ID Research Training Program (PhD & Postdoc)
UVA Infectious Diseases Graduate Training Program
PhD Program
Prospective students should apply for admission through the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Studies apply-now site.
Alison Criss Laboratory Reveals How ‘Super Gonorrhea’ Resists in the Human Immune System
The NIH/NIAID-supported Infectious Diseases Training Program at the University of Virginia (UVA) provides a rich, interdisciplinary experience in cutting-edge infectious disease research. Research themes include immunology, host susceptibility to infection, epidemiology, host-pathogen interactions, and pathogenesis of infectious diseases. The centerpiece of our program is the side-by-side education of predoctoral students, PhD, and MD postdoctoral fellows. Program faculty are drawn from 8 departments and two UVA School of Medicine research centers. The average preceptor has trained more than ten pre- or postdoctoral students; some junior faculty are also available as preceptors. Our faculty is well-funded from federal and private sources, providing students with excellent financial and technological research support. Labs are equipped with sophisticated instrumentation that enables advanced experimentation.
PhD Program
Prospective students should apply for admission through the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Studies apply-now site.
PhD Program
The Predoctoral Infectious Diseases Training Program provides experience in interdisciplinary infectious diseases research, which supplements the basic degree requirements and goals of related degree-granting departments at UVA. For more information, contact Alison Criss.
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Postdoctoral positions are typically applied for through individual faculty members. If you are interested in working in a specific research laboratory, please get in touch with the principal investigator (PI) for that lab. You can obtain the faculty member’s email address from their online UVA profile.
For information on programs, resources, and career development opportunities available to postdoctoral fellows at UVA, please click here.
Students in the Infectious Diseases Training Program work with their mentor and graduate advisor to develop an individualized program of study.
Required Courses:
- MICR 8400 – Molecular Principles of Bacteriology & Virology
- MICR 8401 – Microbial Pathogenesis
- AND/OR MICR 8410 – Advanced Topics in Virology
- MICR 8402 – Microbial Pathogenesis Proposal Preparation
- BIMS 7100 – Research Ethics
Highly Recommended Courses
- MICR 8200 – Building Blocks of the Immune System
- MICR 8202 – Integration and Diversification of the Immune System
- MICR 8341 – Biological Threats and Public Health
- BIMS 8382 – Introduction to Biomedical Science
- BIMS 8380 – Basics of Study Design and Practical Statistics
Coinciding with formal coursework, students can develop their oral presentation skills by participating in bi-weekly Research-in-Progress seminars, monthly Translational Journal Club sessions, and our annual ID Research Day. Students also attend and help host our bi-weekly Seminar Series, which allows them to expand their knowledge of cutting-edge topics directly from speakers at the top of their respective fields.