Michael Gale, Jr., PhD, is the head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology (DMI) and the Director of the UMN Institute on Infectious Diseases (UMIID). He leads DMI faculty conducting basic and translational research and training in immunology, virology mycology, bacteriology, microbial genetics, and systems biology of infectious diseases, and heads UMIID to identify and respond to emerging and contemporary infectious diseases for outbreak and disease mitigation and control, and to train the next generation of pandemic and epidemic response experts. Dr. Gale joined The University of Minnesota in 2024. He received his training in Pathobiology at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. He then served on the faculty in the Department of Molecular Microbiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center until joining the University of Washington in 2007. At UW, he founded and served as the director of the Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease (CIIID), as an Adjunct Professor of Global Health and Microbiology, and as an Affiliate Investigator of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. He also co-founded the UW Institute for Translational Immunology.
Dr. Gale's laboratory research group focuses on revealing the innate immune mechanisms of the body's response to infections caused by emerging RNA viruses, HIV and other microbial pathogens. The group’s research efforts include major focus to define the molecular mechanisms of non-self recognition of virus infection, innate immune activation and response, and how innate immunity serves to program the overall immune response to protect against infection. Outcome from these studies inform the group’s translational research aimed at enhancing vaccine efficacy, developing novel vaccine adjuvants, and creating effective antiviral and antimicrobial therapies. Dr. Gale has mentored and trained over 50 scientists, all of whom are current leaders in academic, clinical and pharmaceutical research in the areas of infection and immunity.
Among all cited microbiology researchers worldwide, Dr. Gale has ranked in the top 1% cited since 2014, as ranked by Thompson-Reuters, Clarivate, and Web of Science. Dr. Gale has received many honors and awards including: The Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar in Global Infectious Disease Award; WM Keck Research Achievement Award; Burroughs Welcome Fund Investigators in Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease Award; Seymour and Vivian Milstein Award, International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (shared with Dr. T. Fujita; in recognition of research achievement in identifying RIG-I, and defining the RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) pathway and the molecular mechanisms of virus control of innate immune defenses and RIG-I signaling; election to the American Academy of Microbiology; He was honored by the University of Washington School of Public Health with the Distinguished Alumni Award for achievement and impact in public health; he was named to 50 Change Makers in Public Health in 2022. He was elected as a fellow to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2025.
