In the Department of Microbiology

Finding solutions to global challenges, such as the emergence of new infectious diseases, skyrocketing antimicrobial resistance, and the health of our planet's ecosystems, will depend upon discoveries from microbiology research. Illinois microbiology faculty focus on the physiology, genetics, and pathogenesis of microbial organisms and viruses.

Microbiology News

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MCB faculty awarded named scholar appointments
The College of LAS has awarded more than 25 professors, including three from the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, with named scholar positions for their contributions to education and research at the University of Illinois.  The awardees from MCB are as follows: LAS...
Thomas Kehl-Fie
New research challenges longstanding assumptions of evolutionary metal preferences 
As pathogenic bacteria play a game of cat and mouse with the human body’s immune system, the pathogens must adapt to changes in the environment to stay ahead of the immune system’s defenses. New findings by Illinois researchers challenge longstanding assumptions of how a particular family of...
Microbiology professor Brenda Wilson stands in her office holding a copy of the book, Revenge of the Microbes
Antibiotics vs Microbes: Wilson’s New Book Investigates Our War Against Pathogens
The recent rise in cases of a drug-resistant fungus called Candida auris has prompted hospitals and nursing homes to be on alert and sparked concern among scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which deemed it an “urgent microbial resistance threat.” The...
Three scientists in the Mera Lab, Stephanie Puentes-Rodriguez, Paola Mera, and Inoka Menikpurage, stand together smiling for the camera. They are in the doorway leading from one lab space to additional lab space. They are all smiling.
Researchers make new insights into bacterial cell cycle
Ask any scientist what happens after they have made a discovery. Rarely has the answer been that they’re done. Instead, each discovery often leads to new questions and new lines of research to pursue, much like a seed that’s been planted and nourished through its life cycle.  It’s fitting, then,...
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Wind-chill out! Researchers discover how flow stresses out bacterial pathogens
Residents of northern states are familiar with the concept and reality of windchill. With the combination of strong winds and the chilly weather, we become more sensitive; it feels colder than the registered temperature. Researchers from the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology at the...
Stefanie Eben looks up at the camera with a smile. She is standing next to an anaerobic chamber.
Researchers shed new light on how copper poisons microbes
For years, copper has been used ubiquitously in health care to stave off bacterial infections—from doorknobs in hospital rooms to catheters and IUDs—and yet how the element does so is unclear. In a new publication in Molecular Microbiology, researchers from the University of Illinois...

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Seminars & Events

We host many talks from rising and established scholars, an annual retreat, and more.
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn more about what we believe, initiatives, and resources.
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The Department of Microbiology looks forward to hearing from you!
Collaborative & Impactful

Faculty Research

Our world-class faculty lead many exciting research programs in the physiology, genetics, and pathogenesis of microbial organisms and viruses. Labs explore archaeal biology, bacteriophage biology, drug discovery, eukaryotic virology, gene regulation, host-pathogen interaction, microbial communities/microbiome, microbial physiology, molecular evolution, and oxidative stress.

Contact microbiology faculty

PhD in Microbiology

Microbes are the dominant organisms on the planet and drive all aspects of life. The Department of Microbiology is a close-knit group of scientists who are driving discoveries in bacterial and archaeal biology and physiology, bacterial and viral pathogenesis, antibiotic discovery, and microbial ecology and evolution. As a PhD student in microbiology, you will be part of a thriving, supportive community of researchers.

For prospective PhD students For current PhD students

Microbial Systems Initiative

 

Microbial Systems Initiative, or MSI, is a vibrant cross-campus community of microbial sciences researchers who address problems in health, agriculture, energy, and other sectors. The Microbial Early-career Researchers Association (MicroERA) organizes professional development and networking opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

Microbial Systems Initiative MicroERA

Upcoming Microbiology Events

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Meet MCB's microbiology community

Neha Arun reviews imaging of host-pathogen interactions in a darkly lit room, with her face illuminated by the screen.
Meet MCB: Undergraduate researcher Neha Arun
MCB major Neha Arun shares her experiences working as an undergraduate researcher in Professor Collin Kieffer's lab in the Department of Microbiology, as well as a look at life outside the lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  Can you summarize your research in the Kieffer Lab?  My...
Stefanie Eben gazes at Petri dish in lab.
Meet MCB: Microbiology PhD student Stefanie Eben
From studying E. coli to riding horses, Stefanie Eben says she has found the perfect mixture of academic and personal fulfillment at the University of Illinois. Eben, a microbiology PhD student in the lab of professor James Imlay, spoke with MCB's communications team about her love of microbiology...
Paola Mera smiles for headshot outside with a background of trees.
Meet MCB: Microbiology professor Paola Mera
Dr. Paola Mera is an assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology. Dr. Mera's research program combines bacterial genetics, biochemistry, and high-resolution...
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Susan Brennan (BS, ’85, microbiology) has built a career in sustainability, solving problems
Growing up in the Illinois steel town of Granite City, Susan Brennan was certain once she left, she would never live near a factory again. However, in the years after graduating from the University of Illinois, she would become a leading voice in rethinking and transforming American manufacturing....

Explore our history

The Department of Microbiology at UIUC has a rich history of seminal discoveries and microbiologists who have increased our biological understanding and advanced the field of microbiology, such as Carl Woese, who discovered the Archaea, a new domain of life distinct from bacteria and eukarya, and Abigail Salyers, who pioneered studies of bactericides polysaccharide utilization and its role in colonic fermentation.

Read more about our illustrious history.

Contact the Department of Microbiology