4 answers
Katarina
Student
Avon, Connecticut
2
Questions
Asked
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What are some careers for curing diseases, focused more on the science research part rather than engineering?
I am interested in studying chemistry and biology, and I am interested in curing autoimmune diseases.
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4 answers
Magan Pinzon
Nursing
23
Answers
Locust, North Carolina
Updated
Magan’s Answer
If you're passionate about curing diseases—especially autoimmune ones—and you're more drawn to the science and research side than engineering, there are several exciting career paths you might consider! Since you're interested in chemistry and biology, here are some options that focus on understanding disease mechanisms and developing treatments:
🔬 Careers in Scientific Research for Disease Cures
Immunologist
Focuses on the immune system and how it malfunctions in autoimmune diseases. Immunologists often work in labs studying immune responses and developing therapies.
Biomedical Scientist
Works in research labs to understand disease processes and test new treatments. You could specialize in immunology, molecular biology, or pathology.
Pharmacologist
Studies how drugs interact with biological systems. You could help develop medications that modulate the immune system to treat autoimmune conditions.
Molecular Biologist / Geneticist
Investigates the genetic and molecular basis of diseases. This is especially relevant for autoimmune diseases with genetic predispositions.
Clinical Research Scientist
Designs and conducts studies to test new treatments in humans. This role bridges lab research and patient care.
Medicinal Chemist
Uses chemistry to design and synthesize new drugs. If you love chemistry, this is a great way to contribute to curing diseases.
Biochemist
Studies the chemical processes within living organisms. You could focus on how biochemical pathways are disrupted in autoimmune diseases.
🧪 Academic Pathways
To pursue these careers, you’ll likely need:
A Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, or a related field.
A PhD or MD/PhD for more advanced research roles, especially if you want to lead your own lab or work in academia.
You might also look into internships or summer research programs in immunology or biomedical sciences to get hands-on experience early on.
🔬 Careers in Scientific Research for Disease Cures
Immunologist
Focuses on the immune system and how it malfunctions in autoimmune diseases. Immunologists often work in labs studying immune responses and developing therapies.
Biomedical Scientist
Works in research labs to understand disease processes and test new treatments. You could specialize in immunology, molecular biology, or pathology.
Pharmacologist
Studies how drugs interact with biological systems. You could help develop medications that modulate the immune system to treat autoimmune conditions.
Molecular Biologist / Geneticist
Investigates the genetic and molecular basis of diseases. This is especially relevant for autoimmune diseases with genetic predispositions.
Clinical Research Scientist
Designs and conducts studies to test new treatments in humans. This role bridges lab research and patient care.
Medicinal Chemist
Uses chemistry to design and synthesize new drugs. If you love chemistry, this is a great way to contribute to curing diseases.
Biochemist
Studies the chemical processes within living organisms. You could focus on how biochemical pathways are disrupted in autoimmune diseases.
🧪 Academic Pathways
To pursue these careers, you’ll likely need:
A Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, or a related field.
A PhD or MD/PhD for more advanced research roles, especially if you want to lead your own lab or work in academia.
You might also look into internships or summer research programs in immunology or biomedical sciences to get hands-on experience early on.
Thank you so much!!
Katarina
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
1085
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Katarina,
If you want to cure diseases, there are several options. You could of course go to medical school and become a physician. Or you could go to school for pharmacy. You could also major in chemistry or biochemistry and specialize in medicinal chemistry or pharmaceutical chemistry.
There is no 100% correlation between your undergraduate major and the job you'll have 10 years from now. Undergraduate studies give you a broad introduction to a field. If you want to go into research, you'll probably do a masters and/or PhD, maybe in the same field as your major, maybe in a different one. If you go to industry, you'll keep learning there. You'll specialize. You'll branch out and do interdisciplinary work. You'll discover fields of science you didn't even know existed.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
If you want to cure diseases, there are several options. You could of course go to medical school and become a physician. Or you could go to school for pharmacy. You could also major in chemistry or biochemistry and specialize in medicinal chemistry or pharmaceutical chemistry.
There is no 100% correlation between your undergraduate major and the job you'll have 10 years from now. Undergraduate studies give you a broad introduction to a field. If you want to go into research, you'll probably do a masters and/or PhD, maybe in the same field as your major, maybe in a different one. If you go to industry, you'll keep learning there. You'll specialize. You'll branch out and do interdisciplinary work. You'll discover fields of science you didn't even know existed.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Margaret Lippincott
Scientist
17
Answers
Morrisville, Pennsylvania
Updated
Margaret’s Answer
Hello Katrina,
good question. You could be a research scientist, clinical research assistant, research surveyor, data analyst, medical laboratory technician or scientist, research coordinator, data entry specialist, physician assistant, or medical doctor to get directly involved in biomedical research. Check out shadowing programs at local universities, hospitals, or via nonprofits like the MPS society to get a good gage of what you enjoy doing.
good question. You could be a research scientist, clinical research assistant, research surveyor, data analyst, medical laboratory technician or scientist, research coordinator, data entry specialist, physician assistant, or medical doctor to get directly involved in biomedical research. Check out shadowing programs at local universities, hospitals, or via nonprofits like the MPS society to get a good gage of what you enjoy doing.
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hi Katarina. Since you enjoy chemistry and biology, you can use these subjects to study how diseases work, find new treatments, and help improve people's health. Working in research allows you to be part of discovering cures and understanding illnesses at a deep level.
One option is biomedical research. In this field, scientists study cells, genes, and proteins to understand how diseases develop. You could work in a university lab or a hospital research center. Another path is pharmacology. Pharmacologists study how medicines affect the body and look for ways to create new treatments. Chemists in this field can design molecules that target diseases more effectively.
You can also explore clinical research. While this involves working with patients, it is still very science-focused. Clinical researchers design trials to test new treatments safely and analyze the data to see what works best. Hope this helps. All the best!
One option is biomedical research. In this field, scientists study cells, genes, and proteins to understand how diseases develop. You could work in a university lab or a hospital research center. Another path is pharmacology. Pharmacologists study how medicines affect the body and look for ways to create new treatments. Chemists in this field can design molecules that target diseases more effectively.
You can also explore clinical research. While this involves working with patients, it is still very science-focused. Clinical researchers design trials to test new treatments safely and analyze the data to see what works best. Hope this helps. All the best!