IMV), administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, supports interdisciplinary research and training focused on uncovering how viruses replicate, evolve, and cause disease, developing strategies for prevention and treatment of viral infections, and harnessing viruses as tools to understand biological processes. The IMV is composed of a core group of faculty from across the UW-Madison campus with tenure homes in the Departments of Oncology, Biochemistry, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, and Plant Pathology. Housed in the Robert M. Bock Laboratories, IMV anchors a much broader network of over 40 virology-focused researchers across UW-Madison who make up the Madison Virology Collective.