Microbiology and Medical Zoology

Dr. Filipa Godoy

Message from the Department Chair:

On behalf of the Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology of the University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, I thank you for visiting our website. Whether you are a prospective student, an alumnus or a colleague, I am pleased you’re taking a closer look at our department and our research programs.

The Microbiology department is home of the most prestigious graduate program of microbial sciences in the Caribbean region. Ours is one of the most active basic sciences department of the Medical Sciences Campus (MSC), the unit of the UPR dedicated to preparation of health professionals through academic and research offerings and to the service of the people of Puerto Rico.

The Department offers a broad range of research and teaching activities in the area of medical microbiology, zoology, immunology and Omics. Our Master in Science (M.S.) and Doctor in Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs have been the backbone of our research activities. Areas of active basic research include: molecular and classical parasitology, immunology, bacteriology and antibiotics resistance, virology (including Dengue, influenza, chikungunya, ZIKA, AIDS and neuro-AIDS related research), vaccine development, mycology, and fungal aerobiology, microbial genetics, physiology and microbiomes.Our faculty and graduate students have published their scientific research in prestigious journals and won, in several occasions, important scientific competitions and fellowship awards.

Additionally, faculty mentors of our program offer important services to our society, including reporting levels of Aeroallergens to media, leading organizations such as the AAAS Caribbean Division, the Puerto Rico Society for Microbiologists, or serving as members of the scientific task force in support of the Governor during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our program is therefore essential in the Biomedical research landscape of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

I am incredibly impressed with our faculty and staff who accomplished such a great deal during the COVID-19 pandemic with the decision to offer courses remotely and adapting in-person lab courses with the adequate biosafety and public health measures. I thank everyone, most importantly to our students for their resilience and great competence. You make us all proud.

Innovation and research continues with many professors being funded locally and federally, guaranteeing the exciting and competitive research projects that nurture many graduate thesis. Undeterred, our many project leaders enthusiastically publishing papers, inventing new things (we have at least three recent patents!), submitting proposals, communicating with the society through many seminars offered now remotely, and planning for the future.

Watch the promotional video on the right, prepared by our students, that summarizes our outstanding research teams and highlights the impact of our science.

We are also planning for the first UPR Microbiome symposium, a live event for November 5 2021. Feel free to register:  https://bit.ly/3cIQRqJ

Browse through our homepage and learn more about our Department, its objectives and academic program.

Thank you for visiting our homepage.

Filipa Godoy-Vitorino

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