The Department of Microbiology and Immunology (known as M&I) was founded almost 100 years ago and has gone by a number of names, including the Department of Medical Microbiology.  Each name reflecting a particular stage in the evolution of medicine and the life sciences. Our current name was granted by the University in 1987 when the Department made a major push to expand its focus into the complex interplay between microbe and host. This is a unifying theme that permeates the Department’s research and teaching and that only seems to be growing in relevance with each passing year.

The M&I Department is a community of over 200 individuals, all of whom share a common passion for research and learning.  Our mission is to conduct the best possible research and provide the most rigorous and inspiring training in the areas of microbiology, immunology, host-pathogen interaction and related fields. Through such activities, our goal is to improve human and animal health as well as to improve our ability to be responsible stewards of a fragile earth.