Research Facilities
Our laboratories are modern, spacious and well equipped for technically advanced molecular and cellular research. Our program houses both a biocontainment laboratory for research involving hazardous infectious agents and a flow cytometry laboratory for identifying and sorting cell
populations. The Biopolymer Core Facility provides peptide and oligonucleotide synthesis as well as automated DNA sequencing services to the University. In addition, there are associated services for animal care and a Transgenic Mice Core Facility for the design and production of genetically ingeneered animals.
Students also have excellent research and training opportunities in various departments and centers that participate in the Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. These include the Institute for Human Virology (IHV), a cutting-edge research facility with primary focus on chronic viral disease, particularly AIDS; Center for Vaccine Development (CVD), which is a world-reknown institute for the design and testing of novel vaccine strategies; and the Cancer Center with shared reserch interests in tumor biology and gene therapy. Our newly established Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) is an inter-disciplinary, multi-departmental team of collaborative investigators within the University of Maryland School of Medicine. IGS uses large-scale, cutting-edge experimental and computational tools to better understand gene and genome function in health and disease, to study molecular and cellular networks in a variety of model systems, and to generate data and resources of value to the international scientific community
The Health Sciences Library on campus serves as a regional adjunct to the National Library of Medicine. In addition to housing a large number of bound volumes and current periodicals, it offers access to multiple computer databases in the sciences and provides computerized reference and bibliographic services.