New faculty spotlight: Lee Korshoj, PhD

Lee Korshoj, PhD, is a new faculty member at UNMC.

• Name: Lee Korshoj, PhD 
• Title and department at UNMC: Assistant professor, UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology 
• Hometown: Omaha

Research/professional interests:

My work seeks to understand the complex biological interactions between host and pathogen that dictate the severity and persistence of bacterial biofilm infections. 

How I fell in love with biological research:

As an undergraduate, I started to become curious about the interesting research taking place around me at the university. Wanting to explore this curiosity, I began working as an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Rebecca Lai, PhD, professor in the UNL Department of Chemistry, studying electrochemical biosensors. Her support led to a summer research opportunity at the University of California Berkeley in a lab developing new synthetic biology tools. Together, these two experiences really instilled an excitement for research and pushed me to pursue a career where I get to explore fascinating biological questions that also can have a positive impact on world health. 

Education: 

• BS in chemical engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
• PhD in chemical engineering, University of Colorado Boulder 

Memberships: 

• American Association of Immunologists 
• American Society for Neurochemistry 
• American Society for Microbiology 

Three things people may not know about me: 

• My wife and I have a 2-year-old daughter and 1-month-old son, and we are actively adjusting to life with two kids.  
• I enjoy getting outdoors and staying active. During graduate school in Colorado, I was part of a group of engineering students who won the Coffin Races at the 2016 Frozen Dead Guy Days Festival. It’s an interesting and lively spectacle to see if you get the chance to attend. 
• I love rock music and going to concerts. My favorite band is the Canadian trio Rush, and our daughter’s name was inspired by one of their songs.