Department of Microbiology

Microbiology has become an integral part of multidisciplinary research in life sciences, especially with the advent of the genomics era which has led to a more comprehensive study of the various molecular processes in microorganisms as well as micro-macroorganism interactions that impact health, environment, and disease. In the past, microorganisms that were culpable as villains, have garnered important and beneficial roles in the environment, food, agriculture, veterinary, systematics, bioremediation, industrial, medical, and pharmaceutical thus, leading to the emergence of the term ‘Applied Microbiology’. Additionally, the discovery of new species, the introduction of non-native genes for acquiring new expression products or functional traits, and the selection and improvement of known strains have led to the evolution of microbiology. In the market analysis, applied microbiology was valued at around 24.3 billion USD in 2017 and is expected to exceed 675.2 billion USD by 2024 emphasizing the importance of this branch of life sciences.

Our understanding of microbial diversity, evolutionary biology, and microbial interaction with their animal and plant hosts at the molecular level has been revolutionized with an abundance of new research. Advancements in technology have led to the application of microbes for the removal of pollutants, the recovery of metals and oils, microbial biosynthesis of value-added compounds in the food industry, and the detection and exploitation of microorganisms in the diagnosis of human diseases, providing possible holistic approaches to health. The field of clinical microbiology is rapidly evolving with the emergence of new technologies, the discovery of new pathogens, and the rapid evolution of antimicrobial resistance.