Microbiology and Immunology (Thesis) (M.Sc.) (45 credits)

Offered by: Microbiology & Immunology (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) 
Degree: Master of Science
Program credit weight: 45

Thesis Courses (33 credits)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
MIMM 697	Master's Research 1.	11
Master's Research 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Independent work under the direction of a supervisor on a research problem in the student's designated area of research. See course page for more information
MIMM 698	Master's Research 2.	11
Master's Research 2. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Independent work under the direction of a supervisor on a research problem in the student's designated area of research. See course page for more information
MIMM 699	Master's Research 3.	11
Master's Research 3. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Independent work under the direction of a supervisor on a research problem in the student's designated area of research. See course page for more information

Required Courses (6 credits)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
MIMM 611	Graduate Seminars 1.	3
Graduate Seminars 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Presentation of a research proposal seminar, which is not held publically but presented and evaluated in the context of the first Advisory Committee meeting. Presentation of the relevant background of the research project, the hypothesis to be tested, the objectives of the research project and summary of the experimental approach that will be used. See course page for more information
MIMM 612	Graduate Seminars 2.	3
Graduate Seminars 2. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Presentation of a scientific seminar, which includes a summary of the relevant background of the research project, the hypothesis being tested, the student’s experimental work to date and the future objectives. See course page for more information

Complementary Courses (6 credits)

Minimum 6 credits from:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
MIMM 607	Biochemical Pathology.	3
Biochemical Pathology. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Immunopathogenesis of Human Disease: Lectures and seminars on immune-regulatory mechanisms (cellular/molecular), maintaining the balance between protection and pathology; pathogenesis of major infectious diseases with bacterial, viral and parasitic involvement (e.g. tuberculosis, AIDS, malaria) and classical immune disorders (e.g. asthma). See course page for more information
MIMM 616	Reading and Conference 1.	3
Reading and Conference 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Student presentations, taken from current literature, are concerned with aspects of a central topic. Presentations are designed to be informal and to generate student discussions. Topic will change from term to term. See course page for more information
MIMM 617	Reading and Conference 2. 1	3
Reading and Conference 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Student presentations, taken from current literature, are concerned with aspects of a central topic. Presentations are designed to be informal and to generate student discussions. Topic will change from term to term. See course page for more information
MIMM 619	Reading and Conference 4. 1	3
Reading and Conference 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Student presentations, taken from current literature, are concerned with aspects of a central topic. Presentations are designed to be informal and to generate student discussions. Topic will change from term to term. See course page for more information
NEUR 502	Basic and Clinical Aspects of Neuroimmunology.	3
Basic and Clinical Aspects of Neuroimmunology. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The role of inflammation in physiological function of the nervous system, as well as in a broad range of neurological diseases where inflammation can act as a contributing factor to the development of pathology or promote recovery, including fundamentals of neuroimmunology to molecular/cellular aspects of neuroinflammation underlying the pathology seen in clinical conditions. See course page for more information

¹

 Not offered in every academic year.

Any life sciences-related 500-level or above course (3 credits). Department approval required.

The MSc program aims to prepare students for scientific careers in various areas of microbiology and immunology. Research training covers key topics in the department, including molecular biology, microbiology, microbial physiology, virology, genetics, immunology, drug design, and parasitology. Students receive training in the latest experimental methods in molecular and cellular biology, addressing significant issues in microbiology and immunology. For detailed course descriptions, additional program requirements, and information on thesis preparation and submission, please consult the MSc Handbook.

MSc Forms & Guidelines

msc_advisory_committee_nomination_form.pdf

MSc Advisory Committee Report Form

Microbiology and Immunology (Ph.D.)

Offered by: Microbiology & Immunology (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)   
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Program Description

The primary goal of the Ph.D. program is to create a self-propelled researcher, proficient in experimental designs and advanced methodologies applicable to the varied and rapidly changing disciplines in microbiology and immunology. Close research supervision and bi-weekly laboratory sessions impart the requisite research discipline and objective assessment of acquired or published research data.

Thesis

A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.

