The department is built around scholarly activities with three important missions: cutting-edge research programs to address relevant biomedical problems in microbiology and immunology, a graduate training program to educate strong, independent research scientists, and a commitment to provide knowledge-based service to the state, national and international communities that will improve global understanding of the microbial world, infectious diseases and host immunity to infection. Graduate (and postgraduate) education programs offer the basic principles of microbiology, pathogenesis, and immunology as well as research training opportunities in the laboratories of established scientists with diverse research interests.
The department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology (MMI), in partnership with the faculty from the department of Veterinary Pathobiology (VPB), now called Molecular Pathogenesis and Therapeutics Graduate Program (MPT), offers a comprehensive graduate program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. This program provides individualized training that is strongly oriented toward basic research in molecular and cellular biology, immunology and host-parasite interactions. Graduates completing this training are prepared to pursue challenging and rewarding professional careers that involve research and teaching at supervisory levels in both the academic and private sectors.