H Singh

I seem to do pretty good at biology and so I decided to go into microbiology, since I didn't turn out to be very good at nursing. I really will only be happy being a microbiologist if I were working in a field that directly alleviates human suffering, so I came to the conclusion that I should specialize in pathogenesis and vaccine development. I like microbiology in general as a hobby, but as a career I would need a specialty that let's me know I've done my part for humanity at the end of each day. Ok, the problem is I really can not see how it would be possible to work in vaccine development and not have to participate in animal testing to some extant. I understand that animal testing is necessary, but it is not something I would be comfortable with... I guess I could get a colleage to perform the actual "killing", but I'd still have to be involved in the planning and directing to some point if I want to be a leader in vaccine development. Is it possible to become a lead scientist in vaccine development without being involved in animal testing? It seems like if I want to work in microbiology I will have to: a. Choose a specialty besides vaccine development. The problem with that is I would only be happy specializing in an area of microbiology that directly contributes to the relieving of suffering. b. Get my PhD in microbiology, but never be able to work my way to the top, and always hold myself back. For example, I might work in vaccine development , but I would constantly have to limit myself in my work especially when I get to an animal testing stage of my research I guess I would have to quit there and pass my work on to some other microbiologist