Home

Our Department

The inhabitants of Earth are mostly microbes, and their activities are central to human welfare. Microbes can cause disease, but a properly functioning microbiome is essential for health. Microbes spoil food, but drive many forms of food production. Microbes mediate organismic decay, but catalyze numerous geochemical processes essential for life on Earth.

Research in the Penn Microbiology Department focuses on infectious agents that threaten global health, with an emphasis on understanding molecular mechanisms and developing key new methods. Areas of focus include SARS-CoV-2, HIV, pathogenic bacteria of the airway and gut, cancer causing viruses, emerging infectious diseases, and the human microbiome. On the host side, faculty study many areas of immunology related to infection, including innate and adaptive immunity, tumor immunology and vaccine development.

Penn Micro on Bluesky

Go to Department of Microbiology's Bluesky

Departmental Events

  • Prokaryotic Seminar

    Monday, Februrary 2: 4pm in 209 Johnson Pavilion

    Stephen Cole, VMD, Penn Vet

    “TBD”

  • Virology Seminar

    Tuesday, January 20: 4pm in 209 Johnson Pavilion

    Emily Daley, Pardi Lab :: Jorge Acuna, Cherry Lab

    “Understanding the impact of PEG-lipid on mRNA-LNP vaccine immunogenicity”

    "Antivirals targeting SARS-CoV-2 entry"

  • Microbiology Seminar

    Wednesday, January 21: 12pm in CRB Austrian Auditorium

    Samuel Sternberg, PhD :: Columbia

    “MRNA-guided and RNA-templated antiviral immunity”

     

     

     

More Events