Introduction

The Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, a basic science department in the Sackler School of Medicine of the Tel-Aviv University, has as its major objectives: (a) teaching of medical students in medical microbiology and immunology, (b) training of graduate students to develop into successful research scientists, and (c) pursuit of basic and applied research in the cellular and molecular biology of infectious diseases, cancer, immunology, and various aspects of host defense.

Faculty members are engaged in research and in teaching and tutoring students towards M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees or combined M.D./Ph.D. degrees. The presence of a high number of faculty active in research, applying the very latest techniques in molecular biology, cell biology and immunology, as well as the availability of up-to-date equipment, allow intensive and state of the art training of students. Upon completion of their training, graduates are expected to move on with confidence to successful careers not only in clinical and applied microbiology, but also in cellular and molecular biology and other challenging areas of front line research.

The research areas of the faculty include host-pathogen interactions and the molecular and genetic basis of bacterial pathogenesis, molecular studies on oncogenic RNA and DNA viruses, fungal virulence factors and genetics of pathogenic fungi, pathogenicity of parasitic worms, and development of new approaches to parasite killing. Other studies focus on oncogenes and molecular pathways of carcinogenesis. Research in immunology and host defense include the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of phagocytosis and killing of phagocytosed microorganisms, immunotherapy of cancer, and the molecular mechanisms of differentiation and activation of cells in the immune system.

Research projects in the department are supported by extramural research grants which also provide support for predoctoral and post doctoral trainees.

Faculty members conduct collaborative studies with other faculty within the department as well as with researchers active in other basic and clinical departments in the Sackler School of Medicine and other academic institutions in Israel and abroad.

Current investigations and the main research topics of members of the department are described briefly in this research directory. References to representative publications are included.