Specialties of Microbiology
The world of science is a complicated one. Every single thing that we see is made up of a countless amount of molecules. In fact, most of the organisms of the world are microscopic — unable to be seen by the naked eye. The science of microbiology studies these micro-organisms, which are unicellular or cell-cluster organisms so small that you would need a very powerful microscope to see them.
Microbiology also studies eukaryotes such as fungi, viruses, and prokaryotes. The studies involved with the science of microbiology usually involve immunology, or the study of the immune system. The pathogenic microbes studied in microbiology usually interact with immune systems. There are also many fields of study, or specialties, in the field of microbiology. Professionals in the field may specialize in anything from the study of microbes for use in industrial processes to the study of microbes in veterinary medicine. As you can see, microbiology can be a very broad subject of science, with many specialties available.
The rest of this article will list and describe 5 specialties found in the field of microbiology:
1. Cellular microbiology
Cellular microbiology is a specialty that bridges microbiology and cell biology. It was first coined in 1996 when the link between the two science fields grew so strong that many suggested a new specified discipline. Cellular microbiology usually attempts to use microbes as cell-biology research. This includes influence in signal transduction, metabolism, cell cycle, and transcriptional regulation.
2. Microbial genetics
Microbial genetics is a specialty in biotechnology and genetic engineering. The field focuses on the genetics of micro-organisms. Microbial geneticists study the genotype and the expression system in the form of phenotypes of microbial species. It also studies the genetic processes in these micro-organisms.
3. Environmental microbiology
This field of microbial science studies the physiology of microbial communities in the environment. In this case, environment means soil, water, air, and sediments covering the planets, as well as the animals that inhabit these areas. It also studies micro-organisms in artificial environments. It is estimated that we currently only know less than 1% of microbial species on earth. This allows environmental microbiologists to have an infinite amount of material to study — a gram of soil alone contains approximately 1 billion microbes representing thousands of species.
4. Food microbiology
This field of science studies micro-organisms that deal with food. These micro-organisms may inhabit, create, or contaminate food. Food spoilage is one of the largest areas of study in food microbiology. Good bacteria has also been a focus of recent study, and micro-organisms are also used in the production of many foods.
5. Industrial microbiology
This specialty focuses on the use of micro-organisms in the manufacturing of food and/or industrial products. The use of micro-organisms for the production of food is also considered part of food microbiology. The industry may isolate or genetically engineer these micro-organisms to be used in manufacturing. Micro-organisms, for example, are used to produce insulin, growth hormones, and antibodies.