Stephen J. Juris is Professor at Central Michigan University. He received his PhD from the University of Michigan and completed a postdoctorate at Harvard Medical School. Stephen's research interests focus on the role of bacterial toxins in bacterial pathogenesis. His dissertation work was conducted on Yersinia pestis (causative agent of the bubonic plague) and its role in shutting down the immune response. His postdoctoral work examined the biochemical and biophysical action of anthrax toxin, including transport across endosomal membranes and action within cells. His current research at CMU focuses on a toxin made by Vibrio cholerae (causative agent of cholera) and the role the toxin plays in disruption of the cytoskeleton in intestinal epithelial cells. During his tenure at CMU, he has taught courses in Immunology, Bacterial Pathogenesis, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and others. When he is not in the lecture hall or in the lab, he enjoys running, golf, and spending time with his family and friends.