Immunology Graduate Group
Biomedical Graduate Studies
Immunology in the News
Science magazine names discovery by Reiner in Top Ten Breakthroughs of the Year
Smithsonian magazine names Wherry as one of the Top Young Innovators
Recognizing the need to create an environment where researchers could be adequately trained in the multifaceted aspects of immunobiology, Penn became the first medical school to establish a separate degree-granting Ph.D. program in Immunology. The faculty of the Immunology Graduate Group (IGG) are drawn from eight different units of the University of Pennsylvania, encompassing a broad spectrum of research interests: The College of Arts and Sciences; The School of Medicine; the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; The Dental School; the School of Veterinary Medicine; the Wistar Institute; and the Institute for Cancer Research.
The IGG has also established a partnership with the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. The partnership brings to the IGG the extraordinary resources and scientific expertise present at the NIH, one of the largest and most renowned biomedical research centers in the world. Students have the opportunity to interact with NIH faculty in a variety of ways, including conducting a lab rotation or thesis work at the NIH. This cross-departmental and institutional organization fosters a unique collaborative environment that allows students to develop research projects combining the expertise of multiple faculty members.
At present, there are approximately 80 faculty members in Penn's Immunology Graduate Group, encompassing a broad spectrum of research studies. Faculty research includes structural studies of immunologically relevant molecules, studies regarding the development and regulation of the immune system, and studies of fundamental molecular and cellular biology of the immune system. Research results are being utilized in both experimental models and clinical trials attempting to fight diseases.