Department website: http://medicine.wvu.edu/immunology-and-medical-microbiology/
Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Introduction
Every day of our lives, we are exposed to microbes such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. For the most part we suffer no disease or symptoms from these organisms, and they often go unnoticed. The single system in the body that allows life to continue in the face of these assaults is the immune system. The immune system is the network of cells and their biological processes that enable the body to recognize diseased cells or the invasion by microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and prions) and eliminate them. The scientific discipline called immunology is the study of this system, and medical microbiology is the study of the disease states induced by the invasion of microorganisms. Collectively, these two disciplines address how humans and other mammals respond to infectious disease. These scientific disciplines have become the cornerstone for many industries - including the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical and public health industries. These are all areas of particular emphasis and are being targeted for further development in West Virginia.
Educational Objectives
The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Immunology and Medical Microbiology will prepare students from diverse backgrounds to serve as professionals that are knowledgeable about the immune system of humans and other mammals, how the immune system functions, and the consequences of its malfunction on the health of the host. Knowledge of the immune system will be fully integrated with an excellent understanding of the diversity of microorganisms that cause disease in humans and other mammals and mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. Graduates will possess the laboratory skills and knowledge needed to assess the functional status of the immune system and to safely cultivate and identify microorganisms that cause disease in mammals. Graduates will be qualified to pursue several professional career paths in private industry, state and federal government, and academic institutions. The degree can also provide a strong foundation to progress to advanced studies including medical school, dental school, and graduate school.
Relationship of the Objectives to the Mission of WVU
The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Immunology and Medical Microbiology directly fulfills many of the stated objectives in the Strategic Plan for WVU, the WVU Health Sciences Center, and the WVU School of Medicine. It will be a financially viable, innovative, and dynamic educational program that provides a unique opportunity to earn a degree in Immunology and Medical Microbiology for both in-state and out-of-state undergraduate students. Its learner-centered curriculum will integrate both classroom and hands-on laboratory experiences. Graduates of the program will provide the state of West Virginia with a well-trained healthcare and research workforce who have the education and experience to work in a variety of occupations that require knowledge in immunology, medical microbiology and related disciplines.
Administration
Chair
- Mariette Barbier - PhD (Universitat de les Iles Balears)
Associate Professor
Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education
- Kelly Collins - PhD (University of Cincinnati)
Teaching Associate Professor
Directors
- Kathy Brundage - PhD (University of Pennsylvania)
Research Assistant Professor and Director, WVU Flow Cytometry and Single Cell Core Facility - F. Heath Damron - PhD (Marshall University)
Associate Professor and Director, Vaccine Development Center - Karen Martin - PhD (Duke University Medical Center)
Director of Core Resources
Faculty
Chair
- Mariette Barbier - PhD (Universitat de les Iles Balears)
Professors
- Tim Eubank - PhD (The Ohio State University)
- Ming Lei - PhD (Cornell University)
Sr. Associate Vice President, Office of Research and Graduate Education and Vice Dean of Research, School of Medicine - Slawomir Lukomski - PhD (University of Lodz, Poland)
- Cory Robinson - PhD (Miami University of Ohio)
Vice Chair for Research and Graduate Education, Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, School of Medicine
Associate Professors
- F. Heath Damron - PhD (Marshall University)
Director, Vaccine Development Center - Meenal Elliott - PhD (University of Alabama)
