Who we are

The mission of the MIMG Department is to understand, at the molecular level, how the immune system attacks and neutralizes invading microbes, how microbes evade immune recognition and how the immune system malfunctions, thereby compromising the host (autoimmunity). Because of increasing complexity and expanding knowledge in the fields of immunology and microbiology, it is imperative to define areas of focus that will concentrate departmental research efforts while maximizing resources. The areas of research focus, which encompass both current and future research efforts within the department include:

Mucosal Infection and Immunity-

Research in this area focuses on microbial infections and the immune response at the mucosal interface and encompasses work on bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral pathogens.

Specific topics include:

Immune responses of the oropharyngeal, respiratory, gut, reproductive tracts Asthma, pneumonia, sexually-transmitted, colitis Microbiomics & metabalomics

Immunobiology of Vaccines-

Research in this area focuses on defining the molecular and cellular immune mechanisms underpinning effective immune responses.

Specific topics include:

Generation and features of T and B cell memory Plasma cell generation and survival Tumor immunology Zika virus

Epigenetics of the Immune Response

Research in this area explores the role epigenetic marks and modifications in shaping immune responses to self and foreign antigens.

Specific topics include:

Immune system development, Antibody production, Response to microbes

What we do

Picture of someone presenting their poster abstract

Events & Seminars

Our department hosts a weekly seminar series in which nationally acclaimed experts in the fields of microbiology and immunology are invited to speak. A list of recent seminar speakers is provided. In addition to our departmental seminar program, many other high quality seminars are hosted by various basic science and clinical departments from around the Long School of Medicine, allowing our students and fellows to receive robust and broad exposure to the biomedical and translational sciences.

View upcoming events

Institutional Research Cores

The UT Health San Antonio Core Facilities offer a broad range of cutting edge research services and provide educational training opportunities that achieve a vital function of our university’s mission. The core facilities, led by internationally-recognized faculty advisors and expert technical staff, are available to students, faculty, and staff across the university and biomedical research community.

View a list of our Institutional Research Cores