Medical Microbiology

Medical microbiology is the branch of science concerned with the microorganisms that cause infectious diseases in humans and other animals, encompassing bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Infectious diseases remain one of the leading causes of death and disability globally, and the people who understand how these organisms cause disease, how the immune system responds to them, and how infections can be prevented, managed and cured are among the most important contributors to human health. Medical microbiology sits at the direct interface of biological science and clinical medicine, translating laboratory knowledge into the understanding and treatment of disease.

At Leicester, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad and a work placement, giving you an unusual combination of international academic experience and professional exposure within the biosciences. Leicester has a strong tradition in infection biology and the life sciences, and you will benefit from research-active staff working on questions relevant to the programme. Across the degree you will study microbial biology, virology, immunology, epidemiology and the mechanisms by which pathogens cause disease and evade host defences.

You will develop laboratory skills alongside your theoretical knowledge, gaining competence in the experimental techniques used in both research and clinical diagnostic settings.

The sandwich year and work placement allow you to apply your knowledge in a real scientific or clinical context, which is particularly valuable in a field where both research and diagnostic roles require practical experience.

Graduates move into NHS clinical microbiology laboratories, public health agencies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology research, academic research and science communication. Many continue to postgraduate study in microbiology, immunology, infectious disease or related biomedical sciences, including doctoral research.