In the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at IU School of Medicine, research centers on molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis, immune responsiveness, infectious diseases, cancer biology, hematopoiesis, stem cell biology and gene therapy. Current research activities include microbial pathogenesis and experimental therapeutics, with a focus on host-pathogen interactions in the extracellular niche, mechanisms of oncogenic pathogens, the role of the microbiome in human disease, and the molecular and cellular biology of obligate intracellular viral and bacterial pathogens.  Investigators place a major emphasis on immunology, including studies of immune responsiveness, immune evasion by viruses and tumors, innate and adaptive immunity, antigen presentation, and B cell responses.