- Ivan Martinez - PhD (University of Pittsburgh)
- Edwin Wan - PhD (City University of Hong Kong)
Service Professor
- Kathy Brundage - PhD (University of Pennsylvania)
- Karen Martin - PhD (Duke University Medical Center)
Teaching Associate Professor
- Kelly Collins - PhD (University of Cincinnati)
Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education, Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology
Assistant Professors
- Jonathan Busada - PhD (East Carolina University)
- Michael Hu - PhD (Peking University)
- Tracy Liu - PhD (University of Toronto)
Research Assistant Professors
- Emel Sen-Kilic - PhD (West Virginia University)
Teaching Assistant Professors
- Chad Sethman - PhD (Miami University)
- Valerie Watson - MS (West Virginia University)
Teaching Instructor
- Michelle Witt - MS (Virginia Tech)
Adjunct Professors
- Lisa Holland - PhD (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
- Qiang Ma - PhD (Rutgers University)
- John Noti - PhD (Purdue University)
- Vazhaikkurichi Rajendran - PhD (University of Madras)
- Rita Rio - PhD (Yale University)
- Robert Taylor - PhD (Mississippi State University)
- David Weissman - MD (Northwestern University)
Adjunct Associate Professor
- Candice Brown - PhD (Duke University)
- Matthew Dietz - MD (Temple University School of Medicine)
- Salik Hussain - PhD (Université Paris Cité)
- Emidio Pistilli - PhD (West Virginia University)
Adjunct Assistant Professors
- Stacey Anderson - PhD (West Virginia University)
- Margaret Bennewitz - PhD (Yale University)
- Brian Boone - MD (University of South Florida College of Medicine)
- Tara Cotroneo - DVM (Western University of Health Sciences)
- Jennifer Franko - PhD (Case Western Reserve University)
- Brett Green - PhD (University of Sydney)
- Ida Holaskova - PhD (West Virginia University)
- Sreekumar Othumpangat - PhD (University of Mysore)
- Yong Qian - PhD (West Virginia University)
- Jenny Roberts - PhD (West Virginia University)
Adjunct Research Instructor
- Jamie McCall - PhD (University of Nebraska Medical Center)
Adjunct Associate Service Fellow
- Tara Croston - PhD (West Virginia University)
Professors Emeriti
- John B. Barnett - PhD (University of Louisville)
- Nyles Charon - PhD (University of Minnesota)
- Christopher Cuff - PhD (Temple University)
- Laura Gibson - PhD (West Virginia University)
Associate Professors Emeriti
- Rosana Schafer - PhD (Temple University)
Admissions for 2025-2026
In order to be admitted to the BS program in Immunology and Medical Microbiology, you must fulfill the general admission requirements for WVU and the following program-specific requirements.
Entering WVU freshmen are admitted directly into the program with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher and placement into CHEM 115 (e.g., 26 Math ACT, 610 Math SAT, or ALEKs placement score of 65). Applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis if the applicant does not submit test scores, and/or the applicant's GPA or test scores are below the published requirements for automatic direct admission.
Prospective transfer students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and be progressing towards completion of BIOL 115/115L and CHEM 115/115L (or equivalents). Admission is also contingent on whether there is space available in the program, as only 40 students can be accepted into any class (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior). Transferees must be approved by the Immunology and Medical Microbiology Scholarship Committee.
Major Code: 8352
Click here to view the Suggested Plan of Study
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum GPA of 2.75 is required in all coursework. | ||
| University Requirements | 19 | |
| Immunology and Medical Microbiology Program Requirements | 42 | |
| Immunology and Medical Microbiology Major Requirements | 59 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 | 18 | |
| IMMB 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours | 19 | |
Immunology and Medical Microbiology Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C- is required in Immunology and Medical Microbiology Program Requirements. | ||
| BMM 339 | Introduction to Human Biochemistry | 4 |
