Microbiology: Exploring the unseen world Microbiology represents the intersection between biochemistry, biology, and geology. Microbes cause the infectious diseases that are some of our biggest foes, yet are also our closest companions, with microbial cells outnumbering human cells in our bodies. They are the engines that drive the biosphere and shape our climate. Our department encompasses scientists studying a broad range of fields, including microbial physiology, molecular microbiology, genetics, genomics, symbiosis, pathogenesis, biotechnology, computational biology, and ecology. Graduates of our program go on to jobs in a wide variety of fields, including health care, public health, science policy, food safety, pharmaceuticals, industrial microbiology, and scientific research at academic and government institutions.