Medical Microbiology & Immunology

The mission of the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology (MMI) is to provide comprehensive scientific instruction to students, conduct novel and meaningful research, and offer consultation in microbiology and immunology as they relate to human disease.

MMI provides an exceptional learning environment for undergraduates through rigorous coursework and research opportunities. Graduate students may earn a Ph.D. through the MMI co-sponsored, nationally acclaimed Microbiology Doctoral Training Program. The success of our instructional efforts is evident from the excellent student evaluations and ratings, the numerous teaching awards garnered by our faculty, and the doctoral training program’s ranking of first among U.S. public institutions and third nationwide.

Research underway in our department involves the rigorous study of bacterial, fungal, protozoan, and viral pathogens. Organisms under study are: Toxoplasma gondii, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycobacterium sp., Brucellasp., Listeria, Blastomyces, Aspergillus, Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida, influenza virus, Herpes simplex, and uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Faculty also investigate diverse immunological topics such as the sexual dimorphism of immune responses, regulatory T cell biology, leukocyte migration, and vaccine development. Recently, outstanding research groups have been established to address symbiotic relationships between bacteria and animals and the influence of the microbiome on wound healing. Since the Department’s establishment in 1935, our faculty have made fundamental contributions to the study of infectious disease and immunity. Our current faculty demographic reveals a melting pot of well-established, recognized leaders in the field, a consistently productive group of mid-level faculty, and a new group of junior faculty who are poised to step to the fore and represent our department well into the future.