Microbiology and Immunology

microbes

About Microbiology and Immunology

This program is affiliated with one of UBC's top-ranked research areas.1

Microbiology is the study of minute, simple life forms (microbes), including bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. Microbes are everywhere - in the air, in our food, and in our bodies. They are critically important in many processes of life on Earth and despite their small size, microbes exert a huge influence on all terrestrial and aquatic environments, thereby affecting all plants, animals, and humans. Immunology is the branch of science that deals with how the body defends itself against disease-causing microbes. Microbiology and immunology together involve studying how microbes can be controlled to prevent disease. Microbiology is one of the fastest developing fields of research in biology. Some examples of what microbiologists do include manipulating bacteria to produce useful products like human insulin, and using other microbes that naturally feed on pollutants to clean up polluted water bodies. They have also developed pesticides made out of microbes that attack only pests and not the plants they are sprayed on (unlike traditional chemical pesticides).

Program Details

The programs include a flexible list of selections that allow students to take a wide range of courses within the field or focus on areas such as biotechnology, bioinformatics, molecular microbiology, environmental microbiology, bioinformatics, immunology, virology, or pathogenic microbiology. Co-op can be done with each of the five academic programs.

Skills

  • Application of logical and systematic thought processes to understanding the structure and functioning of human, animal and plant tissues and cells 
  • Quantitative and qualitative research and data analysis
  • Analytical method development or validation (QA/QC), ensuring compliance with safety regulations 
  • Project management and experimental design 
  • Critical analysis of current microbiological and immunological literature and report writing 
  • Usage of laboratory techniques, such as aseptic technique, staining, plasmid isolation, cloning and screening, western blots, PCR, ELISA, gel electrophoresis, and microscopy 
  • Usage of technical instruments, like spectrophotometers, light and fluorescent microscopes, and thermocyclers

Programs offered

  • Major or Honours, Microbiology and Immunology
  • Combined Major or Combined Honours, Computer Science and Microbiology and Immunology
  • Biotechnology in Microbiology and Immunology
  • Co-op

Resources

Career Options

With an undergraduate degree

  • Beer and wine maker
  • Biological and medical illustrator
  • Clinical research associate
  • Consumer protection specialist
  • Dangerous waste inspector
  • Food and drug inspector
  • Food safety expert
  • Food technologist
  • Health and safety inspector
  • Laboratory technician
  • Medical laboratory technologist
  • Patent agent
  • Pollution control inspector
  • Public health inspector
  • Quality control technician
  • Regulatory affairs expert
  • Technical writer
  • Technical sales representative
  • Water treatment technician

With additional study

  • Allergist
  • Agricultural scientist
  • Bio-animator and filmmaker
  • Bioinformatician
  • Biostatistician
  • Clinical immunologist
  • Cytologist
  • Environmental attorney
  • Environmental scientist
  • Epidemiologist
  • Genetic counselor
  • Geneticist
  • Immunologist
  • Infectious disease specialist
  • Medical doctor
  • Microbiologist
  • Mycologist
  • Occupational hygienist
  • Occupational therapist
  • Patent attorney
  • Pathologist
  • Pharmacologist
  • Physical therapist
  • Teacher or professor
  • Toxicologist
  • Veterinarian
  • Virologist

UBC Science Microbiology and Immunology Graduates Work As

  • PhD Candidate in Transplantation Immunology, University of Cambridge 
  • Dentist, Dr. James Y. Y. Hsia Inc. 
  • Medical Student, University of British Columbia 
  • PhD Candidate in Computational & Systems 
  • Immunology, Stanford University 
  • Biomedical Engineering Technologist, Lions Gate Hospital 
  • Associate Attorney, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Related Professional Groups

More Career Resources

Musqueam First Nation land acknowledegement

We honour xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam) on whose ancestral, unceded territory UBC Vancouver is situated. UBC Science is committed to building meaningful relationships with Indigenous peoples so we can advance Reconciliation and ensure traditional ways of knowing enrich our teaching and research.

Learn more: Musqueam First Nation

Faculty of Science

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