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Immunology

Director

  • Gail Bishop (Microbiology)

Affiliated faculty

  • Michael Apicella (Microbiology), Zuhair Ballas (Internal Medicine), Gail Bishop (Microbiology), John Butler (Microbiology), John Colgan (Internal Medicine), Morris Dailey (Pathology), Elizabeth Field (Internal Medicine), George Giudice (Dermatology), Thomas Griffith (Urology), John Harty (Microbiology), Jonathan Heusel (Pathology), Bruce Hostager (Pediatrics), Jon Houtman (Microbiology), Siegfried Janz (Pathology), Joel Kline (Internal Medicine), Kevin Legge (Pathology), David Lubaroff (Urology), Craig Morita (Internal Medicine), William Nauseef (Internal Medicine), Stanley Perlman (Microbiology), Frederick Quelle (Pharmacology), Paul Rothman (Internal Medicine), Annette Schlueter (Pathology), Fayyaz Sutterwala (Internal Medicine), Steven Varga (Microbiology), Thomas Waldschmidt (Pathology), George Weiner (Internal Medicine), Jerrold Weiss (Internal Medicine), Mary Wilson (Internal Medicine), Hui-Hui Xue (Microbiology), Nicholas Zavazava (Internal Medicine)
Graduate degree: Ph.D. in Immunology
Web site: http://immuno.grad.uiowa.edu

The Immunology Program provides interdisciplinary training in the concepts and methodologies of basic and applied immunology. Faculty members are involved in a variety of research projects dealing with the immune system at all levels--structural, functional, cellular, biochemical, and molecular. Students take course work in immunology and related disciplines and are involved directly in laboratory research throughout their study.

Graduate Program

The Immunology Program offers a Ph.D. in immunology.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy in immunology requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. The program is quite flexible, accommodating students with a wide range of backgrounds in course work as well as practical experience in the biological and physical sciences. Entering students generally are expected to have strong records in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, and mathematics. An introductory course in immunology is desirable. Deficiencies in specific areas often can be remedied through appropriate course work taken during the first year of graduate studies.

The curriculum consists of a sequence of required and elective courses that provide training in the conceptual and methodological aspects of immunology. There is ample opportunity for study in a variety of fields that interface with immunology.

The Ph.D. in immunology requires the following course work. 

148:201 Graduate Immunology I 3 s.h.
148:211 Immunology Seminar (taken fall and spring of first year, spring of second year) 1 s.h.
148:221 Advanced Topics in Immunology 3 s.h.
156:204 Biostatistics for Biomedical Research 1 s.h.
650:270 Principles of Scholarly Integrity 1 s.h.
Elective courses (optional) 

Students also complete six of the following (1 s.h. modules).

156:201 Fundamentals of Gene Expression (recommended) 1 s.h.
156:202 Fundamentals of Protein Regulation (recommended) 1 s.h.
156:203 Fundamentals of Dynamic Cell Processes (recommended) 1 s.h.

Molecular biology:

142:215 Transcription and Multifunctional Regulation by RNA 1 s.h.
142:216 Chromatin Structure and Disease 1 s.h.
142:217 Cancer, Epigenetics, and Genetic Manipulations in Mice 1 s.h.

Cell biology:

142:220 Protein Biogenesis, Transport, and Degradation in the Secretory/Endocytic System 1 s.h.
142:221 Control of Subcellular Motility 1 s.h.
142:222 Organelle Biogenesis 1 s.h.
142:225 Growth Factor Receptor Signaling 1 s.h.
142:226 Cell Cycle Control 1 s.h.
142:227 Cellular Differentiation and Stem Cell Biology 1 s.h.

After successfully completing the comprehensive examination, usually by the end of the second year of graduate study, students advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. They devote their time to research and writing their dissertation. Upon successful completion of all requirements, including the dissertation and its oral defense, students are awarded a Ph.D. in immunology.

Admission

For information regarding admission and application procedures, contact the Immunology Program or visit its web site.

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

Financial Support

All students in the Immunology Program receive stipends and tuition support, which comes from a variety of sources, including training grants from the National Institutes of Health, University of Iowa fellowships and graduate research assistantships, and individual faculty research grants.

Facilities

Training is conducted in laboratories and teaching facilities of the Carver College of Medicine Departments of Internal Medicine, Pathology, Microbiology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology, and Urology. Faculty laboratories and central research core facilities provide students with access to state-of-the-art research equipment.
Copyright 2009 The University of Iowa. All rights reserved.
Updated September 2009