A new degree programme has been launched which will breed a generation of experts in critical areas of medicine including HIV, bird flu, asthma and diabetes.
The University of Aberdeen has introduced the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Immunology and Pharmacology programme, which directly responds to an upsurge in demand for professionals within these crucial fields.
Combining the two disciplines of immunology and pharmacology, the degree focuses on both the study of how the immune system operates in health and malfunction, and how drugs and medicines can be applied to restore normal immune function in the case of disease and disorder.
Graduates of the programme - which will receive the first intake of students in September this year - will be equipped for careers within the field of immunological biotechnology and pharmaceutical research, marketing and development.
A version of the same degree programme with the option of undertaking an industrial placement in year three of the course, is also available to students.
The new degree underpins the University's standing as a centre for excellence in life sciences and medical sciences.
It also comes after the University of Aberdeen was ranked the top institution in the UK for its first class pharmacology research in a recent report which showed the impact scientists are making in their field.
Professor Neva Haites, Head of the College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen said: "In recent years changes in technology and major developments within the fields of immunology and pharmacology, have resulted in an increase in demand for experts across these sectors.
"The new BSc degree uniquely combines studies from these two disciplines. The broad programme syllabus aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of how malfunctions of the immune system underlie many diseases, whilst also examining the drugs and therapies which are increasingly being used in modern medicine to tackle these illnesses and restore normal immune function.
"Students will cover a wide spectrum of subjects within the degree programme from immunological disorders such as allergies and asthma, through to diseases including HIV and emerging infections such as bird flu. The course is designed to equip graduates with a robust knowledge of this critical area of medicine with a view to meeting the clear demand for highly skilled professionals within this extremely significant and ever evolving field."
For more information about the BSc in Immunology and Pharmacology and the BSc in Immunology and Pharmacology with Industrial Placement visit http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sms/ugradteaching/programmeguides.php or contact the University of Aberdeen Student Recruitment and Admissions department on 01224 272090.