Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Disease

About Us

The Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Disease Research Area conducts innovative basic research in the areas of cellular and molecular mechanisms of infectious disease, as well as the immune response and microbe-host interaction.

  • We seek to understand the biology of microbial signaling systems, exploitation of host cell functions by pathogenic organisms, and mechanisms of protective host immune responses to infections.
  • The model microorganisms used in our research are important pathogenic agents of humans, animals and plants. Examples include Legionella, Salmonella, E. coli, Agrobacterium, herpesviruses, togaviruses and flaviviruses.

The group fosters high quality scholarship and provides interdisciplinary undergraduate, predoctoral and postdoctoral trainings in cellular and molecular mechanisms of infectious diseases and other aspects of microbiology, with numerous collaborative opportunities across the Colleges of Science, Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture.

Our on-campus involvement includes a variety of centers, such as the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology, and Infectious Disease (PI4D), the Bindley Bioscience Center, Markey Center for Structural Biology, the Genomics Center and the Energy Center, and with faculty from across campus involved in the Purdue University Life Science (PULSe) graduate program.

Our research is supported by grants from the NIH, the NSF, and other extramural and intramural funding agencies.

Faculty

Bruce Applegate

Bruce Applegate

Professor
Department of Food Science
Courtesy Appointment Department of Biological Sciences

Meng Cui

Meng Cui

Associate Professor
25% Biological Sciences, 75% Electrical and Computer Engineering

Qing Deng

Qing Deng

Professor

Stanton Gelvin

Stanton Gelvin

Edwin Umbarger Distinguished Professor of Biology

Richard Kuhn

Richard Kuhn

The Trent and Judith Anderson Distinguished Professor in Science

Seema Mattoo

Seema Mattoo

Associate Professor

Andrew Mesecar

Andrew Mesecar

Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, Robert W. Miller Director, Purdue Institute for Cancer Research 10% Biological Sciences, 90% Biochemistry

Sergio Munoz-Gomez

Sergio Munoz-Gomez

Assistant Professor

Nicholas Noinaj

Nicholas Noinaj

Associate Professor, Graduate Chair

Matthew Olson

Matthew Olson

Associate Professor

David Sanders

David Sanders

Associate Professor

Catherine Searle

Catherine Searle

Associate Professor
Associate Department Head for Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives

Christopher Staiger

Christopher Staiger

Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences
10% Biological Sciences, 90% Botany and Plant Pathology

Daoguo Zhou

Daoguo Zhou

Professor