Career In Microbiology

Microbiology has generated a lot of buzz from the past few years leading to a rush in the number of students who are looking to pursue this field as a career.

“Microbiology is the study of micro-organisms.”

Microorganisms – are those organisms which are very small can’t be seen with the naked eyes like bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Is simple words, microbiology is a broad discipline of biology which works with the function, structure, uses, and the existence of the microscopic organism.

You can also see the example of bacteria in “Yogurt”. Bacterial cell helps the milk to change into yogurt using fermentation process.

Microbiology overlaps various other degree areas of biology like molecular biology, genetics & immunology.

The scope of Microbiology is huge because of the involvement of microbiology in various fields such as Pharmacy, Medicine, clinical research, agriculture, dairy industry, water industry, nanotechnology & chemical technology.

Who are Microbiologists?

A person who specializes in this field is called as “Microbiologists”.

Microbiologists are the scientists, those study organisms & infectious agents which cannot be seen with the unprotected eye.

They study the interactions of microorganisms with other organisms & humans, which exist & affect our lives.

The role of Microbiologists is to ensure our food is safe or not, developing green technologies, treating and preventing disease or tracking the role of microbes in the climate change.

Microbiologists work in many different job areas, in a variety of different job roles. Microbiologists can make careers in research and non-research fields.

How did it all begin?

A famous German biologist “Louis Pasteur” is one of the founders of microbiology. He performed various tests to discover why wine and dairy products become sour.

Courses & Duration

Also Check: Courses After 12th

Thinking about to pursue courses in this field?

Many bachelors, masters and Ph.D. courses are available to pursue in this field. Students can start the courses from bachelor level to doctoral courses. Here are some most sought courses in this field:

Bachelor Courses:

Below is the list of courses that one can pursue in the field of microbiology. The duration of these courses is three years.

• Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
• Bachelor of Science in Applied Microbiology
• Bachelor of Science in Industrial Microbiology
• Bachelor of Science in Food Technology
• Bachelor of Science in Clinical Microbiology

Master Courses:

The master courses in this field are of two years:

• Master of Science in Microbiology
• Master of Science in Applied Microbiology
• Master of Science in Medical Microbiology
• Master of Science in Microbial Genetics and Bioinformatics

Specializations in Microbiology

• Agricultural Microbiology
• Industrial Microbiology
• Evolutionary Microbiology
• Nano Microbiology
• Cellular Microbiology
• Soil Microbiology
• Veterinary Microbiology
• Generation Microbiology
• Microbial
• Water Microbiology
• Pharmaceutical Microbiology
• Microbial Genetics
• Environmental Microbiology

Also Check – Courses After 12th Science

Eligibility & Admission

You can take admission in bachelor courses after passing your 12^th class with PCB subjects. Some colleges consider 50% marks in PCB subjects.

Microbiology deals with microbes whose adaptability allows them to be used in fields as diverse as the development of life-saving medicines, production of biofuels, clean-up of pollutants, and production and processing of food and beverages.

For admission to PG courses, it is necessary to hold a bachelors degree (B.Sc.) in the related field. Some universities organize their own entrance exams for screening candidates for admissions. Candidates can appear in INI CET 2024, INI SS 2024, NEET PG 2024, AIIMS PG 2024 and JIPMER PG 2024 for microbiology courses.

Best colleges to pursue Microbiology are:

• Amity University
• Bharath University, Chennai
• Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya
• Jiwaji University, Faculty of Sciences & Faculty of Life Sciences
• Delhi University
• Christian Medical College, Vellore

Skills Required for a Microbiologist:

• Clear and logical thinking
• Good problem-solving skills
• Team leadership ability
• Good writing and communication skills
• Excellent level of accuracy
• Ability to work with statistics and relevant computer packages.

Career Scope

“Job outlook for Microbiologist is positive.”

At present, the scientific, analytical and problem-solving skills developed by microbiology graduates are high in demand by employers.

There are various options available to you after studying for a Microbiology degree.

You can choose to stay in education & do a master degree or Ph.D. in microbiology.  Whether you can decide to enter the job market after graduation degree.

You can work in both governments as well as in private sectors. Microbiologists are mostly demanded in the UK, US, France, Australia, and Germany.

With a degree in microbiology, you can get opportunities in various fields like healthcare organizations, forensic science laboratories, environmental organizations, higher education institutions, food and drink, publicly funded research organizations, pharmaceuticals and many other industries.

In the medicine and healthcare field, your work is usually associated with prevention & treatment of illnesses linked with microbes.

Various universities & Institutions employ microbiologists as teachers & researchers.

Job Profiles:

• Research Assistant
• Food, Industrial or Environmental Microbiologists
• Quality Assurance Technologists
• Sales or Technical Representative
• Clinical and Veterinary Microbiologists
• Medical Technologists
• Biomedical Scientist
• Clinical Research Associate
• Microbiologist
• Pharmacologist
• Food Technologist
• Scientific Laboratory Technician
• Physician Associate
• Research Scientist (life sciences)

Employment Areas:

• Pharmaceutical Industries
• Universities
• Laboratories
• Private Hospitals
• Research Organizations
• Environmental Agencies
• Food Industry
• Beverage Industry
• Chemical Industries
• Agriculture Department

Top recruiter of Microbiology graduates are:

• Mascot International
• Siron Technology Pvt. Ltd.
• Alpha Pharma Healthcare India Private Limited
• Krauter Healthcare Limited
• The Indian Hotels Company Limited
• Lakshmi Life Sciences Ltd.

Salary

How much a Microbiology degree holder earns?

In India, the average salary of a Microbiologist is between 2 to 3 lakhs per year.

If you are working with the government or private organizations, you will get handsome salary along with the perks & other benefits.

An experienced Microbiologist with masters or Ph.D. degree can get a very good salary package in both sectors.

Salary will also depend on several factors like organization, sector, job profile, location, etc. Experience matters a lot in this field. Work experience helps you to give an opportunity to find out a particular job which suited to you. In this field higher salary package offered to experienced microbiologist.

Books & Study Materials

Here we have listed some of the best books to study microbiology:

Microbiology: An Introduction, 12th Edition by Gerard J. Tortora, Berdell

Brock Biology of Microorganisms by Michael T. Madigan, John M. Martinko

Foundations in Microbiology by Kathleen Park Talaro

Garden of microbial delights by Dorion Sagan

Jawetz Melnick & Adelbergs Medical Microbiology by Geo. Brooks, Karen C. Carroll

For more information regarding Microbiology, ask your queries below.