| BIOL 115 & 115L | Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 117 & 117L | Introductory Physiology and Introductory Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 219 & 219L | Cellular and Molecular Biology and Cellular & Molecular Biology Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 116 & 116L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 233 & 233L | Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus 1a with Precalculus | ||
| Calculus 1b with Precalculus | ||
| Calculus 1 | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Elementary Statistical Inference | ||
| Introduction to Probability and Statistics (or) | ||
| Elementary Business and Economics Statistics | ||
| Select one of the following sequences: | 8 | |
| Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory and Introductory Physics 2 and Introductory Physics 2 Laboratory | ||
| General Physics 1 and General Physics 1 Laboratory and General Physics 2 and General Physics 2 Laboratory | ||
| Total Hours | 42 | |
Immunology and Medical Microbiology Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C- is required in Immunology and Medical Microbiology Major Requirements. | ||
| IMMB 150 | Microbiology Colloquium 1 | 2 |
| IMMB 175 | Immunology and Medical Microbiology Colloquium | 2 |
| IMMB 201 & 201L | Basic Medical Microbiology and Basic Medical Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
| IMMB 275 | Immunology Colloquium 1 | 2 |
| IMMB 276 | Principles of Immunobiology | 3 |
| IMMB 305 | Microbial Genetics | 3 |
| IMMB 310 & 310L | Bacterial Pathogenesis and Bacterial Pathogenesis Laboratory | 4 |
| IMMB 320 | Cellular Immunobiology | 3 |
| IMMB 350 | Micro/Immuno Junior Journal Club | 1 |
| IMMB 375 | Immunology Colloquium 2 | 2 |
| IMMB 405 | Scientific Integrity | 2 |
| IMMB 420 & 420L | Molecular Immunobiology and Molecular Immunobiology Laboratory | 5 |
| IMMB 450 | Immunology/Microbiology Journal Club 2 | 1 |
| IMMB 460 | Contemporary Issues for Majors | 3 |
| IMMB 470 | Medical Virology | 3 |
| IMMB 484 | Senior Thesis (Capstone) | 3 |
| IMMB 494 | Seminar | 1 |
| IMMB Electives | 15 | |
| Special Topics (Origins of Western Medicine) | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Vaccinology | ||
| Teaching Practicum * | ||
| Professional Field Experience ** | ||
| Research *** | ||
| Living in a Microbial World | ||
| Environmental Microbiology and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Food Microbiology and Food Microbiology Lab | ||
| Physiology of Reproduction | ||
| Biometry | ||
| Advanced Cellular/Molecular Biology and Advanced Cellular/Molecular Biology Laboratory | ||
| Molecular Basis of Cellular Growth | ||
| Communicating Natural Science | ||
| Developmental Biology and Developmental Biology Laboratory | ||
| Molecular Genetics and Molecular Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Cell Physiology | ||
| Neuroscience 1 | ||
| Neuroscience 2 | ||
| Biochemical Basis of Therapeutics | ||
| Cell and Molecular Biology Methods | ||
| Molecular Endocrinology | ||
| Epigenetics | ||
| Medical Genetics | ||
| Genomics | ||
| Current Topics in Genome Biology | ||
| Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids and Proteins | ||
| Protein Structure and Function | ||
| Molecular Biology of Cancer | ||
| Bioinformatics | ||
| Molecular Basis of Disease | ||
| Evolution of Infectious Diseases | ||
| Ecology of Parasites | ||
| Principles of Evolution | ||
| Neurogenetics and Behavior | ||
| Neurobiological Diseases | ||
| Computational Neuroscience and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory | ||
| Sensory Neural Systems and Behavior | ||
| Teaching Practicum | ||
| Introduction to Molecular Medicine | ||
| Methods to Diagnose Diseases | ||
| Molecular Mechanisms of Age-Associated Diseases | ||
| Molecular Mechanisms of Metabolic Disorders | ||
| Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory | ||
| Food Microbiology | ||
| Food Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Special Topics (Epidemics in Modern World History) | ||
| Medical Terminology | ||
| Introduction to Human Anatomy | ||
| Human Anatomy Laboratory | ||
| Drugs and Medicine | ||
| Health Care Ethics | ||
| Elementary Physiology | ||
| Drugs and Behavior | ||
| Global Perspectives of Public Health | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Special Topics (Bioarcheology) | ||
| Society and Health | ||
| Veterinary Anatomy | ||
| Total Hours | 59 | |
- *
A total of 2-credits of IMMB 490 can be applied to the IMMB Approved Electives Group.
- **
A total of 3-credits of IMMB 491 can be applied to the IMMB Approved Electives Group.
