What Is the Department of Molecular Microbiology at Washington University in St. Louis?

Updated

The Department of Molecular Microbiology at Washington University in St. Louis is an academic department within WashU's School of Medicine. Its website (microbiology.wustl.edu) serves as the department's public-facing hub, presenting faculty profiles, research activities, and news about laboratory work. It is not a commercial or product site — there is no pricing, shopping, or service sign-up. If you are looking for a research group, a faculty member's work, or a graduate program connection in molecular microbiology at WashU, this is the right place to start.

What the Department Covers

The department focuses on molecular microbiology research and teaching. Based on the site's content, its work spans:

  • Virology — e.g., Sean Whelan, PhD, researching cellular assays and vaccine work related to the Covid-19 coronavirus
  • Parasitology — e.g., Stephen Beverley, PhD, whose career has centered on leishmaniasis, including work on Leishmania parasite offspring and treatment implications
  • Host–pathogen interactions — e.g., Carolina Lopez, PhD, studying the relationship between a virus and the organism it infects
  • Gut viruses and the microbiome — e.g., David Wang, PhD, studying viruses in the gut and their impact on health and disease
  • Intestinal parasites — e.g., David Sibley, PhD, whose lab work includes Cryptosporidium, a common cause of diarrhea

The site also references the Plant and Microbial Biosciences Program (PMB) and DBBS graduate students, indicating the department participates in graduate training.

What You'll Find on the Site

The site is organized around people and research rather than products or services. Key content includes:

Content type What it shows
Faculty listings Named faculty such as Stephen Beverley, Siyuan Ding, Tamara L. Doering, Mario F. Feldman, and others
Lab research Ongoing projects in virology, parasitology, and microbial biology
Research news Milestones like Cryptosporidium successfully grown in lab using a new technique
Events and community Gatherings such as the Eras of the Microbiome Symposium and faculty installations

Who This Site Is For

  • Prospective graduate students looking for labs, faculty, or programs in molecular microbiology at WashU
  • Researchers seeking collaborators, faculty expertise, or specific pathogen research areas
  • Journalists or the public wanting to understand what the department studies and who leads it
  • Anyone trying to confirm the department's institutional home (WashU School of Medicine) and research scope

What It Is Not

The site does not sell products, offer paid services, or function as a commercial platform. There are no pricing signals, payment options, or product listings. It is an academic department page — its purpose is to communicate research, faculty, and educational activities.

If your goal is to identify the department, understand its research areas, or find a specific faculty member's work, the site provides that directly. If you need admissions requirements, tuition, or application deadlines, those typically live on the broader WashU School of Medicine or DBBS pages rather than the department homepage itself.