The inhabitants of Earth are mostly microbes, and their activities are central to human welfare. Microbes can cause disease, but a properly functioning microbiome is essential for health. Microbes spoil food, but drive many forms of food production. Microbes mediate organismic decay, but catalyze numerous geochemical processes essential for life on Earth.
Research in the Penn Microbiology Department focuses on infectious agents that threaten global health, with an emphasis on understanding molecular mechanisms and developing key new methods. Areas of focus include pathogenic bacteria of the airway and gut, HIV/AIDS, insect- and rodent-borne viruses, herpes viruses, papillomaviruses, emerging infectious diseases and the human microbiome. On the host side, faculty study many areas of immunology related to infection, including innate and adaptive immunity, tumor immunology and vaccine development.
Prokaryotic Seminar
Monday, 5/23/22, 4pm :: 209 Johnson Pavilion
Emily Davenport, PhDÂ ::Â Penn State
“Causes and consequences of human gut microbiome variation”
Virology Seminar
Tuesday, 5/24/22, 12pm :: 209 Johnson Pavilion
Alfonso Oceguera, PhD :: O’Doherty Lab
“HIV Reservoirs: The Barcode Project”
Microbiology Seminars will resume in Fall 2022
Symposium III: Understanding COVID-19 and Addressing Disparities in Care, 1-5pm, Nov 2, 2021 (All Talks) (sponsored by the Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens)
Symposium II: The Developing COVID-19 Epidemic, July 8, 2020 (All Talks) (sponsored by the Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens)
Symposium I: The Coronavirus Outbreak, April 3, 2020 (All Talks) (sponsored by the Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens)