The major focus of investigators in this area is the use of genetic approaches to identify factors that are involved in determining the outcome of pathogen infection. The immune cells that respond to infection as well as proteins produced by pathogens (both bacterial and viral) that contribute to virulence are studied.

Martha Alexander-Miller Regulation of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes; control of functional avidity.

Rajendar Deora Bordetella pathogenesis.

Elizabeth Hiltbold Schwartz Antigen presenting cell responses to intracellular bacterial pathogens; regulation of T cell responses.

Islam Khan T cell effector function in health and autoimmune diseases.

Steven Mizel Vaccines against agents of bio-terrorism; flagellin signal transduction.

Griff Parks Molecular biology of paramyxoviruses.

Ed Swords Cellular microbiology; bacterial genetics and pathogenesis; innate host defenses and host/pathogen interactions.

Daniel J. Wozniak My broad interests relate to bacterial molecular biology with an emphasison understanding the genetic and environmental control of virulence factors.