Microbiology is a burgeoning field, and microbiologists can earn upwards of £30,000 a year (depending on the nature of the role and the candidate's qualifications / experience level).
But what exactly does a microbiologist do? In order to answer that, let's start with a more basic question...
What is Microbiology?
Moicrobiology is the study of microscopic organisms (microorganisms) such as bacteria and viruses. There are many different branches of microbiology, including:
- Bacteriology (the study of bacteria)
- Virology (the study of viruses)
- Mycology (the study of fungi)
- Phycology (the study of algae)
Generally speaking, the term 'microbiology' can be applied to the study of any living organism that is too small to been with the naked eye.
So that's a rough overview of what microbiology is - now, let's return to our original question. What does a microbiologist do on an average working day?
Microbiologist Job Description
Microbiologists typically work within the medical and life science industries, but can be found in a variety of other sectors too. A degree in Microbiology or a closely-related discipline (e.g. Biomedical Science) tends to be the minimum requirement to enter this line of work, although this may not be mandatory for some junior positions.
As a microbiologist, you'll be spending most of your time in a laboratory, studying microorganisms with the aid of a microscope. If you find yourself working within the healthcare sector, you will most likely be working to understand and prevent different types of infection; elsewhere, you might be required to develop enzyme indicators or analyse biological samples.
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