Cell Biology of Infection
At the University of Michigan Medical School Department of Microbiology and Immunology, we study host-pathogen interactions that reveal information about disease and also sheds light on fundamental mechanisms of normal cellular function.
Learn more below about our areas of investigation and see a list of faculty conducting research on cell biology of infection.
Areas of Investigation
This research seeks to understand:
- How microbes take advantage of the host cell niche by manipulating cellular trafficking pathways. We use quantitative live cell imaging and other approaches on bacterial and eukaryotic pathogens such as Legionella, Listeria, Salmonella, and Toxoplasma.
- How viruses and other intracellular pathogens exploit host cells to facilitate cell invasion, reproduce, acquire nutrients, evade immune detection, spread to other cells, and regulate differentiation
- How host regulators of innate immunity respond to infection and other pathological conditions; triggers of host signaling that result in anti-microbial responses and release of inflammatory mediators
- Determine the effects of biochemical changes on the immune response and the role of chemical signals, such as calcium and NADPH, in live cells and tissues
- Eukaryotic cell cycle regulation and how human disease related proteins are modified during the cell cycle
Faculty researching Cell Biology of Infection
Vernon B Carruthers, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Medical School
Bethany Moore, PhD
Nancy Walls Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Chair, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Professor of Internal Medicine
Medical School
Chair, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Professor of Internal Medicine
Medical School
Akira Ono, PhD
Associate Chair, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Mary O'Riordan, PhD
Frederick C Neidhardt Collegiate Professor
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Joel Swanson, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Medical School
Michele Swanson, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Medical School
Medical School
Andrew W Tai, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Assistant Dean for Early Medical Education
Medical School
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Assistant Dean for Early Medical Education
Medical School
Yifan Wang, DVM, PhD
Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Medical School
Jason B Weinberg, MD
James L Wilson M.D. Research Professor of Pediatrics
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Division Director
Infectious Diseases
Medical School
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Division Director
Infectious Diseases
Medical School
Teresa O'Meara, PhD
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Medical School
Anukul Shenoy, PhD
Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Medical School
Christiane Wobus, PhD
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Medical School
