Life sciences

Whether they are helping couples with IVF or supporting doctors and other healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, they are a crucial part of the team.  

Roles in the life sciences can be divided into three areas:

• pathology - investigating the causes of illness and how it progresses; carrying out tests on tissue, blood and other samples from patients. Pathology plays a crucial role in helping doctors choose the best type of treatment for patients, and monitoring its effectiveness
• genetics [1] - understanding the genetic components of illnesses.
• reproductive science - a rapidly developing field, creating life and providing other solutions to infertility.

Healthcare science teams in life sciences work in:

• hospital laboratories - including clinical pathology laboratories and laboratories in specialist hospitals
• the community - including clinics
• organisations such as NHS Blood and Transplant [2], and Public Health England [3]