Prior to the Program's inception in 1999, there was no cohesive venue that fostered training and collaboration in immunology research at the University of Michigan. The Immunology program has served an important, unifying role in bonding immunology research laboratories located in various administrative homes across the medical school, including Pathology, Surgery, Microbiology and Immunology, and several divisions of the Department of Internal Medicine. The goal of the doctoral Program in Immunology at the University of Michigan is to train future leaders at the forefront of molecular and cellular immunology. Furthermore, our objective is to guide and prepare students for cutting-edge research in immunology while equipping them broadly to address scientific questions from multiple perspectives. Students learn to think independently while pursuing individual research interests in a uniquely diverse and flexible program. More than 54 faculty members from the schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA) provide graduate training in immunology by incorporating concepts of molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and biophysics into the curriculum. Over 50% of the Immunology faculty members are in clinical departments, which allows Immunology to provide unprecedented opportunities for students to be trained in and to perform translational research. An additional advantage of the individualized training provided by the Immunology Ph.D. Program is that it allows students to combine a broad foundation of coursework with research in the laboratories of their chosen research mentors. Individual attention and mentoring are standout strengths of this exciting and innovative program.