Microbiologists investigate the unseen world around us. Using specialized tools and techniques, they study bacteria, fungi and other microbes. The examine the growth, reproduction and structure of microbes. They also study how microbes interact with their environment, or the other organisms that they live on or inside.
Because microbiology is such a broad subject, most microbiologists specialize in a specific area. Microbiology can be broken down into categories, although the work of microbiologists may cover multiple areas. Microbiologists may study one specific type of microbe or look at the role of microbes in the environment. They may also focus on practical applications of microbes, such as for medical and industrial businesses.
Bacteriologists
Millions of species of microbes exist on the planet. Except for the protists, which vary more widely, species within each microbe group share similar characteristics. Microbiologists may focus on one type, or study only a few related microbes, such as bacteria that live inside the human digestive system. Or they may look at more general functions of the microbes, such as how fungi reproduce, or how the cell walls of bacteria are made.
Bacteriologists focus specifically on bacteria. This includes ones that use oxygen to survive, and bacteria that are killed by it. Mycologists study fungi, including ones that are poisonous to humans and those that are used for industrial purposes. Other microbiologists study protists or the Archaea. Those that focus on the latter group may be involved in collecting samples from extreme environments like the hot springs in Yellowstone Park. Virologists study viruses, including their genetic structure, and how they infect their hosts.
Environmental Microbiologists
Microbes do not exist in isolation. They live in complex ecosystems and play important roles in supplying nutrients to other organisms. Some microbiologists choose to focus more on the environmental aspects of microbes than on the activities of single species. Environmental microbiologists examine the role of microbes in their environment, and the numbers and kinds of microbes living there. Rather than choosing a single type of microbe, these scientists often study many species, as well as their interactions with the larger organisms in the ecosystem.
Environmental microbiologists can specialize in different areas. Microbial ecologists focus on how microbes interact with their environment and other organisms living there. Other speciality areas include geomicrobiologists, who look at how microbes and geological processes are related; microbiologists who study the microbial cycling of nutrients in the environment; and scientists that study how to use microbes for cleaning up polluted environments.
Medical Microbiology
Much of the early focus of microbiology was on diseases in humans. This continues to be a widely-popular field of study. Medical microbiologists can focus on the scientific aspects of this field, the clinical applications or both. As with other areas of microbiology, medical microbiologists can specialize on one type of microbe or disease. Medical microbiology researchers look at the molecular and genetic basis of microbial diseases. Clinical microbiologists, on the other hand, deal with diagnosing and treating people with these diseases.
Related to medical microbiology are epidemiology and public health. Epidemiologists study how diseases occur and spread in populations. They look at how many people have the disease, where the disease occurs, and often the source of the disease. Epidemiologists study microbial diseases, but also ones with other causes. Microbiologists working in the field of public health do similar work as those working in hospitals. Their work, however, focuses on the health of communities rather than individual people.
Microbial Geneticists
Microbiologists who study the genetics of microbes look at how DNA gives rises to the features and functions of microbes. They study all types of microbes, although may focus on one or a few species. Microbial genetics play an important role in many industries, including agriculture, medicine and pharmaceutical. This means that microbial geneticists can find work in any of these fields, in addition to carrying out basic research at universities.
Microbial geneticists study the molecular basis of genetics in microbes. This includes how DNA leads to RNA, and eventually to proteins. They also study how genes — the segments of DNA that contain information for specific proteins — are regulated inside the cell. These scientists may also focus on applications using the genetics of microbes. This includes genetic engineering, in which the DNA of microbes — and other organisms — are changed to alter how they function or look.
Industrial Microbiologists
Industrial microbiologists work in a wide range of industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical and energy. They use bacteria, fungi, algae, protists or viruses to create new products and useful industrial processes. These microbes may be collected in the field, such as hot springs or very salty lakes. The microbes may also be ones that have been genetically engineered to have new traits or abilities.
Some industrial microbiologists work mostly in manufacturing plants to standardize how microbes are used to create a product. For example, the creation of antibiotics and many food products occur in large tanks and vats. Microbiologists monitor and change the way these products are made to improve the efficiency and lower the cost. Other industrial microbiologists focus on researching new microbes, as well as finding ways to use existing microbes. This may involve working in the field to collect microbes, or in the laboratory to modify their DNA.
