PhD program in Biomedical Physiology & Immunotherapy

Biomedical Physiology & Immunotherapy integrated biological processes at the molecular, cellular and organ levels in order to understand how an organism works.

Faculty conducted research focused on uncovering the relationships and interactions among various parts of a biological system (e.g., gene and protein networks involved in cell signaling, metabolic pathways, organelles, cells, physiological systems, organisms etc.) and used that knowledge to understand the pathogenetic mechanisms and to generate leads for therapeutic intervention in a broad array of diseases (e.g. infectious, autoimmune, cancer, cardiovascular, endocrine, neurologic). An important fraction conducted research to advance basic knowledge about how the immune system functions and how it interacts with various diseases. Our scientists and physicians were based or were part of research teams involving various departments across the Geisel School of Medicine, Thayer School of Engineering, Arts and Sciences and the Veteran Affairs Hospital, leading to a collaborative interdisciplinary.

 The experimental approaches employed techniques that spanned the gamut of basic science disciplines, and ranged from gene manipulation to studies of the interactions among different tissues and organ systems in whole animals and humans. Several of our research groups made use of the entire spectrum of experimental strategies, from molecular genetics, through studies in cultured cells and isolated organs, to analysis of integrated responses involving several organ systems or the whole animal.

 Thus, students acquired a broad-based and yet focused scientific experience while working on a single problem in a laboratory.  The Biomedical Physiology & Immunotherapy Track offered training opportunities in immunology, neuroscience and cardiovascular biology.