Microbiology and Immunology
Contact Information
Faculty and their Research Interest
A murine macrophage being invaded by Salmonella tyohimurim.
The Department of Microbiology and Immunology focuses on how pathogens cause disease and how the hosts’ immune systems discriminate between self and non-self. The juxtaposition of labs studying both sides of the host-pathogen equation provides students with the cross-fertilization of disciplines necessary to understanding these complex interactions. Given the inherent and immediate relevance of this work to human disease, the faculty in the department includes a mixture of M.D.s and Ph.D.s. Several of the faculty hold joint appointments in clinical departments and the clinical reality of the diseases being studied is never far from our minds.
Pathogens are studied for insights into basic molecular and cellular processes and as probes of the host cell. The control of gene expression at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational levels are all important areas of investigation in different systems. The response of the host cell to insult by a pathogen often gives insights into broader issues related to pathogenesis.
On the side of the microorganism, we study the pathogenesis of viruses, bacteria and protozoan parasites. How do these organisms invade and survive in their chosen host? How do they deal with the host’s potent immune response? What properties are involved in their pathogenesis? What is responsible for latency and reactivation of infection? How can we use our results to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment?
On the side of the host, faculty are studying six major effector arms of the immune system: cytotoxic T-cells, helper T-cells, gamma delta T-cells, B-cells, macro-phages and natural killer cells. How are self-antigens distinguished from non-self? How are antigens processed and presented to effector cells? What cascade follows antigen presentation?
What roles do the various effector cells play in the host’s immune response to different diseases? How does tolerance arise during development and how does it breakdown in autoimmunity? And how can we interfere with this process?
Our training program includes several graduate level courses covering principles of biological techniques, molecular parasitology, stress response, advanced immunology, animal viruses, and microbial pathogenicity. In addition, we hold biweekly seminars by invited visitors, biweekly presentations by students and postdocs on their current research, and an annual three-day retreat at a coast-side conference center with research presentations by students and postdocs from all research groups. Students also serve two quarters as teaching assistants.
For more information contact:
Student Services
Department of Microbiology
and Immunology
299 Campus Drive
Fairchild, D300
Stanford, CA 94305-5124
(650) 725-8541
(650) 721-1648 (fax)
micro_immuno@lists.stanford.edu
http://microimmuno.stanford.edu
Faculty and their Research Interests
Manuel Amieva. Genetic variation in human immune systems: functional importance for long-term survival.
Ann Arvin. Molecular Mechanisms of Varicella-zoster Virus Pathogenesis.
Helen M. Blau. Regenerative medicine & stem cells, nuclear reprogramming, cell fate plasticity.
Matthew Bogyo. Small molecules to study function of proteases in cancer, inflammation, parasitic diseases.
John Boothroyd. Cell and molecular analysis of Toxoplasma's interaction with the host.
Jan Carette. Genetic screens in human cells to study host-pathogen interactions.
Chang-Zheng Chen. MicroRNAs and immunity.
Yueh-Hsiu Chien. Antigen recognition and function of lymphocytes in health and disease .
Chris Contag. Molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis and host response to insult using in vivo cellular and molecular imaging to reveal biological processes in living animal models of disease. Emphases on gene expression and cell migration in vivo.
Mark Davis. T cell recognition and human immunology.
Shirit Einav. Viral-Host Interactions by Molecular and Systems Virology Approaches.
Stephen Galli. The development of mast cells and basophils, and their roles in health & disease.
Jeffrey Glenn. Molecular virology, novel antiviral strategies, and liver tissue engineering.
KC Huang. Cell shape detection, determination, and maintenance in bacteria.
Karla Kirkegaard. Understanding RNA virus replication to thwart drug resistance and disease.
Holden Maecker. Immune profiling; T cell response signatures to chronic pathogens and cancer.
AC Matin. New cancer therapy; Heritable MRI contrast; Bacterial antibiotic resistance.
Denise Monack. Co-evolution of host immune mechanisms and pathogen virulence strategies.
Garry Nolan. Single Cell Proteomics and Genomics of Cancer, Stem Cells & Autoimmunity.
Peter Parham. Genetic variation in human immune systems: functional importance for long-term survival.
Charles Prober. Conduct of seroepide-miologically based studies of HSV-2 infections, with special emphasis on gestational and neonatal infections; humoral and cellular immunologic evaluations of human hosts to determine the critical factors relevant to the acquisition and transmission of HSV-2 infections preliminary to vaccine studies; evaluation of antiviral therapies, with special emphasis on the management of herpes virus infections.
David Relman. Human and animal microbiomes: ecology and genomics.
Peter Sarnow. Interactions of viruses with host macromolecular machines.
David Schneider. Balancing tolerance and resistance of infections.
Upinder Singh. Molecular basis of pathogenesis by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica.
Justin Sonnenburg. Mechanistic insight into intestinal microbiota dynamics.
Julie Theriot. Mechanics and dynamics of cellular organization, shape and movement.
For additional information regarding our faculty and their research and interests, please see our Department Faculty