Required Courses (9 credits)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
MIMM 611	Graduate Seminars 1.	3
Graduate Seminars 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Presentation of a research proposal seminar, which is not held publically but presented and evaluated in the context of the first Advisory Committee meeting. Presentation of the relevant background of the research project, the hypothesis to be tested, the objectives of the research project and summary of the experimental approach that will be used. See course page for more information
MIMM 612	Graduate Seminars 2.	3
Graduate Seminars 2. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Presentation of a scientific seminar, which includes a summary of the relevant background of the research project, the hypothesis being tested, the student’s experimental work to date and the future objectives. See course page for more information
MIMM 701	Comprehensive Examination-Ph.D. Candidate.	0
Comprehensive Examination-Ph.D. Candidate. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 An examination that must be passed by all doctoral candidates in order to continue in the doctoral program. The comprehensive examination includes submission of a written research proposal, an oral presentation of the research accomplishments to date and an oral testing on the understanding of the research area and of relevant areas related to the research project. Students are expected to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of their research area and a good understanding of relevant areas related to their project. See course page for more information
MIMM 713	Graduate Seminars 3.	3
Graduate Seminars 3. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Presentation of a maximum of three seminars topics throughout the course of their degree program. See course page for more information

Complementary Courses (9 credits)

9 credits from the following:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
MIMM 616	Reading and Conference 1.	3
Reading and Conference 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Student presentations, taken from current literature, are concerned with aspects of a central topic. Presentations are designed to be informal and to generate student discussions. Topic will change from term to term. See course page for more information
MIMM 617	Reading and Conference 2.	3
Reading and Conference 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Student presentations, taken from current literature, are concerned with aspects of a central topic. Presentations are designed to be informal and to generate student discussions. Topic will change from term to term. See course page for more information
MIMM 619	Reading and Conference 4.	3
Reading and Conference 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Student presentations, taken from current literature, are concerned with aspects of a central topic. Presentations are designed to be informal and to generate student discussions. Topic will change from term to term. See course page for more information

OR

Any life sciences-related courses at the 500 level or higher. Departmental approval is required.

The PhD degree is now essential for many scientific positions that involve higher levels of responsibility. Our program aims to develop scientists who can tackle fundamental biological and health-related problems and who will be competitive for leadership roles in universities, government labs, and the private sector.For detailed descriptions of courses, additional program requirements, and information on thesis preparation and submission, please consult the following:

•  The PhD Handbook is for students entering the PhD program with an MSc degree.
•  The PhD Handbook - Switch is for students transferring internally from the MIMM MSc program to the PhD program.

PhD Forms and Guidelines

Transfer Seminar Committee Evaluation Form

phd_advisory_committee_nomination_form.pdf

PhD Advisory Committee Report Form

comprehensive_exam_pre-exam_report_20240903.pdf

mimm_comprehensive_exam_2024_20240903.pdf

Comprehensive Exam Guidelines for students internally transferring from M.Sc. to Ph.D. 

Comprehensive Exam Committee Nomination Form

Letter Template to Contact an Oral Defence Committee Member

PhD Advisory Committee Guidelines for Members

Reading & Conference Courses

The Reading and Conference courses can be any life science related course at the 500 level or higher held at McGill University. The Department of Microbiology and Immunology offers three Reading and Conference courses: 

• MIMM 616. Reading and Conference 1.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Microbiology & Immunology (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Fall 2025

  View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Student presentations, taken from current literature, are concerned with aspects of a central topic. Presentations are designed to be informal and to generate student discussions. Topic will change from term to term.

  • Restriction: M.Sc. students - two of these courses required throughout the course of their degree program

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• MIMM 607. Biochemical Pathology.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Microbiology & Immunology (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Winter 2026

  View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Immunopathogenesis of Human Disease: Lectures and seminars on immune-regulatory mechanisms (cellular/molecular), maintaining the balance between protection and pathology; pathogenesis of major infectious diseases with bacterial, viral and parasitic involvement (e.g. tuberculosis, AIDS, malaria) and classical immune disorders (e.g. asthma).

  • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking PATH 607.

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• MIMM 617. Reading and Conference 2.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Microbiology & Immunology (Graduate Studies)

  This course is not offered this catalogue year.

