Areas of Specialization
Biomedical scientists can focus on several areas of specialty, including:
- Biochemistry: studies the chemical composition of cells and the chemistry behind biological processes
- Molecular biology: studies the molecular makeup and processes of living organisms
- Biophysics: studies mechanical and electrical energy in living cells and tissues
- Cell biology: studies cell-level organization and processes
- Cytopathology: Studies cell obtained by different means from human and sometimes animal bodies, using microscope and recent technologies to evaluate morphology, molecular pathology changes by molecular diagnostics. Also cytopathology involves cancer screening such cervical, breast, colon and prostate cancers.
- Computational biology and Bioinformatics: uses computer modeling and data analysis to understand biological systems
- Developmental biology: studies the growth and development of organisms and focuses on diseases of abnormal development
- Epidemiology: studies the incidence and transmission of diseases in a population and population characteristics (behaviors, environment, etc.) that associate with diseases
- Genetics: studies DNA and genes of humans and animals, as well as diseases caused by abnormal or mutated DNA.
- Hematology: studies of the blood, such as blood cells, and mechanisms of coagulation.
- Histopathology: Studies tissues for disease diagnosis, using histological, histochemical, immunohistochemical analysis or molecular techniques for diagnostics.
- Immunology: studies the immune system
- Microbiology: studies characteristics of microorganisms such as bacteria and their role in human health
- Neuroscience: studies on function and structure the nervous system, including the brain
- Oncology (a.k.a. cancer biology): studies the causes and characteristics of cancer
- Parasitology: studies parasites
- Pathology: studies the underlying causes and bodily effects of disease through examination of organs, tissues, and cells
- Pharmacology: studies effects of drugs on biological systems
- Physiology: studies how various body systems function at macroscopic, microscopic and molecular levels
- Virology: studies viruses and viral diseases
However, recent trends in biomedical graduate education (particularly in the United States) are for biomedical scientists to remain interdisciplinary and to not specialize. This approach emphasizes focus on a particular body or disease process as a whole and drawing upon the techniques of multiple specialties. (See also: Systems biology)
Read more about this topic: Biomedical Scientist
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