The harmful effects of some microorganisms link Microbiology with Immunology. Immunologists investigate how we can protect humans and animals from infectious diseases by using vaccines, and the role of the immune system in non-infectious diseases such as cancer. In your first year, which covers general biology and chemistry subjects, you will learn about the diversity of microorganisms, microbial virulence, and diseases, and gain basic knowledge of the immune system and how it functions. In your second year, specialist microbiology and immunology papers will introduce you to microbes in health and disease, immunology, applied and environmental microbiology, microbial plant and animal interactions, biotechnology, ecology, environmental microbiology, molecular genetics, and microbial genetics. In your third year, the papers offered build on your knowledge from second year. Topics cover food production and safety, microbial disease and antibiotic resistance, the body’s response to diseases, microbial ecology, molecular microbiology, and virology.