Classical, or mainstream, immunology works hard to control variation (inbred/domestic model organisms, parasite-free environments, etc.) and asks questions about mechanisms and functionality of the immune system using a reductionist method. Comparative immunology investigates the major changes of the immune system among taxa. While<unk>  originated from these fields, it is distinguished by its focus to describe and explain natural variation in immune functions, and, more specifically, why and how biotic and abiotic factors contribute to variation in immunity in animals. Study of the trade-offs between immunity and other physiological mechanisms are a central study topic within the field, but have been expanded to include roles in species and individual variation, sex, social aspects, and mating system differences, and progress is also being made to develop methods to explore this variation. Many studies involve in vivo laboratory experiments, but there have been recent calls for immunologists to study immune variation more in wild animals in particular. Multiple institutes engage in<unk> cal research, such as the Center for Immunity, Infection and Evolution at the University of Edinburgh and the Max Planck Institute for Immunoecology and Migration. The US National Science Foundation has funded a Research Coordination Network) to bring methodological and conceptual unity to the field of<unk> .
Ecoimmunology
Immunology
Neuroimmunology
NeuroQuantology
Immunohaematology
Pharmacology
Cytotechnology
Reproductive immunology