Immunology

The incidence of diseases associated with the immune system, such as allergies and autoimmune diseases is increasing and treatment and prevention of many infectious diseases is difficult due to the absence of effective vaccines. Immunology is a rapidly evolving science and new knowledge can be applied to the development and clinical use of new immune based therapies for cancer and infectious diseases, prevention of transplantation responses as well as allergies and autoimmune diseases.

This major in Immunology describes how Immunology is studied and applied to a range of areas in the biomedical sciences. Additionally, in this major you will develop the ability to acquire, analyse and apply information from multiple sources, both within and beyond the laboratory.

This major will open up career opportunities in areas including:

• Diagnostics
• Vaccine development
• Molecular biology
• Biotechnology
• Biosafety and Regulation.

You may also choose to undertake research in related areas such as:

• Infectious diseases
• Immunodeficiencies
• Genetics and pathogenesis of diseases of the immune system
• Biochemical and cellular aspects of immune recognition
• The various outcomes of the immune system in a setting of infection, autoimmunity, cancer, transplantation and allergies.

Immunology is also an ideal undergraduate area of study for students wanting to enter graduate schools in medicine and allied health.