  Description

  Student presentations, taken from current literature, are concerned with aspects of a central topic. Presentations are designed to be informal and to generate student discussions. Topic will change from term to term.

  • Restriction: M.Sc. students - two of these courses required throughout the course of their degree program

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• MIMM 613. Current Topics 1.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Microbiology & Immunology (Graduate Studies)

  This course is not offered this catalogue year.

  Description

  Graduate students are required to attend eight scientific seminars each term, for three terms. A minimum of four seminars should be attended from the Infection and Immunity Seminar Series offered by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. A maximum of four life sciences-related seminars presented by principal investigators can be attended at McGill University or its affiliated centers (MUHC, LDI, IRCM).

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It is recommended that all Graduate Students take a Statistics course as part of their Reading and Conference requirements. These are some of the courses frequently taken by MIMM graduate students:

• BINF 531. Statistical Bioinformatics.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Animal Science (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)

  Terms offered: Winter 2026

  View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Underlying concepts and techniques for the analyses of large-scale data sets, generated from "omics" platforms (e.g., metagenomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, etc.), as well as different approaches for working with high-dimensional data. Students will gain experience in such software packages as R and Bioconductor for statistical analysis and data visualization.

  • Prerequisites: AEMA 310 or equivalent; LSCI 204, LSCI 211, LSCI 230, or equivalent
  • Restriction: Open to U3 students and above

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• Course information not available.

• EPIB 507. Biostats for Health Sciences.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Faculty of Medicine & Hlth Sci)

  Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025

  View offerings for Summer 2025 or Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Basic principles of statistical inference applicable to clinical, epidemiologic, and other health research. Topics include: methods of describing data, statistical inference for means, statistical inference for proportions, non-parametric statistics, correlation and introduction to linear regression.

  • Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
  • Restriction: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, Human Nutrition, Medical Residents, and Clinical Fellows.
  • Course not opened to students registered in the Epidemiology and Biostatistics programs.
  • Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.

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• EXMD 634. Quantitative Research Methods.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Medicine (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Fall 2025

  View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Topics covered include: 1) An overview of common research designs based on examples from research currently undertaken in the Division of Experimental Medicine; 2) Types of data arising from these designs; 3) Basic methods for data analysis; and 4) Application of these methods to student research projects.

  • Restriction: Must be registered for graduate or postdoctoral studies in the Faculty of Medicine or the Faculty of Science.

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These are some Reading & Conference courses already approved and frequently taken by MIMM graduate students: 

• BIOC 600. Advanced Strategies in Genetics and Genomics.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Biochemistry (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Winter 2026

  View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Advanced technologies and methods in genomics research, presented by experts actively pursuing the experimental approaches discussed.

  • Enrolment limited to 15 graduate students.
  • Prerequisite: BIOC 454 or equivalent
  • Restriction: Must take part in the Biochemistry graduate program

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• BTEC 555. Structural Bioinformatics.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Parasitology (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)

  Terms offered: Winter 2026

  View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Fundamentals of protein structure and the application of tools for structure determination, how protein structure allows us to understand the complex biological functions, and how knowledge of protein structure can contribute to drug discovery.

  • Winter
  • 1-hr lecture, followed by 2 hrs of computer lab.
  • Prerequisite: Molecular biology or biochemistry, and basic bioinformatics, or permission of instructor.

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• Course information not available.

• EXMD 509. Gastrointestinal Physiology and Pathology.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Medicine (Faculty of Science)

  Terms offered: Winter 2026

  View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Course deals with various aspects of gastrointestinal and hepatic function in health and altered physiological states. The principal focus is on the recent literature pertaining to cell and molecular mechanisms underlying the motility secretory process, absorption and secretion. The molecular biology of the hepatic viruses and various aspects of colonic neoplasia will also be considered.

  • Fall and Winter
  • Prerequisite: Graduate students, U3 undergraduates

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• EXMD 609. Cellular Methods in Medical Research.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Medicine (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Fall 2025

  View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Different cellular methods used in biomedical research, including spectroscopic, microscopic and immunological techniques as well as statistics. Lectures, some demonstrations by faculty as well as short seminars given by the students.

