Immunology

Program Overview

Immunology is an integrative branch of the medical sciences that draws upon the more traditional disciplines of Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Pathology, and Biochemistry. In essence, Immunology is the study of the physiological responses that result when foreign (i.e., non-self) materials are introduced into a vertebrate organism such as humans. Traditionally, the discipline has focused on the body's response to infectious micro-organisms, with the purpose of developing effective vaccines. However, the scope of modern Immunology now encompasses all aspects of self vs. non-self recognition phenomena including organ transplantation, tumour immunology and autoimmune diseases. Recent major advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of the immune response promise to provide us with a new generation of prophylactic, therapeutic and diagnostic reagents of relevance to human and animal health.

Academic Requirements