Microbiology

Microbiology (from Greek μῑκρος, mīkros, "small"; βίος, bios, "life"; and -λογία, -logia) is the study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, parasitology, mycology and bacteriology.

Eukaryotic microorganisms possess membrane-bound cell organelles and include fungi and protists, whereas prokaryotic organisms—all of which are microorganisms—are conventionally classified as lacking membrane-bound organelles and include Bacteria and Archaea. Microbiologists traditionally relied on culture, staining, and microscopy. However, less than 1% of the microorganisms present in common environments can be cultured in isolation using current means. Microbiologists often rely on molecular biology tools such as DNA sequence based identification, for example 16s rRNA gene sequence used for bacteria identification.

Viruses have been variably classified as organisms, as they have been considered either as very simple microorganisms or very complex molecules. Prions, never considered as microorganisms, have been investigated by virologists, however, as the clinical effects traced to them were originally presumed due to chronic viral infections, and virologists took search—discovering "infectious proteins".

The existence of microorganisms was predicted many centuries before they were first observed, for example by the Jains in India and by Marcus Terentius Varro in ancient Rome. The first recorded microscope observation was of the fruiting bodies of moulds, by Robert Hooke in 1666, but the Jesuit priest Athanasius Kircher was likely the first to see microbes, which he mentioned observing in milk and putrid material in 1658. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek is considered a father of microbiology as he observed and experimented with microscopic organisms in 1676, using simple microscopes of his own design. Scientific microbiology developed in the 19th century through the work of Louis Pasteur and in medical microbiology Robert Koch.

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Matching Microbiology Colleges

Brigham Young University

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $6,120 average out-state tuition; $6,120 average in-state tuition

University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez

Four or more years; Public; $4,640 average out-state tuition; $4,640 average in-state tuition

University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo

Four or more years; Public; $4,640 average out-state tuition; $4,640 average in-state tuition

Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Four or more years; Public; $20,937 average out-state tuition; $5,417 average in-state tuition

Texas Tech University

Four or more years; Public; $21,204 average out-state tuition; $8,935 average in-state tuition

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Four or more years; Public; $37,161 average out-state tuition; $9,273 average in-state tuition

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Four or more years; Public; $28,991 average out-state tuition; $9,709 average in-state tuition

Scholarships for Microbiology Majors

Bullet name award deadline Link
 

Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Up to $30,000 Varies See Details
 

Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

award

Up to $30,000

deadline

Varies
See Details
 

Jewel Scholars Program - Mount Mary College

Mount Mary College

$27,000 Varies See Details
 

Jewel Scholars Program - Mount Mary College

Mount Mary College

award

$27,000

deadline

Varies
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Lumpkins Family Merit Scholarship in the College of Science

University of Notre Dame

$25,000 January 01, 2025 See Details
 

Lumpkins Family Merit Scholarship in the College of Science

University of Notre Dame

award

$25,000

deadline

January 01, 2025
See Details
 

Big Bang Theory Graduate Fellowship-PAID

University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA)

$20,000 May 01, 2024 See Details
 

Big Bang Theory Graduate Fellowship-PAID

University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA)

award

$20,000

deadline

May 01, 2024
See Details
 

SEI Native American Education Scholarship

Solar Energy International (SEI)

$10,000 Varies See Details
 

SEI Native American Education Scholarship

Solar Energy International (SEI)

award

$10,000

deadline

Varies
See Details
 

SEI Energy Women in Solar Scholarship

Solar Energy International (SEI)

$10,000 Varies See Details
 

SEI Energy Women in Solar Scholarship

Solar Energy International (SEI)

award

$10,000

deadline

Varies
See Details
 

EAGLES Scholarship - PSU

Portland State University

$10,000 Varies See Details
 

EAGLES Scholarship - PSU

Portland State University

award

$10,000

deadline

Varies
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Johnson & Johnson Access-Ability Lime Scholarship

Lime Connect, Inc.

$10,000 April 07, 2024 See Details
 

Johnson & Johnson Access-Ability Lime Scholarship

Lime Connect, Inc.

award

$10,000

deadline

April 07, 2024
See Details
 

Richard and Muriel Saunders Family Scholarship

Colorado Mesa University

$10,000 August 01, 2024 See Details
 

Richard and Muriel Saunders Family Scholarship

Colorado Mesa University

award

$10,000

deadline

August 01, 2024
See Details
 

Charles River Associates All-Access Scholarship

Charles River Associates

$5,000 April 22, 2024 See Details
 

Charles River Associates All-Access Scholarship

Charles River Associates

award

$5,000

deadline

April 22, 2024
See Details