Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

Overview

This Molecular Microbiology and Immunology MSc program at University of Southern California provides extensive theoretical preparation in combination with hands-on research, where students are trained in research laboratories located on the Health Sciences Campus (HSC), comprising the Keck Medical School, the School of Pharmacy, and the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, or located at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).

Students will attend required core courses in microbiology, virology, and immunology. They will also have the option of taking elective classes on a variety of topics, such as cell biology, biochemistry, cancer biology, molecular genetics, virology, cellular physiology, stem cell biology, methods in experimental pathology, and English writing skills (for international students).

In parallel to the coursework, a second major emphasis of our training program is laboratory research, where students join one of the many research groups on the HSC or at CHLA and participate in ongoing, cutting-edge biomedical research. A great diversity of research areas is available at USC and includes themes in virology (AIDS, hepatitis, herpes, papilloma, virus-induced cancers, viral pathogenesis), immunology (vaccine development, autoimmune diseases, allergy, asthma, immune therapy, immune evasion by viruses), cancer (oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, cell cycle, apoptosis, signal transduction, drug development, mechanisms of virally-induced cancers, chemical carcinogenesis), stem cells (cancer and embryonic), premature ageing (Werner syndrome, Progeria), and others. Selection of a laboratory for rotation or for optional thesis work is determined by mutual agreement between the student and the respective lab leader.

Employment opportunities with an MS from this Molecular Microbiology and Immunology program are envisioned in:

• Academic research: universities, institutes, not-for-profit research centers (research and teaching)
• Academic teaching: community college, primary and secondary schools, technical and specialty schools
• Industry: biotech, pharma, petrol, dairies, breweries (research and development, vaccines, food and beverage production, sales and technical representation, etc.)
• Health care: hospitals and health care providers (medical technology, diagnostic laboratory)
• Law firms (patents, intellectual property rights, technology transfer, toxic torts)
• Environmental organizations (advisory, management, planning)
• Government (public health, waste management, EPA, FDA, NIH, etc.)
• Publishing: journalism, journal editor.