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Memoir
Don B. Clewell
Regents' Proceedings 70
Regents' Proceedings 70
Don B. Clewell, Ph.D., professor of dentistry in the School of Dentistry and professor of microbiology and immunology in the Medical School, retired from active faculty status on August 31, 2004.
Professor Clewell received his A.B. degree from The Johns Hopkins University in 1963 and his Ph.D. degree from Indiana University in 1967. He joined the University of Michigan faculty as assistant professor of dentistry and assistant professor of microbiology (now microbiology and immunology) in 1970, and he was promoted to associate professor in 1973 and professor in 1977. Professor Clewell also served in the Dental Research Institute as an associate research scientist from 1977-80 and research scientist from 1980-89.
Professor Clewell's research has focused on molecular biology, molecular genetics, and nucleic acid chemistry. Most recently he revealed mechanisms of bacterial conjugation, the phenomenon by which DNA is transferred from one bacterial cell to another. His investigations mainly address the transfer of plasmids and conjugative transposons in the genus Enterococcus. Professor Clewell has published three textbooks and more than 200 papers and articles, and he has one patent to his credit. He is a member of the American Society for Microbiology, the American Association for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the American Association of Oral Biologists, and the International Association for Dental Research. In 2003, he became a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Within the School of Dentistry, Professor Clewell served on a number of committees including the Student Academic Review Board, the Oral Health Sciences Ph.D. Program Committee, and the Oral Health Sciences Preliminary Examination Committee. He received the University's Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award in 2002 and the Medical School's Distinguished Faculty Lectureship Award in Biomedical Research in 2003.
The Regents now salute this distinguished faculty member by naming Don B. Clewell professor emeritus of dentistry and professor emeritus of microbiology and immunology.