- ***
A total of 3-credits of IMMB 497 can be applied to the IMMB Approved Electives Group.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| IMMB 191 | 1 | IMMB 175 | 2 |
| IMMB 150 | 2 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| MATH 150, 153, or 155 (GEF 3) | 3 | GEF 4, 5, 6, or 7 | 3 |
| CHEM 115 (GEF 8) | 3 | BIOL 117 | 3 |
| CHEM 115L | 1 | BIOL 117L | 1 |
| BIOL 115 (GEF 8) | 3 | CHEM 116 (GEF 2) | 3 |
| BIOL 115L | 1 | CHEM 116L | 1 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| IMMB 201 | 3 | IMMB 275 | 2 |
| IMMB 201L | 1 | IMMB 276 | 3 |
| BIOL 219 | 3 | PHYS 101 | 4 |
| BIOL 219L | 1 | PHYS 101L | 0 |
| CHEM 233 | 3 | IMMB Elective | 3 |
| CHEM 233L | 1 | GEF 4, 5, 6, or 7 | 3 |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| IMMB 320 | 3 | IMMB 375 | 2 |
| IMMB 305 | 3 | IMMB 310 | 3 |
| BMM 339 | 4 | IMMB 310L | 1 |
| IMMB Elective | 3 | IMMB 350 | 1 |
| GEF 4, 5, 6 or 7 | 3 | PHYS 102 | 4 |
| PHYS 102L | 0 | ||
| IMMB Elective | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| IMMB 420 | 3 | IMMB 484 | 3 |
| IMMB 420L | 2 | IMMB 470 | 3 |
| IMMB 450 | 1 | IMMB 460 | 3 |
| IMMB 405 | 2 | IMMB 494 | 1 |
| STAT 211 or 215 | 3 | IMMB Elective | 3 |
| IMMB Elective | 3 | GEF 4, 5, 6 or 7 | 3 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
Immunology & Medical Microbiology
The Bachelor of Science degree in Immunology and Medical Microbiology will prepare students from diverse backgrounds to serve as professionals that are knowledgeable about the immune system of humans and other mammals, how the immune system functions, and the consequences of its malfunction on the health of the host. Knowledge of the immune system will be fully integrated with an excellent understanding of the diversity of microorganisms that cause disease in humans and other mammals and mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. Graduates will possess the laboratory skills and knowledge needed to assess the functional status of the immune system and to safely cultivate and identify microorganisms that cause disease in mammals. Graduates will be qualified to pursue several professional career paths in private industry, state and federal government, and academic institutions. The degree can also provide a strong foundation to progress to advanced studies including medical school, dental school, and graduate school.
Students will:
- Summarize and apply the basic concepts of microbiology and microbial pathogenesis.
- Summarize and apply the basic concepts of immunology and immunological disorders.
- Demonstrate expertise in the laboratory skills and knowledge needed to assess the functional status of the immune system.
- Demonstrate expertise in the laboratory skills and knowledge needed to safely cultivate and identify microorganisms that cause disease in mammals.
- Critically interpret microbiological and immunological assay data.
- Discuss, critique, and interpret primary literature in microbiology, microbial pathogenesis, and immunology.
- Demonstrate oral, written, and visual communication skills that result in clear and organized dissemination of material at a level appropriate for the audience.
Policies
Requirements to remain in the IMMB program
Students will be reviewed at the completion of each semester and summer term by the Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology Academic and Professional Standards Committee. Students must be in good academic standing as determined by the following:
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of ≥ 2.75 in all coursework attempted
- Students who do not maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of ≥ 2.75 will be placed on probation for one semester and be required to meet with their academic advisor on a monthly basis. Students on probation, who do not raise their cumulative GPA to 2.75 or better after one semester, will be dismissed from the program. Exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the IMMB Scholarship Committee and the Chair of the MICB Department.
- Pass all required courses for the IMMB major with a grade of C or better
- A student who earns a W as a first attempt in a required IMMB course may re-enroll in the course two more times to earn a grade of C or better. If the student fails to earn a grade of C or better on the third attempt, the student will be dismissed from the major.
- A student who earns a grade of D, F, FNA, or FSA in any course required for the Immunology and Medical Microbiology Bachelor of Science degree may repeat that course ONCE and must earn a grade of C or better.
- A student may only repeat ONLY ONE Immunology and Medical Microbiology core course (i.e. a course with an IMMB prefix). Students who earn a D, F, FNA, or FSA in more than one IMMB core course will be dismissed from the major.
- Any exceptions to these requirements must be approved by the Academic and Professional Standards Committee and the Chair of the MICB Department, Dr. Mariette Barbier.
- Dismissal from the program under the circumstances described above is not dismissal from WVU and the student may be eligible to enroll in another degree program.
- Pre- or corequisite courses in which students earn a grade of D, F, U, or W must be repeated prior to the student's progression to the next course(s) in the sequence.
- Any general education course that is not a pre- or corequisite of the Immunology and Medical Microbiology program and in which a grade of D has been earned, must be repeated prior to graduation if it is to be counted toward graduation requirements (WVU requirement).