Health Science Research Methods

Health science aims to understand the dynamics of health and wellness in humans, with the ultimate goal of preventing and curing disease. There is no one way of answering the questions we have about health, so there are many different research approaches. Research may take place in a lab, the doctor's office or in society in general.

Biochemistry

• Biochemistry investigates the properties of chemicals in living systems, including the human body. Biochemists' contributions to health sciences are often on a cellular or subcellular level. For example, they study proteins that affect the growth of cancer. Biochemistry is carried out in the laboratory using several methods, including conducting and observing experiments on a variety of viruses, microorganisms and human tissue. Biochemists may use techniques such as polymerase chain reaction or chromatography.

Epidemiology

• Epidemiology looks at the distribution of disease and health in society. For example, whereas a doctor looks at a tumor in the human body, epidemiology looks at how many cases of cancer occur in the United States. There are many different methods for collecting epidemiological data, including disease surveillance, clinical trials, cohort studies, cross sectional studies and case-control studies.

Genetics

• Human genetics aims to understand the role of genes and heredity in health. For example, a geneticist wants to understand whether risk of cancer gets passed from generation to generation and why. Geneticists may use methods such as experimental breeding, cytogenetic techniques, biochemistry, physiology, immunology and math.

Pharmacology

• Pharmacology is the study of drugs on the body. This health science approach looks for new drugs and continues to test the effects of existing drugs. The branch that looks at the harmful effects of drugs is called toxicology. Pharmacology may take place in a lab, looking at the chemistry of the substance. It is also studied in people directly such as by following a group of people that are taking the drug and comparing them to a group of people who are not.