09/02/2026
For our next Lecture on Tap, we’re diving into one of the Southwest’s most fascinating scientific mysteries: Hantavirus.
Leading the conversation is Dr. Michelle Harkins, MD—a UNM Distinguished Professor, physician-scientist, and Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine at the University of New Mexico.
Dr. Harkins has spent nearly three decades on the front lines of some of New Mexico’s most complex respiratory illnesses. Her work spans critical care, pulmonary disease, asthma, COVID-19, and one particularly mysterious virus with deep roots in the Southwest: Hantavirus.
For years, she has cared for patients with hantavirus and helped advance our understanding of what happens when this tiny virus collides with the human immune system—with potentially devastating consequences. Her expertise has made her a trusted voice for physicians, researchers, and public health experts studying this rare but powerful disease.
And here’s the wild part: the story of hantavirus is uniquely connected to the landscapes around us.
Desert rodents. Remote homes. The Four Corners. Human lungs. A microscopic virus.
What began as a mysterious outbreak in the Southwest became one of the most fascinating medical detective stories in modern history.
So grab a beer and join us as Dr. Harkins takes us into the strange intersection of wildlife, viruses, medicine, and New Mexico.
Because sometimes the biggest scientific mysteries aren’t hiding in outer space.
Sometimes they’re hiding in a mouse nest.
🍻 LECTURE ON TAP
📆 Sept 10th Thursday 6pm-7pm
🔬 Cool science. Curious minds. Good beer.
Featuring Dr. Michelle Harkins, MD
