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Why immunobiology? Immunology is the study of the immune system - the internal defence reactions that protect the body from invading microorganisms and the diseases they cause. Spectacular advances have been made over the last few decades in understanding how the immune system works. There is no doubt that these advances have been made possible by concentrating research on a few species of animals, most notably mouse and man. The main motiva tion for studying the human system, for example, has been to further the cause of medicine. Indeed, the roots of modern immunology can be traced back to pioneering studies of vaccines against viruses and bacteria. The vaccine n. a mouse has become the favoured non-human animal in which to study preparation, usually derived from an immunity, both in relation to protection from microorganisms, but also at infectious pathogen, a more fundamental level. The term 'immunology' has become virtually administered to provide synonymous with the study of the immune systems of humans and mice. protective immunity without causing disease. 'Immunobiology' in contrast is a broader field, encompassing the immune systems of all animals. Ids the study of the origins and evolution ofimmune systems in general, and the underlying role that microorganisms play in the microorganism n. an process. organism too small to be seen clearly with the The penalty for this focussed effort has been a disproportionately naked eye; often used mammalocentric database.