Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)
.jpg)
Admission Requirements
For admission to the PhD program, the applicant must have attained a BS or BA degree with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 point scale). In addition, the following should be submitted online directly to the Graduate School, Graduate Admissions.
- A completed application form and application fee
- The TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo (when applicable)
- Three letters of recommendation
- A brief statement of purpose describing interests and career goals
- A current resume or curriculum vitae
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework (submitted to the Graduate School, Graduate Admissions; international transcripts require NACES accredited verification)
The applicant must meet the other general requirements of the Graduate School as outlined in the General Information section of this catalog. The priority application deadline is January 15. While we continue to accept applications until March 1, please note that spots may be filled by priority applicants by that time. Submission prior to January 15 is strongly encouraged in order to ensure that all required materials (especially letters of reference) are received by the priority deadline.
The applicant is expected to have completed the following undergraduate courses prior to admission to the PhD program (one semester of each):
- Introductory biology
- Organic chemistry
- Introductory calculus
- Biochemistry
Prospective students may be invited for a personal interview with members of the admissions committee and departmental faculty as part of the application process.
Student Financial Support
Students accepted into the PhD program will be considered for an IPIBS graduate student fellowship. The fellowship pays an annual stipend in addition to payment of student tuition and health insurance.
Program Requirements
Coursework
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (minimum grade of B-is required for all) | ||
| MBIO 600 | Lab Rotations (Fall & Spring) | 1 |
| MBIO 601 | Molecular Microbiology (Fall) | 2 |
| MBIO 602 | Immunology (Fall) | 3 |
| MBIO 604 | General Virology (Fall) | 1 |
| MBIO 606 | Seminar (Fall & Spring) | 1 |
| MBIO 610 | Methods and Analysis in the Biomedical Sciences (Fall) | 2 |
| MBIO 619 | Research (Fall, Spring & Summer) | 1-12 |
| MBIO 623 | Scientific Writing and Hypothesis Testing (Spring) | 1 |
| ASNB 622 | Analytics in Biomedical Science (Fall) | 3 |
| BIOC 630 | Responsible Conduct of Research: Survival Skills and Research Ethics (Spring) | 1 |
| BIOC 667 | Cell Biology (Spring) | 3 |
| BIOC 668 | Molecular Biology (Spring) | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| A minimum of three elective courses is required and must be a scientific course from the list below (at least two must be MBIO): | ||
| MBIO 611 | Learning Theories & Instructional Strategies in Science Education | 2 |
| MBIO 621 | Advanced Immunology: Innate and Adaptive Immunity (Spring) | 2 |
| MBIO 622 | Advanced Immunology of Disease (Fall) | 2 |
| MBIO 687 | Microbial Pathogenesis (Spring) | 2 |
| BIOC 663 | High-Throughput Sequencing Data Analysis | 3 |
| BIOC 670 | Biomedical Genetics and Genomics (Fall) | 3-5 |
| BIOC 675 | Cancer Biology (Spring) | 4 |
| Minimum Total Hours | 36-38 | |
Note: Students enrolled in the MD/PhD Joint Degree Program, who have completed step I of NBME, will have satisfied all of the required course requirements except MBIO 606, BIOC 630, MBIO 610, MBIO 623, MBIO 619, and three scientific electives. They will be required to satisfactorily complete the Qualifying Exam and successfully defend a dissertation research project, in addition to attending all journal club sessions and seminars.
Qualifying Examination
Upon successful completion of the required course work, maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA, and upon the recommendation of the advisor or chair, the student may take the PhD Qualifying Examination. The Qualifying Examination will consist of a written research proposal related to the area of primary research and an oral defense of the project, both prepared independently without help from their mentor. Three to five faculty with expertise in the area of the proposal will be selected by the Curriculum Committee to serve as the Examining Committee. The student may enter degree candidacy upon receipt of satisfactory judgment from the Examining Committee and successful completion of the final semester of coursework.
