The journal's scope includes understanding the genetic and functional mechanisms that distinguish human individuals in their immune responses to allografts, pregnancy, infections or vaccines as well as the immune responses that lead to autoimmunity, allergy or drug hypersensitivity. It also includes examining the distribution of the genes controlling these responses in populations.

Research areas include:

Studies of the genetics, genomics, polymorphism, evolution, and population distribution of immune-related genes

Studies of the expression, structure and function of the products of immune-related genes

Immunogenetics of susceptibility to infectious and autoimmune disease, and allergy

The role of the immune-related genes in hematopoietic stem cell, solid organ, and vascularized composite allograft transplant

Histocompatibility studies including alloantibodies, epitope definition, and T cell alloreactivity

Studies of immunologic tolerance and pregnancy

T cell, B cell, NK and regulatory cell functions, particularly related to subjects within the journal's scope

Pharmacogenomics and vaccine development in the context of immune-related genes

Human Immunology considers immune-related genes to include those encoding classical and non-classical HLA, KIR, MIC, minor histocompatibility antigens (mHAg), immunoglobulins, TCR, BCR, proteins involved in antigen processing and presentation, complement, Fc receptors, chemokines and cytokines. Other immune-related genes may be considered.

Human Immunology is also interested in bioinformatics of immune-related genes and organizational topics impacting laboratory processes, organ allocation, clinical strategies, and registries related to autoimmunity and transplantation.