Integrative Microbiology Program

PROJECT ABSTRACT Now in its 20th year, The UCSF Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Defense (MPHD) program, which we have renamed the Integrative Microbiology (iMicro) program to better reflect the role of microbes in health and disease, provides a comprehensive, world-class training plan to prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for future careers in academics, industry, public health, or teaching. Rapid scientific advances in microbiology and infectious disease have provided unprecedented opportunities to improve the health of mankind worldwide. The importance of training our next generation of scientific leaders to use innovative tools to interrogate human- related microbiology has never been greater. UCSF hosts an unusual number of world-class laboratories applying systems biology approaches, state-of-the art genetics and cell biology, and structural biology to the study of microbes (including bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites) and innate immunity. Indeed, the iMicro program catalyzes new scientific directions and broadens training opportunities by bringing together microbe-focused laboratories with those from diverse scientific fields to create an interdisciplinary program focused on issues in host-microbe interactions. Additionally, UCSF has been a leader in development and application of technological advances that are revolutionizing microbiology, including metagenomics, high resolution microscopy, and molecular and metabolic analysis of the microbiome. Excellent institutional core facilities are available to accelerate application of new and emerging technologies. The 27 faculty have an exceptional track record of creative and high-profile research, superb mentoring, and robust research funding, and thus attract an elite group of trainees. The iMicro program is open to all UCSF graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who express an interest in microbial research. The program is comprised of the following program-specific components: (i) a weekly seminar series composed of outside invited speakers as well as trainee research-in-progress talks; (ii) a yearly Bay Area-wide Microbial Pathogenesis (BAMPS) symposium now in its 26th year; (iii) graduate student elective courses that provide a diverse curriculum in microbes in health and disease; (iv) an internal trainee retreat; (iv) an individualized postdoctoral mentoring program that augments the already high caliber of postdoctoral training by matching fellows with a secondary mentor other than their PI. The program has an outstanding track record of successful predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees, including those who are from underrepresented groups (URGs): In the past 5 years, 24% of the iMicro-supported trainees were URGs and 76% were women, while 33% of iMicro-supported postdoctorates were from URGs and 71% were women. In sum, the collective activities of the iMicro program provide an outstanding training opportunity for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who seek to understand the role of microbes in human health and pathogenesis.