Immunology

The UCSF Immunology Graduate Program is a component of both the Biomedical Sciences (BMS) program and the Program in Biological Sciences (PIBS). Students interested in the program are admitted into the BMS program and elect to follow the Immunology Track at the end of their first year. First year BMS students pursue coursework with an emphasis on mammalian cells and tissues, including the immune system. Modern approaches for understanding the molecular mechanisms of cell, organ, and immune system function are studied as are integrative approaches toward defining the physiological in vivo importance of these mechanisms. We believe that this coursework will provide an excellent knowledge base for graduate students with a strong interest in immunology and related fields such as infectious disease. In addition, first year students do three research "rotations" in different BMS/Immunology laboratories to learn experimental approaches hands-on and to aid them in choosing a thesis laboratory and project. For students who elect the Immunology Track, the Immunology Graduate Program provides continuing advanced training in current developments of immunology and in other aspects of modern molecular and cellular biology via a weekly immunology student/faculty journal club, an annual immunology retreat, yearly advanced topics minicourses, and a weekly seminar series that hosts outstanding immunologists from around the U.S. and occasionally overseas. In addition to the above courses and activities, our connection with PIBS provides our students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty with close interactions with scientists studying cell biology, genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology, developmental biology, biophysics, and neuroscience. As these fields are highly relevant to modern study of immunology, these connections enhance the education of students in the Immunology Program.

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Participating Faculty

Abul Abbas, MBBS

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
None
Research Summary: 
T-cell Regulation in Tolerance and Immunity

Oscar Aguilar Alfaro, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Virology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Research Summary: 
NK cells, NK receptors, and NK ligands in viral immunity and tumor immunity.

Gregory Allen, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
Our group develops and applies advances in synthetic biology to better understand biological systems and then to re-engineer these systems to tackle disease.

Christopher Allen, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
None
Research Summary: 
Cellular Dynamics of Allergic Immune Responses
Mentorship Development: 

4/26/19    Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS) with Sharon Milgram (Mission Bay)
2/16/21    Three Truths and Three Tries: Facing and Overcoming Critical Social Justice Challenges at the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Levels

Mark Anderson, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
The Genetic Control of Autoimmune Disease
Mentorship Development: 

11/23/20    Building Community in the UCSF MSTP 
2/18/21    Three Truths and Three Tries: Facing and Overcoming Critical Social Justice Challenges at the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Levels    

Mark Ansel, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
RNA Regulation in the Immune System

Judith Ashouri Sinha, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
Pathogenic Antigen-activated T cells in Autoimmune Disease

Kamran Atabai, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
Extracellular matrix regulation of metabolism, pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular disease

Jody Baron, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Virology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Research Summary: 
Innate and adaptive immunity to viral pathogens

Peter Beernink, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Virology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
My laboratory investigates molecular interactions among microbial vaccine antigens, host antibodies, and other immune system proteins.

Mallar Bhattacharya, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Research Summary: 
The Bhattacharya Laboratory studies the effect of macrophages on fibroblast activation during the fibrotic phase of tissue injury, with a focus on lung fibrosis.

Robert Blelloch, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Stem Cells, Cancer, and Anti-tumor Immunity
Mentorship Development: 

4/29/19    Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS) with Sharon Milgram (Parnassus)
10/20/20    Gathering in Community: a Training for Faculty and Staff

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