Clinical Immunology
Most people take their immune
system for granted, little realizing that every day there are white blood
cells and antibodies busily scrutinizing every corner of the body for
foreign material. Immunology is the study of this dynamic and complex
system. Immunologists perform laboratory analyses which demonstrate
antibodies to both past and present disease and which can determine if a
vaccination has been effective. They can also test, classify and count
immune system cells to determine the ability of a person to mount an
effective immune response, and these types of assays are important in many
diseases such as, for example, AIDS. As the rate and success of organ and
tissue transplantation skyrockets, immunologists are also busy determining
donor and recipient compatibility and the rejection status of transplants.
As knowledge of the immune system continues to grow, the career
opportunities for clinical immunologists also expand into ever more diverse
areas.
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