Dr. Kelli Palmer received $2,467,449 from the National Institute of Health (NIH) for her research on Adaptive Alterations of Lipids in Mitis Group Streptococci. Streptococcus mitis is typically found in the human mouth and causes infections in the bloodstream and heart valve. Dr. Palmer’s research will test her theory that the ability of Streptococcus mitis to drastically alter lipid compositions in the cellular envelope is critical for its habitat flexibility in the host and its survival in response to antimicrobial stress.