Medical Students
Biomedical Engineering
Sites in Education
Infectious Diseases & Biodefense
 |
|
Images of time-lapse
photographs of a single BALB/c Courtesy of Ian Glomski, PhD. |
The Infectious Diseases and Biodefense training programs are separate training programs at the University of Virginia, but both provide rich interdisciplinary experience in infectious diseases research.
The Infectious Diseases (ID) Training Program is in its 4th decade of consecutive NIH funding.
The centerpiece of the ID Program is the side-by-side education of predoctoral students, M.D.s, and Ph.D. postdoctoral fellows. Training is enriched by graduate coursework in infectious diseases, research-in-progress sessions, seminar series, and journal clubs that integrate both clinical and basic research aspects of infectious diseases.
Research themes encompass the molecular biology, immunology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of infectious diseases. The Biodefense Research Training and Career Development (BioD) Program was originally developed in response to the NIAID Blue Ribbon Panel on Bioterrorism.
The BioD Program goal is to prepare pre- and postdoctoral students for careers in biodefense. Research projects are consistent with the NIH/NIAID Biodefense strategic plan (www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/biodefenserelated/biodefense), and include the biology of and host response to priority pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, Burkholderia mallei, food and water-borne pathogens, and influenza viruses.
Research foci also address vaccine development, therapeutics and diagnostic technologies for these agents of potential bioterrorism. Special activities of the BioD Program include graduate courses in Biodefense pathogens and policy, microbial pathogenesis, and advanced immunology, research-in-progress and seminar series, and a journal club. State-of-the-art BSL3 and ABSL3 facilities are available to carry out biosafety level three work.
Trainees in ID and BioD have opportunities to conduct research with over 30 different mentors from seven different departments.
Faculty
