The Department of Microbiology within the School of Medicine was established in 1977, initially responsible for undergraduate teaching across the programs of Medicine, Dentistry, Medical Technology, and Nursing. In 1981, the master’s program of the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology (hereafter referred to as IMI) was founded, followed by the establishment of the University’s first doctoral program in 1984 (now the IMI Doctoral Program – Track A), with the goal of cultivating advanced interdisciplinary research talent in microbiology and immunology.
To keep pace with the growing emphasis on interdisciplinary research, the Institute collaborated with Academia Sinica in 2003 to establish the Molecular Medicine Program (now part of National Yang Ming University’s Molecular Medicine Program). In 2005, another collaboration with Academia Sinica’s Genomics Research Center led to the establishment of the Genomic Sciences Program (now the Doctoral Program – Track B). In 2013, the Institute launched its In-Service Doctoral Program (now the Doctoral Program – Track C).
Currently, the Institute has 10 full-time faculty members, 2 jointly appointed faculty members, 1 emeritus professor, and 5 adjunct faculty members, supported by 1 administrative officer and 2 deputy administrators.
Establishment and Development
- 1977 – The Division of Microbiology, Department of Medicine, Yang-Ming Medical College was established.
- 1981 – The Master’s Program of the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology (IMI) was launched.
- 1984 – The Doctoral Program of the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology (PhD Program, Track A) was established.
- 2003 – The Molecular Medicine Program was established in collaboration with Academia Sinica.
- 2005 – The Genomic Science Program was established in collaboration with the Genomics Research Center of Academia Sinica (PhD Program, Track B).
- 2009 – The International PhD Program for foreign students was launched.
- 2010 – The Master’s Program for overseas Chinese students (including students from Hong Kong and Macau) was launched.
- 2013 – The In-service Doctoral Program of the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology (PhD Program, Track C) was established.
Vision for Development
- To become a leading educational institution in the life sciences, cultivating top-tier researchers and educators who will serve as the backbone of national academic and industrial advancement.
- To establish ourselves as a premier research institute in the biomedical sciences, achieving international competitiveness and gaining recognition from global peers.
- To nurture future leaders across industry, government, academia, and research sectors.
Strategies for Achievement
To achieve the program objectives, the Institute adopts the following strategies:
- Emphasize a comprehensive understanding of life sciences alongside rigorous professional training in microbiology and immunology.
- Cultivate students’ self-directed learning abilities and foster habits and competencies for lifelong learning.
- Strengthen students’ capacity to identify research problems and develop effective solutions.
- Implement learning outcome–oriented teaching and assessment.
- Enhance logical reasoning and analytical skills, enabling students to independently design and conduct experiments.
- Develop strong oral communication and scientific writing skills.
- Train students to efficiently utilize limited human resources, materials, and time in experimental research, while fostering a strong sense of teamwork and collaborative research.
- Encourage the integration of basic and (clinical) applied research, as well as interdisciplinary research and development.
- Promote the selection of high-impact research topics and emphasize internationalization, with the goal of achieving world-class standards.
Core Professional Competencies of Students in the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology
- Possess professional knowledge in bacteriology, virology, immunology,
and cell biology. - Understand experimental principles and apply them appropriately in
research practice. - Develop the ability to design experiments and to conduct experiments
independently. - Cultivate critical thinking skills and the capacity for self-reflection.