Program Description

The purpose of the Program is to provide education leading to a Ph.D. in Immunology. This Program is under the responsibility of the Committee on Immunology at Harvard. The Committee includes 85 faculty representing the main immunology laboratories. Click here to review The Faculty of the Program in Immunology. Our goal is to educate scientists in investigative and academic medicine, preparing them to contribute to immunological research with a full awareness of the potential impact of immunology. Our program combines an education in basic biology, a sophisticated training in immunology, and exposure to the immunological and non-immunological problems of disease.

The requirements for obtaining the Ph.D. degree are: 1) course work in immunology plus electives, eg. biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, cell biology, and/or tumor biology. The students take courses mostly from the curriculum of Harvard Medical School or Harvard University. Click here to review Courses in Immunology; 2) laboratory rotations - through at least three immunology laboratories. During this time, the student learns different immunological methods and experimental approaches. The rotation through the laboratory also serves to orient the student in his/her choice of Dissertation project and Dissertation advisor. Click here to review Faculty Research Interests. 3) A comprehensive examination before starting the Dissertation work; this consists of a common written exam administered after the first year and an oral examination covering all areas of immunology which is given during the second year; and 4) a research project with a defense of a Dissertation - during this period, the student is under a Dissertation advisor and is supervised by an independent Dissertation review committee. Usually, the period of course work lasts 1-2 years, and the laboratory and Dissertation part lasts three to five years. Students are also required to participate in conferences with seminar speakers and attend dinner/journal clubs. The latter events are held exclusively for the graduate students. Click here for more details on the Plan of Studies.

The training facilities are extensive, including the facilities of various groups doing immunology research at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School and its hospitals. The major groups involved include: Departments of Pathology and Genetics at the Harvard Medical School; Departments of Medicine and Pathology at the Brigham and Women's Hospital; the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Massachusetts General Hospital; Beth Israel Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health. Also available are the transplantation units and various biochemistry and molecular genetic laboratories. Each of these various units contain facilities for biochemical analysis, animal handling, gene cloning, etc.