Immunology is the study of the body’s immune system and its functions and disorders. Serology is the study of blood serum (the clear fluid that separates when blood clots).

Immunology and serology laboratories focus on the following:

• Identifying antibodies (proteins made by a type of white blood cell in response to an antigen, a foreign substance, in the body)
• Investigating problems with the immune system, such as autoimmune diseases (when the body’s immune system turns on its own tissues) and immunodeficiency disorders (when a body’s immune system is underactive)
• Determining organ, tissue, and fluid compatibility for transplantation