How cells, tissues, and bodies are built: stem cells, embryos, aging, cancer, mini-organs grown in a dish, and the human body itself.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Stem Cell Scientist: Researches stem cells that can become any cell type, to treat disease and repair tissue. Typical pay $115k.
Cancer Biologist: Researches how cancer starts, spreads, and can be stopped. Typical pay $110k.
Organoid Scientist: Grows tiny 3D "mini-organs" in the lab to study disease and test drugs. Typical pay $120k.
Biogerontologist: Researches the biology of aging and how to slow it. Typical pay $115k.
Organ-on-a-Chip Engineer: Builds clear plastic chips the size of a USB stick lined with living human cells that act like a mini lung, liver or gut for drug testing. Typical pay $120k.
Xenotransplantation Scientist: Develops gene-edited pigs whose kidneys and hearts can be transplanted into people, aiming to end the organ shortage. Typical pay $115k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Cell Biologist: Studies how cells work: how they grow, divide, move, and communicate. Typical pay $100k.
Developmental Biologist: Studies how a single fertilized egg grows into a whole organism. Typical pay $100k.
Cryobiologist: Studies how to freeze cells, tissues, and organs and bring them back to life. Typical pay $105k.
Anatomist: Expert on the structure of the human body who teaches and researches anatomy. Typical pay $95k.
Tissue Bank Specialist: Processes and stores donated human tissue like bone, skin, and heart valves for transplant. Typical pay $58k.
Andrology Lab Scientist: Analyzes and prepares sperm for fertility testing and treatment. Typical pay $65k.
Cord Blood Bank Technologist: Processes and freezes umbilical cord blood, which is rich in stem cells, for future transplants. Typical pay $62k.
Tissue Recovery Technician: Recovers donated tissues like bone, skin, and corneas from deceased donors. Typical pay $52k.
Plastination Technician: Preserves real human and animal bodies with plastic so they can be studied forever. Typical pay $45k.
Stem Cell Lab Technician: Feeds and tends stem cell cultures in research labs. Typical pay $48k.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.