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Bringing It Home – The Saint Rose Blog

Professor Shout-Out! Meet Dr. Kari Murad

Dr. Kari Murad, Physical and Biological Science Department, Associate Professor. Has been with Saint Rose since 1999.

About:

  • Where did you attend school? I attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA for my undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Medical Anthropology.  I then went directly to Albany Medical College in Albany, NY for my Ph.D. in Experimental Pathology.
  • Where have you been employed? My first full-time job was as a volunteer in the Pathology Laboratory of Berkshire Medical Center when I was 14 -that job is probably why I became a scientist.  Throughout high school and college I was a lifeguard.  Beyond that I have worked exclusively in hospital settings until coming to Saint Rose.
  • Did you always want to teach? No, I never really considered teaching until I applied to Saint Rose. There is a history of teaching in my family (my mom, aunt, uncle, grandmother and grandfather) so I guess it was always somewhere in my background.  I always wanted to be a ballerina but biomedical researcher was my back-up plan. I love research and I love science – teaching is a great mix for me because I can spend all day talking about cool research and even cooler scientific discoveries.
  • What classes do you teach at Saint Rose?
    • Microbiology & Lab
    • Immunology & Lab
    • Pathogenic Microbiology & Lab
    • Biology of HIV/AIDS
    • Topics in Public Health
  • Highlight of academic career, thus far: Besides hearing the success stories of former science students (always a highlight!), I think one of the coolest research moments for me was sitting in an airport bar watching the news and hearing my research being covered as a late-breaking news story.  I got to watch the reactions of the people around me and none of them knew it was my research.

Saint Rose Physical and Biological Science Associate Professor, Dr. Kari Murad

Fun Facts:
  • What’s your favorite color? Gram-positive! (inside microbiology joke) Purple for the rest of you.
  • Favorite place to eat in the Capital Region? Anywhere that has good sushi.
  • Favorite TV show? That is difficult….favorite of all time would probably have to be the old “Upstairs/Downstairs” series, although it is seriously tied with classic sci-fi (SG-1, voyager -anyone?).  The only two current shows I watch with regularity are “Downton Abbey” (because how can you not love Maggie Smith) and “Mad Men” (amazing costuming and set design).  Next time ask me my favorite movie, that is much easier!
  • If you could have one superpower, what would you choose? The power to heal. I have always been interested in shamanic traditions. True shamans have a wicked skill set of superpowers in my mind.
Dr. Murad is the faculty adviser for The College of Saint Rose Natural Science Association, a student association group “aimed at connecting the sciences that are learned in the classroom to everyday life through fun activities and trips.” Please comment here if you have any questions or comments for Dr. Murad. Thanks for reading!

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