Why study Infection and Immunity?
The key answer is because you are interested in, and motivated by, the science that will allow us to improve human health. Our Infection and Immunity students have a reputation for excellence and are sought-after by a wide range of employers both here in New Zealand and overseas.
The human immune system defends the body from disease-causing microbial invaders like viruses and bacteria. This major provides in-depth knowledge of the immune system: how it develops, how it functions, its role in health and disease, and what happens when it fails to function.
It covers the microbes responsible for infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and meningococcal disease, how these infectious diseases are controlled, and how antibiotic resistance arises.
The major also includes how the immune system can be used to treat diseases such as cancer.
Career opportunities
Your working life might begin with an innovative biotechnology company or with a more established company in the pharmaceutical, biomedical, or agricultural sectors.
Alternatively, you might be employed by a research institute, in a university, government agency or local authority and use the scientific skills you have learned during your studies to provide policy, technical, or diagnostic advice.
A significant number of our BBiomedSc graduates are also successful in obtaining PhD positions or gaining postgraduate entry into professional health programmes such as Dentistry, Medicine, and Pharmacy.
