Microbiology is the study of organisms that, in general, are too small to be seen by the unaided human eye. Such organisms include protozoa, algae, fungi, lichens, bacteria and viruses.
Microbiology is one of the most important and exciting of the biological sciences.
Not only is it a basic biological science, which has provided us with much of our understanding of the chemical and physical principles behind living processes, but it is also an applied biological science, dealing with aspects of medicine, agriculture, biotechnology, food technology and pollution control. Employment opportunities for micro-biologists are very diverse. Many start their careers in the fields of medical and public health microbiology in hospitals, private pathology laboratories, and government health services. Others have found employment as technical representatives for laboratory supply houses, in the pharmaceutical industry, in sterility testing and quality control, and in the wine, brewing and dairy industries. In recent years employment opportunities in environmental microbiology have also been increasing.