Blood specialist

tarkine · Jul 29, 2011

What education would a person have to have to study enzyme issues with in the body. (i.e lactose intolerance)

I'm thinking pathologist, but I have no idea what other professions are out there.

Help... any information would be fabulous!

The person is at college/university and is studying something.....

crunchyblanket · Jul 29, 2011

Lactose intolerance and other enzyme problems would usually be dealt with by a gastroenterologist, or an endocrinologist.

I work in a pathology lab alongside biomedical scientists, and as a rule we don't tend to specialise in any one type of testing - we perform whatever tests are required. However, if someone was studying to be a BMS, the function of enzymes within the body would be something they'd study.

tarkine · Jul 29, 2011

crunchyblanket said:
Lactose intolerance and other enzyme problems would usually be dealt with by a gastroenterologist, or an endocrinologist.

I work in a pathology lab alongside biomedical scientists, and as a rule we don't tend to specialise in any one type of testing - we perform whatever tests are required. However, if someone was studying to be a BMS, the function of enzymes within the body would be something they'd study.

So what course would you study to be a BMS? Do you do medicine and specialise in pathology? or do you do biology?

crunchyblanket · Jul 29, 2011

In the UK at least, you'd study Biomedical Science:

http://www.ibms.org/go/about-biomedical-science:careers-jobs:careerscareers

You can then go on to specialise in certain areas, such as microbiology, haematology, virology or histology.

sheadakota · Jul 29, 2011

In the US, Pathologist need to get their MD and then specialize in the field.

To amswer your original question;
What education would a person have to have to study enzyme issues with in the body. (i.e lactose intolerance)

A Medical doctor methinks - one who specializes in research probobly- this is before coffee so apologies if I'm mistaken- will check when I'm caffinated.

Wiskel · Jul 29, 2011

There's another route based more around the science and research models.

Students of biochemisty or physiology might get involved in the scientific question of what an enzyme does in the body, but medicine and biomedical sciences worry a bit more about what they're doing in a named person's body.

Craig

MAP · Jul 29, 2011

A pathologist or any type of MD would primarily work on treating people.

Scientific researchers have a masters or a Ph.D (Ph.D if you want them in charge of a lab) in some related science field, and there are lots of them: biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, etc.

Someone in any of these fields could study any enzyme, but they may study different apects of the enzyme although there is a lot of overlap. For example: A Medicinal Chemist may be trying to synthesize a drug to block an enzyme, a molecular biologist might study the pathways the enzyme is involved in, a biochemist could be studying the mechanism of the enzyme. So it really depends on what the character is doing.

If you want the character to be a research physician, you want an MD-Ph.D where they have training in both medicine and research.

Hope this helps.

tarkine · Jul 30, 2011

MAP said:
A pathologist or any type of MD would primarily work on treating people.

Scientific researchers have a masters or a Ph.D (Ph.D if you want them in charge of a lab) in some related science field, and there are lots of them: biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, etc.

Someone in any of these fields could study any enzyme, but they may study different apects of the enzyme although there is a lot of overlap. For example: A Medicinal Chemist may be trying to synthesize a drug to block an enzyme, a molecular biologist might study the pathways the enzyme is involved in, a biochemist could be studying the mechanism of the enzyme. So it really depends on what the character is doing.

If you want the character to be a research physician, you want an MD-Ph.D where they have training in both medicine and research.

Hope this helps.

Thanks ever so much everyone for your input. You have given me my answer.

Map thanks for spelling it out for me... now I know what my character's career is going to look like.

Blood specialist

tarkine

Learning the trade

crunchyblanket

the Juggernaut of Imperfection

tarkine

Learning the trade

crunchyblanket

the Juggernaut of Imperfection

sheadakota

part of the human equation

Wiskel

practical experience, FTW

MAP

tarkine

Learning the trade