History
Evolution of the Department of Immunology
The Monash University Department of Immunology has evolved, acknowledging throughout immunology and immunopathology as its particular research and teaching strengths.
Please refer to the links below to learn the history on various aspects of the department:
- Heads of Department
- Education program
- Accommodation
- 2013 Department of Immunology Symposium: 50 years, past & future
Since its establishment in 1963 the Department has maintained a strong research presence on the Alfred Hospital site and has developed into an internationally renowned centre with combined expertise in teaching, research and service delivery in immunology and immunopathology. The primary aim of the department was the delivery of pathology education programs for medical students and for service delivery in pathology. However, as immunology rapidly became its particular research strength and it introduced undergraduate programs in basic and clinical immunology into the science course, in 1975 the Department was renamed the Department of Pathology and Immunology. It was one of the first Departments to introduce undergraduate teaching programs in immunology in Australia.
The creation of a strong post-graduate student cohort was an early activity of the Department and it continues to nurture many distinguished graduate alumni. In 2004 following a Department review and restructuring of the medical course, the disciplines of immunology and pathology were separated. The Department of Immunology continued to deliver and expand its suite of immunology and human pathology units for the Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Biomedical Science courses, while pathology teaching for the medical course came under the auspices of a Pathology Teaching Board. However, these activities have now again been merged and in 2015 the Department was renamed the Department of Immunology and Pathology.
The research activities of the Department have encompassed a wide range of basic and clinical immunology programs and in particular, it played a key role in establishing state-of-the-art technology especially in fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Its staff and students have also been key players in the development of the national societies for immunology (ASI) and clinical immunology/allergy (ASCIA). Over the years, the Department has established itself as an internationally renowned centre with combined expertise in education and research in immunology and immunopathology.