Immunology: Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Immunology is the study of the immune system. The immune system has evolved to protect our bodies against infection and cancer and involves the co-ordinated activities of specialised cells, molecules and genes to orchestrate an immune response. Immunology is one of the most rapidly growing research areas in biology and has been shown to have a fundamental role in almost all disease states. Understanding how the immune system works has led to the development of new therapeutics, e.g. antibodies, for the specific treatment of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, we can now harness the immune system such that it can help to fight against infection and cancer. Many pharmaceutical companies have substantial immunology programmes.