US scientist in UK
Welcome to Your Immunology, a sciencey corner of the web devoted to the things that make my immune system go pitter patter.
I’m Amanda. When I was 12, my family transferred me from my somewhat lackluster neighborhood middle school into a magnet school across town. The magnet school, while also lackluster on the whole, had an excellent math and science program. The rest is (my personal) history. I finished my PhD in immunology in 2012, and moved to the United Kingdom in 2013, where I am doing my postdoctoral (after PhD) studies. A few things happened in between, I suppose, but who’s counting?
After I wanted to be my pediatrician (Dr. Ruhstaller 2.0) and before I wanted to be a scientist (Dr. Amanda 1.0), I wanted to be a writer. I gave my gram’s word processor, back before my family owned a computer, quite a work out. Although I’ve been away from writing regularly for some time, I’m ready to get back in action. What better topic than the one I’ve spent the last *mumble* years studying? (10, I think it’s been 10 years specifically studying immunology.)
I think the extreme specialization in science and the idea that science is too hard or boring for the public are disasters on two fronts. You, the public, are short-changed of understanding where your tax and charity dollars go, and you’re deprived of the occasionally awe-inspiring moments provided by scientific understanding. Scientists, on the other hand, are isolated from the people who fund their research and the people that, ultimately, they’re working their entire lives to help. I don’t come from a family of lab-coated academics, but my parents could give you a brief rundown of the type of research I pursue. I think that’s an attainable goal for the curious non-scientists out there, and it’s my fondest wish that you’ll get excited about some science you find here. I hope that this site will give you some valuable information about how your immune system works, as well as some insight into how modern research works.
(Disclaimer: Pitter patter is not one of the many things the immune system does.)
Your Immunology 