The “Mário Arala-Chaves” laboratory of Immunology hosts 3 professors of the Department of Immunophysiology and Pharmacology. Its teaching duties are assigned to the disciplines of Basic Immunology (MIM), Immunology (MIMV), Immunology (Biochemistry Degree), and Immunology and Infection (MIB), and a collaboration within the discipline of Biology of Infection (Masters in Biochemistry). These disciplines encompass an universe of about 450 students (year 2010-2011). Post-graduate teaching include six PhDs students. 18 PhD students completed their Thesis with the members of the lab.

The research undertaken by the members of the lab centers around the understanding of the immune response to infection. Experimental animal models are used to characterize the immune response to bacteria (mycobacteria, streptococci, staphylococci), fungi (Candida albicans) and protozoa (Neospora caninum). These studies aim at contributing to the fundamental knowledge in the field as well as to the development of new immunotherapeutical and vaccination strategies against infectious diseases. The research activities of the members of the lab resulted in 137 refereed  international papers that have been cited 3123 times (data from the ISI as of March 2011).