There are many different bacteria that cause many diseases. At the University of Michigan Medical School Department of Microbiology & Immunology, we study a wide variety of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens.
A common method to classify bacteria is Gram staining which distinguishes between gram-positive (the bacteria turns blue) and gram-negative bacteria (which do not retain the stain and are red or pink). The term “Gram” refers to a specimen staining method developed by Hans Christian Gram in 1884. It involves staining an organism with crystal violet or methylene blue dye and then observing the organism under a microscope.
Some of the pathogens include:
- Mucosal pathogens: Campylobacter jejuni, E. coli, Helicobacter pylori, Proteus mirabilis, Vibrio cholerae
- Intracellular pathogens: Legionella pneumophila, Listeria monocytogenes)
- Select agents: Bacillus anthracis, Brucella spp., Yersiniapestis, Mycobacteria tuberculosis).
- Toxin secretion (cholera toxin) and antimicrobial and therapeutic agent: Actinomycetes, Cyanobacteria, Myxobacteria spp.
Other aspects of study include vaccine development and mathematical modeling of infection.
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical Director
Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
Program Director
Clinical Research
Clinical Pathology Division
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
MS Program Director, Microbiology and Immunology
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Frederick Novy Collegiate Professor
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Frederick G Novy Collegiate Professor of Microbiome Research and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Professor of Internal Medicine
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
