Microbiology is the branch of biology dealing with the study of organisms, which are ordinarily too small to be seen by naked eye, i.e. microscopic in size. It includes four major type of microorganisms, namely bacteria, viruses, fungi & parasites and accordingly there are four divisions of Micro-biology, i.e., bacteriology, virology, mycology & parasitology respectively.

Scope of Microbiology Microorganisms are closely associated with human life and have a wide application in different areas related to mankind. According to the widely accepted theory of origin of life, tiny microbes were first to be evolved. They play significant role in the processing and spoilage of foods (food microbiology); manufacturing of antibiotics and drugs (pharmaceutical microbiology), causing of infections, diseases in human beings (medical microbiology), animals (veterinary microbiology) and plant pathology, maintaining soil fertility (soil microbiology); manufacturing of different products like chemicals, eatables, beverages etc. at a large scale (industrial microbiology) and contamination remediation of the environment (environmental microbiology). Microbes play a pivotal role in genetic engineering and biotechnology. Also, bacteria have been used in space research. Besides, pathogenic microbes/microbial can also be used in the biological warfare.

Job Prospects and Career Options Microbiologist have a wide range of careers as teachers, researchers and administrators in academic institutions, research laboratories and industries dealing with food pharmaceutical and biological products Medical microbiology is the study of microorganisms causing diseases in humans. Modern medicine relies on the control of microorganisms to maintain human health and quality of life. The divisions of medical microbiology include bacteriology, the study of bacteria that inhabit and/or colonize the human body and cause diseases; mycology, the study of fungi as causative agents of human diseases; parasitology, the formal study of the human parasitic organisms (protozoans, helminths, nematodes, trematodes and arthropods); virology, the study of viruses that cause infectious syndromes in humans; and immunology, the study of resistance against infectious diseases and immunization to prevent infectious diseases.