Microbiology and Immunology is particularly productive in pre-clinical research and discovery. We are focused on pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and immunology. Our main research themes also focus on developing more effective cancer immunotherapy, an HIV vaccine, creating antigen-specific immune tolerance and overcoming the antibiotic resistance of bacteria.
Active research in immunology includes the areas of cytotoxicity, programmed cell death, cytokine receptor signaling, clinical and experimental bone marrow transplantation, stem cell biology, gene therapy for cancer treatment, antigen recognition, cell differentiation and communication, aging of the immune system, interleukins, genetic control of immunoglobulin production, gene activation and evolution of the immune response. Research in other areas includes molecular biology of virus-host interaction in both animal and human systems, control and regulation of bacterial pathogenesis, selective tumor chemotherapy and radiation therapy and therapy of parasitic infections.
We actively collaborate with the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Diabetes Research Institute. These interactions help to foster translating our discoveries in the laboratory to directly benefitting patients with cancer and type 1 diabetes. Our efforts to translate our discoveries to the clinic are also shown in our large portfolio of licensing agreements and start-up companies.