Morris D. Cooper, Ph.D., Professor and Chairman

The Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, located on the Springfield campus, is comprised of twelve full-time, two part-time faculty members, several postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and a support staff. The department has approximately 12,500 square feet of laboratory and support space for teaching and research purposes.

Undergraduate medical teaching includes the sophomore microbiology and immunology curricula. The department has been a major player in the development of the Problem-Based Learning Curriculum now offered in the freshman and sophomore years. The department also offers electives for advanced medical students. These electives provide supplemental experience in laboratory-based diagnostic or research procedures as well as the opportunity to investigate current concepts in medically-oriented research through individualized programs.

Research activities, including the training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, also represents a major departmental effort. The department is a partner in the Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry Graduate Program. The Program offers graduate training leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. It is designed to provide a broad base of advanced knowledge as well as to allow each student to develop an in-depth concentration in an area of specialization.

Areas of specialization available for graduate students on the Springfield campus include cell and molecular biology, molecular genetics, immunoregulation, molecular immunology, molecular pathogenesis, neuroimmunology, and tumor immunology.

The research program is supported by grants from local and national agencies as well as internal sources