Welcome to the Microbial Biology Major!Undergraduate Program in Microbial BiologyMicrobial biology is a pivotal field of study because microbes are the dominant life form and represent the overwhelming majority of the biomass on the planet. Due to the renewed appreciation of the relevance of microbes to all life, there is an increasing demand in government and industry for employees with knowledge and skills related to microbial biology. The design on the Microbial Biology major home page represents the Tree of Life, as revealed by the relatedness of ribosomal RNA sequences of organisms on earth. Except for the three terminal "whiskers" of the Eucarya domain (Coprinus, Homo and Zea), all remaining organisms are microbes. Microbes have fundamental roles in maintaining the health of the biosphere: they degrade environmental pollutants; they supply essential nutrients and chemicals directly to multicellular organisms and they engage in numerous beneficial symbioses with higher organisms. Microbes play other roles, too: infectious diseases regulate populations of plant and animals, and outbreaks recur in human societies on a global scale. The Microbial Biology (MB) major is designed for students interested in competing for research positions in government, industry and academia; for pre-med and pre-vet students, for students interested in biology in general, and for students interested in pursuing post-graduate education in biology. The major would be especially useful for those interested in teaching biology at the secondary school level. The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology welcomes every prospective student to a broad interdisciplinary training to prepare them for professional careers opportunities in the academic, public or commercial sectors. |
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