Hematology and Immunology

Immunology explores the biological and chemical basis of immune-response-oriented defense mechanisms in human and animal organisms, which are triggered by contact with infectious pathogens (through infection or infectious diseases) or other antigens.

In hematology, researchers study the causes, prognosis, treatment and prevention of diseases that affect the production of blood and its components, such as blood cells, hemoglobin, blood proteins, bone marrow, platelets, blood vessels, the spleen and the coagulation mechanism. Such diseases may include hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, blood clots (thrombi), other bleeding disorders and blood cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma and lymphoma.

Immunological research focuses on complex cellular and humoral immunity, as well as their cooperation within the framework of physiological and biochemical processes associated with the immune response in the organism as a whole (immunobiology). Topics of interest include autoimmunity and allergies (autoimmune diseases), as well as reproductive immunology.

Topics covered in hematological research include:

• The treatment of bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
• The treatment of hematological malignancies such as lymphoma and leukemia (cancer).
• The treatment of hemoglobinopathies.
• Blood transfusion and blood banking.
• Bone marrow and stem cell transplants.

An essential component of immunology and hematology research is immunochemistry (immune biochemistry), in which researchers investigate the chemical and biochemical basis of reactions that take place in the body, e.g., antigen–antibody reactions, agglutination and complement-binding reactions.

The function of immune cells is often investigated using animal models, especially knockout mice. Immunochemical and serological techniques (immunodiagnostics and serological tests) play important roles in clinical chemistry, cytology and biochemistry (immunoassays, immune electrophoresis, immunofluorescence and immunogenetics). Other subjects of interest in this field include neuroimmunology, psychoneuroimmunology, sports immunology, and transplant immunology.