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.

External Links

Participating Faculty

Jill Hollenbach, PhD, MPH

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
Our lab specializes in the analysis of highly polymorphic immunogenomic regions in the context of immune function, human health and disease, and evolutionary biology.

Babak Javid, MB, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Virology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
Fundamental mycobacterial physiology and host pathogen-interactions.
Mentorship Development: 

5/2021 - Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS)

Michael Kattah, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Research Summary: 
The Kattah Lab studies how intestinal epithelial cells contribute to IBD using mouse models, patient biopsies, and organoids. The ultimate goal is to develop precision treatments for patients.

Suneil Koliwad, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
The Intersection between Dietary Lipids, Inflammation, and Metabolic Disease

Max Krummel, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
The Immune Response in 4 Dimensions

Chaz Langelier, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Virology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
My lab utilizes genomic and proteomic technologies to study host/pathogen biology in the context of clinical outcomes, develop new diagnostics, and track outbreaks. Key Focus: Pneumonia (including COVID-19), ARDS, sepsis and emerging pathogen surveillance

Lewis Lanier, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
NK cell receptors in viral immunity, tumor immunity, and autoimmunity

Sulggi Lee, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
Clinical translational research to identify host genetic and immunologic predictors of infectious diseases (e.g., HIV and SARS-CoV-2) using high dimensional single cell and systems biology approaches.

Richard Locksley, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Virology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Research Summary: 
The Locksley lab is studying the foundations of allergic immunity and attempting to define the underlying processes mediated by this type of host response

Mark Looney, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
Mechanisms of lung inflammation and injury

Clifford Lowell, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
Regulation of Intracellular Signaling in Innate Immune Cells

Rongze Olivia Lu, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
Identify underlying mechanisms of brain tumor immunosuppression and evasion, with the goal to develop novel immunotherapies for brain cancer.

Pages