Academics

Students interested in obtaining a doctoral degree in science matriculate through the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (GDBBS) at Emory. The GDBBS currently includes over 300 faculty members and the research resources of the Emory School of Medicine, Emory College, and several university affiliates for the explicit purpose of training students at the doctoral level. The GDBBS consists of nine interdisciplinary training programs, each leading to the Ph.D. degree. Each program focuses on a major area of contemporary biology, and each emphasizes the interdisciplinary approach, which has proven to be successful in advancing research in the life sciences.

The department of Microbiology & Immunology is committed to providing first rate education to medical students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows.  Our department participates in the teaching of basic science courses in the medical school curriculum.  For the graduate programs, our faculty teach a number of advanced courses in biochemistry and molecular biology; immunology; microbial genetics and pathogenesis; and virology and viral pathogenesis.  The department is the center of training grants in immunology and genetics, and many of the faculty participate as leaders in the administration of several of the graduate programs within the GDBBS.  More than 30 graduate students and 40 postdoctoral fellows are currently training with faculty in the department.

Our faculty participate in the following graduate programs:

• The graduate program in Genetics and Molecular Biology (GMB) at Emory University offers exciting broad based training in the fields of genetics and molecular biology and their related disciplines of biochemistry, bioinformatics, cell biology, developmental biology and statistics. A wide range of research opportunities in bacterial, viral, human and eukaryotic model system genetics enable students to specialize in their area of interest while obtaining an essential foundation in genetics.

• The Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis (IMP) program within the GDBBS provides students with a unique opportunity to study all aspects of immunology using a spectrum of cutting edge molecular and cellular techniques. While the program has a focus on infectious disease related pathogenesis, many of the programs also train students in areas of autoimmunity, cancer immunology, and transplantation. Drs Ahmed, Amara, Boss, Compans, Kohlmeier, Lowen, Mocarski, Shafer, and Steinhauer, are members of this program.

• The program in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG) provides training in the study of microorganisms as well as in the use of microbial models to investigate basic problems in molecular genetics. The program is designed not only for students interested in academic careers in teaching and research, but also for those interested in careers in related aspects of medicine and industry. Research training is offered in bacterial genetics and physiology, microbial development, molecular biology of viruses and bacterial pathogens, molecular biology of DNA replication, recombination and transposition. Drs Ahmed, Churchward, Compans, Lowen, McBride, Mocarski, Moran, Rather, Shafer, and Steinhauer are members of this program.

With areas of research including bacterial and viral pathogenesis; innate and adaptive immunity; and molecular and cellular biology; and cancer, the department of Microbiology & Immunology represents an outstanding environment for postdoctoral training. The department is affiliated with a large number of core facilities and research enterprises around the state and is currently training approximately 40 postdoctoral fellows. The Emory School of Medicine has created an Office of Postdoctoral Education to help fellows navigate their careers and provide advice for fellows along their journey.