The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Emory is a dynamic research department of the Emory University School of Medicine. Our state-of-the-art research studies seek to discover fundamental aspects of the microbial world and how our immune systems protect us from bacterial and viral pathogens. We participate in medical school education and are responsible for teaching basic and advanced microbiology, immunology, and virology courses to PhD graduate students. Our faculty is fully committed to training the next generation of scholars, scientists, and physicians. Our faculty belong to four distinct graduate programs and are currently training approximately 30 students and 50 postdoctoral fellows.
Welcome from our Chair
The Department of Microbiology & Immunology (M&I) is a leader in biomedical research aimed at discovering the basic principles of how microorganisms (viruses and bacteria) function and how immune systems fight to keep these organisms at bay. Our faculty and research teams have strong expertise in exploring the mechanisms of viral pathogenesis for simian and human immunodeficiency viruses, herpesviruses, and influenza. We explore the ways in which sexually transmitted and other bacteria escape antibiotic treatment, how bacteria mobilize and colonize surfaces within the host, and how bacteria develop and differentiate as mechanisms for their survival. Using these and other systems, we also examine how immune systems can successfully protect hosts from infection and develop long-term memory that is useful for vaccine and therapeutic design to treat infection, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.
Department News and Announcements
New Faculty Member
Microbiology and Immunology welcomed Dr. Ammar Zafar as Associate Professor who joined the department February 1, 2025. Dr. Zafar comes to Emory from Wake Forest University where he was Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology.
Dr. Zafar received his PhD from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2009. His postdoctoral work at Princeton University focused on bacterial stress responses, after which he transitioned to NYU School of Medicine as a research scientist. There, using a murine model, he identified bacterial and host factors that promote the transmission of Streptococcus pneumoniae from one host to another. In 2018, Dr. Zafar established his independent laboratory at Wake Forest School of Medicine. His laboratory aims to provide crucial insights into bacterial and host factors associated with mucosal colonization, microbiota-mediated colonization resistance to bacterial pathogens, and host-to-host transmission. Understanding these early processes can be key to developing new strategies to prevent disease onset. Dr. Zafars’ group focuses on two medically significant bacterial pathogens, Klebsiella Pneumoniae, and Streptococcus Pneumoniae. His research group employs diverse methods, including bacterial genetics, small animal models, and molecular, biochemical, and genome-wide approaches.
Dean's Distinguished Faculty Lecture and Award
Dr. Jeremy M. Boss, Professor and Chair of Microbiology and Immunology, was selected for the 2025 Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Lecture and Award. The Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Lecture and Award is the highest and most celebratory of all faculty honors in the School of Medicine. It is accorded to a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to their discipline and whose career has been emblematic of the highest professional standards.
Rafi Ahmed Named AACR Fellow​
Rafi Ahmed, PhD, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, was named a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy, one of the highest honors in cancer research.
The mission of the Fellows of the AACR Academy is to recognize and honor extraordinary scientists whose ground breaking contributions have driven significant innovation and progress against cancer. Fellows of the AACR Academy constitute a global brain trust of leading experts in cancer science and medicine, working to advance the AACR’s mission.
Faculty Promotions 2025
Shonna McBride, Jake Kohlmeier, and Cheryl Day are being promoted to Professors of Microbiology and Immunology with Tenure, effective September 1, 2025.
Congratulations, everyone!