Selection of a Research Advisor, Dissertation Committee, and Research Proposal
Students must select a Research Advisor for their dissertation research by the end of their first year. Selection of the Research Advisor is a joint decision by the student and faculty member. Selection of the Research Advisor and formation of the Dissertation Committee must be approved by the Department Chair and the Dean of the School of Medicine (or their designees). The potential advisor must agree, in writing, to provide stipend and candidacy fee support from his/her research funds upon entering PhD candidacy. Upon approval of the Research Advisor, the student will formally decide upon a dissertation research project. The student and Research Advisor will form a Dissertation Committee with five graduate faculty members. The committee will be composed of the advisor, three faculty members of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and one additional graduate faculty member from another department. If the advisor does not have a primary appointment in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, one of the three other departmental members with a primary appointment in the department must serve as Co-Advisor.
Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Microbiology and Immunology
Unit(s): School of Medicine
Program Webpage
Academic Plan Code(s): MED_MD and MBIOPHD
On this Page
Program Overview
Admission
Dual Degree Requirements
Program of Study
Contact Information
Program Overview
The dual MD‑PhD in Microbiology and Immunology prepares physician‑scientists to investigate how microbes and the immune system influence human health, disease, and therapeutic response. The program integrates pre‑clinical medical study, advanced doctoral coursework, laboratory research, and clinical rotations to provide comprehensive training in both medicine and the biomedical sciences.
Microbiology and immunology encompass the study of microbial pathogenesis, host immune defense, inflammation, vaccine development, immune regulation, and molecular mechanisms of infection and immunity. Students train across a broad range of research areas using state‑of‑the‑art microbiological, immunological, and molecular technologies. The program emphasizes rigorous laboratory experience, innovative investigative approaches, and close faculty mentoring that support the development of critical research skills.
Graduates are well prepared for careers that combine clinical practice with biomedical research, academic medicine, translational infectious disease and immunology research, public health and vaccine development, and leadership roles in governmental, industry, and biotechnology settings. Students receive full tuition remission, a competitive stipend, and health insurance during the graduate research phase.
For more information on program benefits and examples of student research and publications from the dual‑degree program, visit the MD‑PhD Program website.
Admission
Applicants must meet the School of Medicine admission requirements and apply through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), including submission of MCAT scores. Applicants indicate interest in the MD-PhD program within the AMCAS application. Selected applicants interview with both the School of Medicine Admissions Committee and the MD-PhD Program Committee. Research experience and interest in a physician‑scientist career are important considerations.
Current UofL medical students may apply after completing the second year of medical school by contacting the MD-PhD Program Director.
Dual Degree Requirements
The MD‑PhD in Microbiology and Immunology dual degree is delivered through an integrated curriculum that allows students to complete requirements for both degrees in fewer total credit hours than would be required if the degrees were completed separately. This structure is made possible by allowing selected courses and training components from the MD curriculum to satisfy requirements for the PhD in Microbiology and Immunology when they meet the same learning outcomes. In this format, the dual degree may be completed in approximately seven (7) to eight (8) years with a minimum of 193.5 total credit hours. Students must also complete all remaining degree requirements for both the MD and the PhD in Microbiology and Immunology, except where those requirements are modified by the approved dual degree structure. Students should consult with the MD‑PhD Program Co‑Directors to develop an individual plan of study.
Minimum Credit Hours and Milestone Requirements
The table below summarizes the minimum credit hours and milestones typically required for the dual degree.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Dual Degree Requirements | Credit Hours / Milestone | |
| MD Requirements | 169.5 | |
| United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 | Passed | |
| PhD Requirements 1 | ||
| MBIO 606 | Seminar | 2 |
| MBIO 619 | Research 2 | 17 |
| BIOC 630 | Responsible Conduct of Research: Survival Skills and Research Ethics | 1 |
| MBIO 623 | Scientific Writing and Hypothesis Testing | 2 |
| MBIO Upper-Level Electives 2 | 2 | |
| PhD Qualifying Exam | Passed | |
| PhD Dissertation Research Proposal | Successfully Defended | |
| DOCT 600 | Doctoral Candidacy | 0 |
| PhD Dissertation | Successfully Defended | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 193.5 | |
- 1
A passing score on the USMLE Step 1 examination substitutes for the PhD qualifying exam requirement, as the exam demonstrates competency in foundational biomedical sciences comparable to the program's doctoral candidacy qualifying assessment. In addition, the learning outcomes of Clinical Anatomy, Development, Examination and Neurosciences (IDEP 811) and Molecular Basis of Life, Defense, and Disease (IDEP 812) align with the learning competencies of many required and elective courses in the PhD curriculum. Completion of these courses therefore fulfills a substantial portion of the core course requirements for the PhD in Microbiology and Immunology.
