Dear Prospective Students,

The Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Program will prepare you for a professional career in basic, translational, and applied biomedical research spanning seven major disciplines:

• Bacteriology
• Cell Biology
• Fungal Pathogenesis
• Immunology
• Microbial Genomics
• Parasitology
• Virology

Through a comprehensive first-year Core course, you will gain a broad perspective of the cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms underlying key physiologic processes. This training will provide the foundation for advanced courses in specialized areas that correspond to your research interests.

As a University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) graduate student, you will work with a faculty of over 80 investigators who are leaders in their respective fields. Research is conducted in a stimulating training environment comprised of state-of-the-art facilities and internationally recognized centers of excellence including the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), the Institute of Human Virology (IHV), and the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS).

Extensive interdisciplinary interactions between MMI faculty in the different centers and institutes provide graduate students with a spectrum of research opportunities that explore diverse aspects of host defense, microbial pathogens, and their interactions in the context of human diseases.

Laboratory research is a central component of the MMI training program and prepares PhD and MD/PhD students for careers as independent investigators and physician-scientists. Students receive a competitive stipend, tuition remission, health coverage, and the possibility of additional awards.

The MMI program has two active NIH Training Grants that provide independent recognition of program excellence. These training grants, in Systems-Level Research in Microbial Pathogenesis and in Signaling Pathways in Innate Immunity, support student stipends and provide travel expenses for our students to present their research at scientific meetings.

The UMSOM is part of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) campus that is home to seven professional schools and the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). UMB is part of the Baltimore-Washington biomedical research corridor that includes major government, industry, and academic centers. This location provides students with collaborative opportunities and direct exposure to career paths that significantly enhance post-graduate success. Indeed, MMI graduates have taken leadership roles in all of these sectors.

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions; I am always glad to discuss our program and how it may fit into your professional career plans.

Sincerely,

Eileen M. Barry, PhD
Professor of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology
Center for Vaccine Development