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Program in Microbial Pathogenesis Objectives of the Program With every passing day, the news media reports on either an outbreak of a new disease, the spread of a disease thought to be under control, or the emergence of an antibiotic-resistant strain of an organism and the impact on human and animal life. We are still trying to understand how microorganisms cause disease so that we can devise new strategies to deal with them. It has become very apparent that microorganisms and the host have a dynamic and active interaction so that it is absolutely essential that scientists understand the basic principles of molecular and cell biology in order to decipher the pathogenic mechanisms. Moreover, the genomes of many of the major pathogenic organisms have been sequenced, providing a vast resource to address the problems at hand. Thus, the overall goal of this program is to provide students with a solid background in molecular genetics and cell biology through basic coursework, seminars, and journal clubs so they can use these concepts to explore research problems in pathogenesis, virulence and basic genetics of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The Program in Infectious Diseases brings together the expertise of 14 faculty members who are nationally or internationally recognized for their research. Their work is supported by research grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the pharmaceutical industry. This is the only program in the state which offers training in the study of pathogenic organisms of medical importance. A extensive array of research areas are under investigation by the faculty with a high level of collaborative research both within and outside of the institution. The major research areas under investigation by faculty of the program are listed below.
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