women in lab examining sample jar, one woman points at the sample
Bacterial Pathogens

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.
Areas of Investigation

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.
Faculty researching Bacterial Pathogens
headshot of Michael Bachman Michael A Bachman, MD, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology
Clinical Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Program Director
Clinical Research
Clinical Pathology Division
Medical School
Suzy Dawid Suzanne Dawid, MD, PhD
Andrew B Briskin Research Professor of Pediatrics
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Philip C. Hanna Philip C Hanna, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Program Director of Graduate Studies
Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Denise E. Kirschner Denise E Kirschner, PhD
Program Director
Microbiology and Immunology Mentoring Program
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
Eric C Martens, PhD Eric C Martens, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
portrait of Mary O'Riordan Mary O'Riordan, PhD
Frederick C Neidhardt Collegiate Professor
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
PhD Program Director & Graduate Studies Chair
Microbiology & Immunology
Medical School
Maria Sandkvist M&I-1200x1500.jpeg Maria Sandkvist, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Program Director, Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School
headshot of Pat Schloss Patrick Schloss, PhD
Frederick G Novy Collegiate Professor of Microbiome Research
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Program Director of Microbiology and Immunology AP&A
Medical School
labcoat David H Sherman, PhD
Hans W Vahlteich Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
College of Pharmacy
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Professor of Chemistry
College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Research Professor
Life Sciences Institute
Snitkin-Evan-2024 Evan Snitkin, PhD
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Medical School
swanson-michele Michele Swanson, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Medical School
young-vince Vincent B Young, MD, PhD
William Henry Fitzbutler Collegiate Professor of Internal Medicine
Professor of Internal Medicine
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School
shenoy-anukul Anukul Shenoy, PhD
Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Medical School