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

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Four or more years; Public; $26,660 average out-state tuition; $9,152 average in-state tuition

University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez

Four or more years; Public; $3,960 average out-state tuition; $1,938 average in-state tuition

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Four or more years; Public; $34,473 average out-state tuition; $9,909 average in-state tuition

University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo

Four or more years; Public; $3,960 average out-state tuition; $1,938 average in-state tuition

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Four or more years; Public; $33,523 average out-state tuition; $9,273 average in-state tuition

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Four or more years; Public; $33,096 average out-state tuition; $15,030 average in-state tuition

Oregon State University

Four or more years; Public; $27,735 average out-state tuition; $9,075 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

$26,000 Varies See Details
 

Jewel Scholars Program - Mount Mary College

Mount Mary College

award

$26,000

deadline

Varies
See Details
 

Lumpkins Family Merit Scholarship in the College of Science

University of Notre Dame

$25,000 January 01, 2024 See Details
 

Lumpkins Family Merit Scholarship in the College of Science

University of Notre Dame

award

$25,000

deadline

January 01, 2024
See Details
 

Quantitative Biology Research Community (QBReC) Fellowship

Brandeis University

Up to $20,500 January 01, 2024 See Details
 

Quantitative Biology Research Community (QBReC) Fellowship

Brandeis University

award

Up to $20,500

deadline

January 01, 2024
See Details
 

Science Post Graduate Scholarship Fund

Native Forward Scholars Fund

Up to $30,000 June 01, 2023 See Details
 

Science Post Graduate Scholarship Fund

Native Forward Scholars Fund

award

Up to $30,000

deadline

June 01, 2023
See Details
 

UCF Astronaut Scholarship

University of Central Florida (UCF)

Up to $15,000 May 31, 2023 See Details
 

UCF Astronaut Scholarship

University of Central Florida (UCF)

award

Up to $15,000

deadline

May 31, 2023
See Details
 

Alice P. Gast STEM Scholarship

Lehigh University

$12,500 January 15, 2024 See Details
 

Alice P. Gast STEM Scholarship

Lehigh University

award

$12,500

deadline

January 15, 2024
See Details
 

FIRST Scholarship - Bay Atlantic University

FIRST

$11,000 August 15, 2023 See Details
 

FIRST Scholarship - Bay Atlantic University

FIRST

award

$11,000

deadline

August 15, 2023
See Details
 

SOLV Energy Women in Solar Scholarship

Solar Energy International (SEI)

$10,000 Varies See Details
 

SOLV Energy Women in Solar Scholarship

Solar Energy International (SEI)

award

$10,000

deadline

Varies
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Joseph P. and Helen T. Cribbins Scholarship

Association of the United States Army

$10,000 May 31, 2023 See Details
 

Joseph P. and Helen T. Cribbins Scholarship

Association of the United States Army

award

$10,000

deadline

May 31, 2023
See Details