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• EXMD 610. Molecular Methods in Medical Research.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Medicine (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Winter 2026

  View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Different molecular methods used in biomedical research, including chromatography, purification and analysis of proteins and nucleic acids, various techniques in molecular biology, transgenic technology, and stem cells. Lectures, some demonstrations, and short seminars given by the students.

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• EXMD 615. Essentials of Glycobiology.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Medicine (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Winter 2026

  View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Examination of the structure, function, and biosynthesis of glycoproteins, glycolipids and glycosaminoglycans, and the biological role of complex carbohydrates. Lectins, methods for elucidating carbohydrate structure, glycomics, and human diseases due to disorders of glycan synthesis.

  • Winter

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• EXMD 632. Recent Advances in Virology and Antiviral Therapeutics.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Medicine (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Fall 2025

  View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  This course will explore the latest developments in virology, identify emerging viral pathogens and provide up-to-date concepts for anti-viral therapies.

  • Recommended for all graduate students in molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, bacteriology, immunology, virology and clinical research.

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• EXMD 642. Experimental Medicine Topic 3.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Medicine (Graduate Studies)

  This course is not offered this catalogue year.

  Description

  Study, through guided reading, visits, practicals, assignements, of an elected and approved topic of importance in medical science.

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• NEUR 502. Basic and Clinical Aspects of Neuroimmunology.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Neurology and Neurosurgery (Faculty of Medicine & Hlth Sci)

  Terms offered: Winter 2026

  View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  The role of inflammation in physiological function of the nervous system, as well as in a broad range of neurological diseases where inflammation can act as a contributing factor to the development of pathology or promote recovery, including fundamentals of neuroimmunology to molecular/cellular aspects of neuroinflammation underlying the pathology seen in clinical conditions.

  • Prerequisites: (MIMM 214 or MIMM 314 or MIMM 414 or PHGY 313) and (NSCI 200 or NSCI 201 or ANAT 321 or ANAT 323 or PHGY 314) or permission of instructor.

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• Course information not available.

• NEUR 602. Current Topics in Neuroscience.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Neurology and Neurosurgery (Graduate Studies)

  Terms offered: Fall 2025

  View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  Current topics in Neuroscience.

  • Fall
  • Prerequisite: Permission of unit instructor

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• PPHS 511. Fundamentals of Global Health.

  Credits: 3

  Offered by: Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Faculty of Medicine & Hlth Sci)

  Terms offered: Fall 2025

  View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.

  Description

  This exciting and interactive course aims to give students the opportunity to broaden their understanding and knowledge of global health issues, including global burden of diseases, determinants of health, transition in health and drivers of such transition, challenges in healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings, and the variety of agencies and actors engaged in addressing global health challenges. The course consists of lectures, case studies, debates, discussions and small group work.

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MIMM Graduate Student Seminars: Fall 2025 - Winter 2026

Seminars are held once a month on Thursdays at the Duff Amphitheater. 

MIMM student seminar guidelines are outlined in detail in the Departmental Handbooks.

For MIMM Graduate Students:

• Attendance at the MIMM Graduate Student Seminars continues to be compulsory for students enrolled in the M.Sc., Fast-Track, and Ph.D programs during both the Fall and Winter terms.
• Students are permitted to miss only one (1) seminar day per term.
• Students must complete an online attendance form to confirm their presence at each seminar.
• To access this form, students will receive a QR code from the seminar facilitator after the final presentation of the day at each seminar.
• The form also contains a section where students must provide a brief summary of the main insights gained from attending the seminar.
• Please note that the schedule is a working document and may be revised. Students and faculty will be notified promptly of any updates.
• MIMM 2025-2026 Graduate Student Seminar Schedule

Current Topics - Scientific Seminar Attendance Form

• All MIMM Graduate students are required to attend ten (10) scientific seminars each term.
• Graduate students have the flexibility to attend a variety of scientific seminars.
• Graduate students can attend up to two seminars out of the required ten from fields outside of life sciences.
• Refer to the M.Sc. or Ph.D. program sections of the MIMM website for information on the following:
  • Approved seminar options
  • Attendance requirements
  • Current Topics – Scientific Seminar Attendance Form 
  • Important deadlines