Department of Microbiology & Immunology

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology provides a stimulating environment in which to pursue a graduate or undergraduate research program. Our faculty is internationally recognized for contributions in microbiology, molecular biology and immunology. Students will have the opportunity to experience the most up to date molecular approaches to the study of problems in microbiology and immunology. The department has excellent facilities and a strong support staff to backup the research programs.

Recent developments in immunology, molecular biology and biotechnology have opened many new possibilities in industry and medicine for the application of microbial-based technologies. Thus the opportunities for qualified students will continue to increase in both universities and industry. The Department has established itself as a leading centre for immunology, recombinant DNA technology and for research into infectious diseases. Another notable research field is applied and environmental microbiology, with the focus mainly on sources of environmental problems and solutions involving microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and algae). Despite their small size, microbes exert a huge influence on all terrestrial and aquatic environments thereby affecting all plants and animals, including humans. As both academic and industrial research opportunities abound in such areas as Biotechnology, Bioremediation, Agriculture, and Food Processing, the career outlook for graduates from the Department is excellent.

24
Master's Students
67
Doctoral Students
15
Graduate Degrees Awarded

Research Supervisors

Name Research Interests
Av-Gay, Yossef Tuberculosis
Crowe, Sean Geobiology, biogeochemistry, microbial evolution
Domeier, Phillip Host-pathogen; biodiversity; Rapid evolution infection; Immunity; Inflammation Viruses; Host-pathogen, Biodiversity, Rapid evolution infection, Immunity, Inflammation Viruses
Eltis, Lindsay Bacterial catabolism of steroids and lignin; biocatalyst development; Enzymes and Proteins; Metabolism (Living Organisms); Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Bacterial catabolism of steroids and lignin, Biocatalyst development, Enzymes and Proteins, Metabolism (Living Organisms), Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Fernandez, Rachel Bordetella pertusis, whooping cough, lipopolysaccharide
Gold, Michael understanding cell signaling, morphology, trafficking, and effector function of immune cells and tumour cells
Hallam, Steven Microbial ecology; metagenomics; Biological engineering; Synthetic biology; Bioinformatics; Machine Learning; Entrepreneurship; Microbial ecology, Metagenomics, Biological engineering, Synthetic Biology, Bioinformatics, Machine learning, Entrepreneurship
Hancock, Robert E cationic peptides as anti-biofilm agents; systems immunology; cationic peptides as anti-biofilm agents; systems immunology
Harder, Kenneth Host-pathogen, tumours, infection, immunity, atherosclerosis, role of macrophages in inflammation
Hirst, Martin Carcinogenesis; Cellular Differentiation; Epigenomics; Leukemia; Molecular Genetics; Carcinogenesis, Cellular Differentiation, Epigenomics, Leukemia, Molecular Genetics
Horwitz, Marc Mechanisms of viral-induced immune disease in a variety of complex chronic disorders
Jean, Francois Cellular virology; Emerging human viruses; COVID-19; Host-virus interactions; Broad-based antiviral agents; Antiviral agents; Natural products as antiviral agents; Lipid-modulating drugs; Cellular protease inhibitors; Viral protease inhibitors; Human coronaviruses; SARS-CoV-2; Human flaviviruses; Dengue virus; Zika virus; West Nile virus; Influenza A virus; Human microRNAs; Therapeutic microRNA; Viral and cellular biomarkers; Molecular diagnostics for detecting viral infection; Circulating exosomes; Exosomal microRNAs; Proteomics-based technologies; Multiplexed and Mass Spectrometric quantitation assays; Cellular virology, Emerging human viruses, COVID-19, Host-virus interactions, Broad-based antiviral agents, Antiviral agents, Natural products as antiviral agents, Lipid-modulating drugs, Cellular protease inhibitors, Viral protease inhibitors, Human coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2, Human flaviviruses, Dengue virus, Zika virus, West Nile virus, Influenza A virus, Human microRNAs, Therapeutic microRNA, Viral and cellular biomarkers, Molecular diagnostics for detecting viral infection, Circulating exosomes, Exosomal microRNAs, Proteomics-based technologies, Multiplexed and Mass Spectrometric quantitation assays
King, Kayla host-microbial parasite/pathogen systems; host-microbial parasite/pathogen systems
Mohn, William pollutant biodegradation, pollutant bioremediation, biological treatment of forest industry effluents and wastes, microbial ecology, environmental biotechnology, forest soil microbial ecology, tuberculosis, microbial genomics, Microbial ecology
Murphy, Michael Alternatives to antibiotics; Bacterial pathogenesis; Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms; Functional and Structural Proteomics; Microbial metal metabolism; Alternatives to antibiotics, Bacterial pathogenesis, Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms, Functional and Structural Proteomics, Microbial metal metabolism
Osborne, Lisa influence that the bacteria that live on and in our intestines, lungs and skin have on human health; understanding how the host recognizes the diverse species that reside in the gut - from microscopic viruses to large, multicellular helminthic worms - and tailors an immune response of the appropriate scope and magnitude necessary to achieve homeostasis
Sagan, Selena role of RNA at the host-virus interface; role of RNA at the host-virus interface
Sun, Jim Host immunity to tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Cellular microbiology; Host-directed therapy; TB drug discovery; Macrophage biology; Intracellular pathogens; Host immunity to tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Cellular microbiology, Host-directed therapy, TB drug discovery, Macrophage biology, Intracellular pathogens
Suttle, Curtis Biological Oceanography; Environmental Virology; Marine Environment; Marine Microbiology; Microbial Diversity; Phage; Viral Discovery; Viruses; Biological Oceanography, Environmental Virology, Marine Environment, Marine Microbiology, Microbial Diversity, Phage, Viral Discovery, Viruses
Tocheva, Elitza Microbial Ultrastructure; Cryo-electron tomography and Structural Biology; bacterial physiology; Microbial Diversity; Secretion systems and Mechanisms of pathogenesis; Novel bacterial phyla; Microbiology, Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms, Functional and Structural Proteomics, Microbial Ultrastructure, Cryo-electron tomography and Structural Biology, Bacterial Physiology, Microbial Diversity, Secretion systems and Mechanisms of pathogenesis, Novel bacterial phyla
Tokuyama, Maria Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs); Chronic interaction between viruses and the immune system; Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), Chronic interaction between viruses and the immune system
Tropini, Carolina Bacteria; Bacteriophages; Bioengineering; Bioinformatics; Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms; Biophysics; Gut microbiota; Inflammatory bowel disease; Bacteria, Bacteriophages, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Biological and Biochemical Mechanisms, Biophysics, Gut microbiota, Inflammatory Bowel Disease