Immunology teaches you about the immune system, a built-in defence mechanism that protects humans and animals from viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms. You will explore the organs, cells, and tissues that make up the immune system and understand what happens when they fail or don’t function properly.
During a Bachelor’s or Master’s in Immunology, you can expect to take classes on host defence, organic chemistry, environmental microbiology, immunodeficiency, microbe detection and evasion, clinical immunology, etc.
As a future immunologist, you will play an important role in understanding infections, reducing health risks, and saving people’s lives. You will spend most of your time in a laboratory, doing advanced research work and writing reports.
Here are some of the skills required to become a successful immunologist: advanced research, meticulousness, excellent oral and written communication, reasoning, project management, etc.
After graduating with an Immunology degree, you can most often work as a researcher either in the academic environment or the pharmaceutical industry. There’s also the option to be a clinical immunologist, which means having a more direct contact with patients, helping to diagnose and treat their illness. Of course, other related jobs are available, such as molecular biologist, biotechnician, vaccinologist, etc.
You should know that there’s also the option to study Veterinary Immunology, a branch of Immunology that teaches students how to prevent infections in pets, as well as in farm and wild animals.
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