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Biological Sciences ~ MICB Specialization in Microbiology  |
- basic physiology, ecology, or pathogenicity of microbes and viruses,
- response of plants or animals to microbes (Immunology),
- use of microbes to produce products (Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology),
- understanding basic biological principles through the use of a simple prokaryotic systems, or
- unlocking the mysteries of organisms that were the first to be found on earth and are presently found in all of our planets environments,
Microbiology is a field fundamental to all of biology.
Microbes are found in every environment on our planet. They contribute
to the ecology of each niche and supply the basis of our food chain.
Microbes control population growth via infectious disease and provide us
with biological machinery to genetically engineer a plethora of products.
The metabolic pathways and genetic systems within bacteria have served as
the stepping stones for discoveries in other systems. Studies
of these simple yet elegant life forms have provided us the tools that fueled
the evolution of biotechnology and genomics.
Specialization in the field of microbiology encompasses not only study of the fundamental processes of bacteria, but also the examination of animal, plant, and bacterial viruses, as well as animal and plant defense systems that counter infection and invasion by microorganisms.
Microbiology, including the sub fields of virology and immunology, continues to be at the forefront of scientific investigation. Microbiological principles are being applied in ecology, biotechnology, medicine, agriculture and the food industry. With new knowledge of DNA sequence data for many bacterial species, the questions to basic biological questions is even more compelling than in recent years.
Students of microbiology
will find opportunities in academia, industry, medicine, public health
biotechnology and law.
- MICB suggested course plan
- MICB work sheet
- Biological Sciences Program
- American Society for Microbiology
