RENO — Gregory Pari, Ph.D., has been named chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He assumed his new role on July 1.

Previous to being named chair, Pari was a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the medical school. He received his doctorate degree in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1990. Before coming to UNR, Pari was director of virology at Hybridon, Inc. (now Idera Pharmaceuticals) and engaged in drug discovery research.

Pari’s main research focus for the past 20 years involved the molecular mechanisms of DNA replication of herpesviruses. He has authored more than 35 scientific articles on the subject of herpesvirus DNA replication and is currently funded by two National Institutes of Health grants.