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Dept. of Microbiology & Immunology University of Tennessee, Memphis
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THIS IS OUR DEPARTMENT
The Department of Microbiology and Immunology focuses all of its resources on equipping students with the training needed to excel in today’s highly competitive biological and biomedical research. Our prime emphasis is on developing intellectual excellence by recruiting the brightest students and faculty from all over the country. This cadre of researchers are provided with the necessary funds, space, state-of-the-art facilities, reagents and services along with a congenial and stimulating atmosphere that encourages the sharing of ideas and expertise. The Department is housed in five floors of the Molecular Science Building providing functional and comfortable laboratories in which to work and dedicated conference rooms on each floor for study and discussion. The Department has its own well stocked library and all laboratories are fully computerized to provide students with ready access to the most up-to-date information. Microbiology and Immunology, like the rest of the campus, is fully networked providing instant access to library, computer, internet and other campus facilities on-line. Centrally located within the campus, the Molecular Science Building is close to clinical departments and nine affiliated hospitals. These clinical affiliations offer excellent and broad opportunity for learning the application of microbiology and molecular biology to medically relevant problems. These advantages have resulted in departmental research programs that are highly competitive for the acquisition of extramural research support with nearly all faculty enjoying federally funded research programs. This is a particularly impressive accomplishment in times when such great financial restraint is being placed on federal granting agencies. With resources and successes such as those described above, it is not surprising that a significant fraction of the faculty has gained national and international recognition as leaders in their fields. Representative of the faculty quality, the department holds two endowed Chairs of Excellence: the Harriet S. Van Vleet Chairs in Virology, and Microbiology and Immunology. To a student, however, the central issue is his or her specific mentor. Department faculty interact with students as colleagues and collaborators. Students are expected and encourage to participate actively in defining scientific problems and developing experimental solutions to them. Through multiple seminar programs, described elsewhere in detail, students are constantly exposed to the intellect and ideas of high quality scientists from local as well as national and international communities. Students are also encouraged and provided with repeated opportunities to develop their speaking and thinking skills in preparation for launching independent careers. The informal atmosphere of the department encourages students to engage faculty and guest speakers in discussion and brain-storming. A strong, comprehensive curriculum offers an efficient way of establishing the educational foundation of every incoming student. The central theme of the curriculum is problem solving developed in a way that provides students with the ability not only to define, organize and rigorously solve problems, but also to establish the habit of life-long learning. Success in the program is measured by more than grades or papers published; the goal is career success in whatever endeavor the student elects.
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