Michael Norgard, Ph.D., an internationally recognized expert in sexually transmitted infections and Lyme disease, has been named Professor Emeritus of Microbiology. He is best known for his research on pathogenic spirochetes, a group of spiral-shaped bacteria that causes syphilis and Lyme disease.

Over his 45-year career at UT Southwestern, Dr. Norgard held numerous positions, including Chair of the Department of Microbiology from 1998 to 2024. He retired earlier this year.

Dr. Norgard is an expert in the identification and characterization of bacterial membrane proteins, having published more than 160 original articles. He is also the lead inventor on five U.S. patents involving syphilis diagnosis.

Dr. Norgard’s interest in bacterial infections began while growing up in New Jersey. As a 17-year-old lab technician whose job was to test the sterility of foods and surgical implants, he was inspired to pursue a career as a scientist. He earned a degree in microbiology from Rutgers University and a doctorate in microbiology from the New Jersey Medical School (now Rutgers Medical School).

In 1979, he was recruited by UT Southwestern, which was rapidly growing and building its reputation in medicine, research, and clinical technology. When he visited the campus, Dr. Norgard said he was immediately impressed.

“By the time I left, I was enamored with the science, atmosphere, and community of UT Southwestern,” he said. “Coming here was one of, if not the best, decision I ever made.”

He joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor and focused his research on the bacteria that cause syphilis.

“The syphilis spirochete is a difficult organism, and I wanted to have a better understanding of this strange bacterium,” he said.

Dr. Norgard was the first to describe treponemal lipoproteins – molecules believed to be crucial to the membrane biology of the syphilis bacterium (T. pallidum) and responsible for the local and systemic inflammatory events of syphilis. In the early 1980s, he developed molecularly based diagnostic tests for adult and congenital syphilis.

In recent years, syphilis cases have been on the rise, increasing to their highest levels since the 1950s, Dr. Norgard said. Congenital syphilis can be a particularly devastating infection for newborns, he added.

Dr. Norgard also established that fetal IgM serological testing performed on neonates of mothers at risk for active syphilis can substantially enhance the diagnosis of asymptomatic congenital syphilis.

His research interest in syphilis later led him to study Lyme disease, of which the causative agent (Borrelia burgdorferi) is related to T. pallidum in many ways, he said.

“Both have unusual molecular architectures,” he said. “I thought if I studied them in parallel, it could help unlock the mysteries of both.”

Dr. Norgard has been a member of an international task force for the development of sexually transmitted disease diagnostics for use in resource-poor environments. He formerly was a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Southwest National Institutes of Health Regional Center of Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases.

While conducting his research, Dr. Norgard also spent 45 years training graduate students, postdoctoral and clinical fellows, medical students, and visiting scientists. He plans to stay engaged in the Microbiology Department and continue helping others develop their careers, he said.

“Mike Norgard has had an extraordinary career at UT Southwestern and he will continue to enrich the Department and institution for many years to come as Professor Emeritus,” said Julie Pfeiffer, Ph.D., Chair and Professor of Microbiology.

Over the years, UT Southwestern has been an amazing place to work and develop as a medical academic, Dr. Norgard emphasized.

“I have loved the people, the atmosphere and the support that I have received,” he said. “It’s been a sensational professional experience.”