Immu

Immu is an informal shorthand for immunology, the branch of biomedical science devoted to the study of the immune system and its responses. The term appears mainly in educational notes, lecture slides, and informal discourse and is not typically used in formal publications. Immunology encompasses the detection of and defense against pathogens, the elimination of abnormal cells, and the regulation of immune tolerance to prevent autoimmunity. It covers both innate immunity, consisting of fast, non-specific defenses such as barriers, phagocytes, and natural killer cells, and adaptive immunity, which involves antigen-specific responses mediated by T and B lymphocytes and antibodies.

The field also investigates vaccine development, immune memory, transplantation tolerance, allergy, and autoimmune diseases. Advances in immunology drive clinical applications including immunotherapies for cancer, treatments for autoimmune disorders, and strategies to improve vaccines. Research tools common in immunology include flow cytometry, ELISA, molecular profiling, and animal models, as well as computational approaches in systems immunology.

The term immu is sometimes used in shorthand contexts but is not a formal term in scientific nomenclature. Understanding immunology requires integration of cellular biology, molecular mechanisms, and clinical science to explain how the immune system maintains health and contributes to disease.