Our Mission Unraveling immunity, fostering community, powering preeminence.

Join us on our mission to further unravel the complexities of the immune system, together.

About cimi

Welcome to the Center for Inflammation and Mucosal Immunology (CIMI), a hub for immunological research spearheading and fostering an interdisciplinary understanding of the field. CIMI is not only a center to support cutting-edge research, but a catalyst for fostering collaboration, education, and multifaceted discussions amongst immunologists at the University of Florida.

Immunology plays a crucial role in understanding and deciphering immune responses to a myriad of conditions, from combating cancer to defending against infectious diseases. CIMI highlights the importance of studying intricate immune responses, and our research members proudly contribute to unraveling the complexities of the immune system.

Post-pandemic, the field of immunology has entered a spotlight in the global effort for vaccine development. CIMI underlines the significance of mucosal immunology in the development of next-generation vaccines. Our members help contribute to further understanding the knowledge we have about the immune response to various infections and a plethora of other inflammatory conditions, such as autoimmune diseases and cancer.

CIMI’s commitment extends beyond direct research within the laboratory, as we organize community-driven initiatives to educate trainees and bring together researchers of various backgrounds. We aim to continue to foster an environment with interdisciplinary discussions where researchers, clinicians, trainees, and experts can explore immunology together in a previously isolated landscape.

Please join us at CIMI, where immunology is not just a scientific endeavor but a shared mission to enhance the global understanding of immunity. Together, as UF immunologists, we can shape the future of immunology in a community-driven effort.

Director’s welcome

Dr. Liang Zhou in front of Century Tower
Dr. Liang Zhou, M.D., PhD, Director of the Center for Inflammation and Mucosal Immunology.

Dear CIMI Community,

I am so pleased to welcome a new chapter for the Center for Inflammation and Mucosal Immunology. As the recently appointed director, I am honored and excited to work alongside the advisory board and my team to rebuild CIMI to even greater heights, fostering a future for the center that surpasses what we could offer even before the pandemic.

I am a Professor of Immunology in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology at the College of Veterinary Medicine. I am a mucosal immunologist by training and my research interest is in transcriptional and metabolic regulation of immune responses in mucosal tissues, especially in the gut. Immunology is my passion and I want to play a part in ushering in an environment of collaboration, education, and community for UF’s immunologists.

Immunology has never been more crucial of a field in the wake of this pandemic. CIMI is committed to enhancing the research in mucosal immunology for our members and fostering the relationships between CIMI members and other researchers in the field. We aim to build back even better than before and play a vital role in the groundbreaking research of our members, recognizing that every discovery in this field is one step closer to unraveling immunity. We will enhance education and involvement initiatives such as Research in Progress meetings and scientific mini-symposiums. We will promote research directly with funding support such as travel grants for trainees to present in national and international meetings, and new cutting-edge technology access for members. It is my vision that the isolation that sometimes comes with academia can be broken down with education and collaborative initiatives that can leave every member feeling engaged, valued, and inspired to discover more.

I encourage each of you to join our pursuit of the future all UF immunologists deserve, by contributing your ideas, expertise, and passion for immunology as a member of CIMI. As we embark on the transformative journey for CIMI, your membership contribution has the power to shape our immunology community. With my deepest gratitude, I ask you to join us and support groundbreaking research and a collaborative environment. Your involvement alone, as a CIMI member committed to research, will make a lasting impact on the center we are rebuilding together. I thank you for being an essential part of our mission.

I invite you to explore our website and learn more about the future exciting activities at CIMI.

Thank you,

Dr. Liang Zhou, M.D, PhD.