Microbiology, Virology and Parasitology Program

Infectious diseases remain an important cause of human morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, emerging infectious diseases constitute a growing public health threat. The Microbiology community at the University of Pennsylvania is comprised of approximately 60 faculty in the Schools of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Arts and Sciences, as well as investigators at the adjacent Wistar Institute, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Fox Chase Cancer Center. The Department of Microbiology in the Perelman School of Medicine provides the academic home for this large and highly interactive group of investigators whose specialties include virology, bacteriology, parasitology, immunity to infection, tumor virology, microbial genomics and evolution and emerging infectious diseases, with particular emphasis on problems relevant to human health and disease. Approximately 80 students are currently working towards their Ph.D. degrees in microbiology, virology and parasitology.

Graduate Program in Microbiology,Virology and Parasitology

Most microbiology graduate students are associated with the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group (CAMB). CAMB has several tracks, with most of our students choosing to specialize in the Microbiology/ Virology/ Parasitology track (MVP). We have one of the largest integrated microbiology programs in the country, with our Research and Faculty pages describing the work of approximately 80 faculty members across campus. During their first year of study, students take a variety of core and elective courses as well as three laboratory rotations, allowing them to choose a laboratory in which to do their thesis work at the beginning of their second year. An extensive series of chalk talks given by faculty and social activities with senior students provide new students the information and advice they need to select rotation labs. In addition, an increasing number of our students choose to obtain certificates in either Public Health or Medical Sciences, and do this by taking additional courses. Students typically complete their Ph.D. work after four and a half to five years. Careful mentoring and regular thesis committee meetings help our students graduate on-time. Throughout their training students participate in a variety of seminars and mentoring programs. These seminars include a Tuesday noon Virology Seminar series in which students and postdoctoral fellows present their work, the Wednesday noon Microbiology Seminar series that brings prominent visiting scientists to campus and is the best attended seminar series on campus, a Friday noon Prokaryotic Seminar series in which outside speakers alternate with presentations given by students and postdoctoral fellows, and our Parasitology Seminar series that meets every Monday. There are also a series of interest groups that meet monthly, including neurovirology, bacteriology, pathogen immunology and tumor virology. Our Education page describes our graduate program in greater detail, while our Student page lists our current students, the labs in which they work, and the schools from which they graduated.

Special events include the Nathanson Lectureship that is given each spring, an Alumni Day each semester in which a former Penn student returns to campus to give a seminar and to meet with students, and various one-day research retreats held by individual Graduate groups, Centers and Institutes such as the Center for AIDS Research, giving students and postdoctoral fellows an opportunity to meet and interact with colleagues from throughout the campus. Postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to participate in these seminar series as well as in mentoring programs organized by the Department and by Biomedical Postdoctoral Programs. Nine NIH-funded training grants help support both pre- and postdoctoral trainees in microbiology. Our web page provides information on all aspects of Microbiology research and training at the University of Pennsylvania. More information can be obtained by contacting us in...

Department of Microbiology
Perelman School of Medicine at
the University of Pennsylvania
225 Johnson Pavilion
3610 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6076
215-898-3888
FAX 215-898-9557
micro@mail.med.upenn.edu

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