- 2
Students may substitute up to four (4) additional credit hours of upper‑level MBIO electives for four (4) credit hours of Research (MBIO 619). All students must complete a minimum of two (2) credit hours of upper‑level MBIO electives and a minimum of thirteen (13) credit hours of Research (MBIO 619), with a total of twenty‑one (21) credit hours completed across the two categories.
The table below outlines the typical sequence of coursework, research, and clinical training required for the MD-PhD dual degree, including important program milestones. Students should consult with the MD‑PhD Program Co‑Directors to develop an individual plan of study.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prior to Year 1 | Credit Hours / Milestone | |
| Summer | ||
| Summer Biomedical Research 1 | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Fall - Spring | ||
| Medical School Year One Curriculum 2 | 44 | |
| Summer | ||
| Summer Biomedical Research 1 | ||
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall - Spring | ||
| Medical School Year Two Curriculum 2 | 40 | |
| Summer | ||
| United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 | Passed | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MBIO 606 | Seminar | 1 |
| MBIO 619 | Research | 6 |
| MBIO 619 | Research 3 | 2 |
| or MBIO 622 | Immunity to Microbes and Tumor | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOC 630 | Responsible Conduct of Research: Survival Skills and Research Ethics | 1 |
| MBIO 606 | Seminar | 1 |
| MBIO 623 | Scientific Writing and Hypothesis Testing | 2 |
| MBIO 619 | Research | 1 |
| MBIO 619 | Research 3 | 4 |
| or MBIO 687 | Microbial Pathogenesis | |
| or MBIO 621 | Advanced Immunology: Innate and Adaptive Immunity | |
| Summer | ||
| MBIO 619 | Research | 6 |
| PhD Qualifying Exam | Passed | |
| PhD Dissertation Research Proposal | Successfully Defended | |
| Years 4 - 5/6 | ||
| DOCT 600 | Doctoral Candidacy 4 | 0 |
| PhD Dissertation | Successfully Defended | |
| Year 6/7 | ||
| Medical School Year Three Curriculum - Core Clerkships 2 | 55 | |
| Year 7/8 | ||
| Medical School Year Four Curriculum - Clinical Rotations 2 | 30.5 | |
| Residency Interviews | Completed | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 193.5 | |
- 1
Dual degree students are encouraged to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program before the first year of medical school and in the Summer Research Scholar Program between the first and second years. These experiences are not required but are strongly recommended to help prepare students for biomedical research. More information is available on the School of Medicine Research Programs website.
- 2
Find detailed information about the medical school curriculum in the School of Medicine Bulletin.
- 3
Students may substitute up to four (4) additional credit hours of upper‑level MBIO electives for four (4) credit hours of Research (MBIO 619). All students must complete a minimum of two (2) credit hours of upper‑level MBIO electives and a minimum of thirteen (13) credit hours of Research (MBIO 619), with a total of twenty‑one (21) credit hours completed across the two categories.
- 4
Students must remain enrolled in Doctoral Candidacy (DOCT 600) until they successfully defend their dissertation. This stage typically takes two (2) to three (3) years, depending on the scope of the student’s research study.
Contact
MD-PhD Program Co‑Directors:
- Dr. Maxwell Boakye, MD, MBA, FACS, FAANS — (502) 407‑3276
- Dr. Kenneth Palmer, PhD — (502) 852-1339
- Email: mdphd@louisville.edu
Department of Microbiology and Immunology Director of Graduate Studies:
- Dr. Matthew Lawrenz, PhD — (502) 852-5548
- Email: matt.lawrenz@louisville.edu
