Willet graduates summa cum laude

Mallory S. Willet, the daughter of Gregory and Julie Willet of Lehighton, graduated summa cum laude from Thomas Jefferson University on May 30 with a master of science in microbiology and a concentration in recognizing and controlling infectious diseases.

During her college career, Willet joined the laboratory of well-known virologist at Jefferson, Dr. Matthias J. Schnell, where she developed a dual vaccine for rabies and Ebola viruses for use in developing countries.

A research paper, "Antibody Quality and Protection from Lethal Ebola virus Challenge in Nonhuman Primates Immunized with Rabies Virus Based Bivalent Vaccine," was recently published in PLoS Pathogens.

Willet is a 2010 summa cum laude graduate of Kutztown University, where she earned her bachelor of science in biology, and a 2006 graduate of Lehighton Area High School. She is employed by Thomas Jefferson University as a research assistant in virology and vaccine development.

She is the granddaughter of Harvey and Betty Willet of Lehighton, and Susan and the late Edward Nothstein of Lehighton.