A bacteriologist is a
microbiologist, or similarly trained professional, in
bacteriology Bacteriology is the branch and specialty of biology that studies the morphology, ecology, genetics and biochemistry of bacteria as well as many other aspects related to them. This subdivision of microbiology involves the identification, classificat ...
-- a subdivision of
microbiology that studies
bacteria
Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one Cell (biology), biological cell. They constitute a large domain (biology), domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometr ...
, typically
pathogenic ones. Bacteriologists are interested in studying and learning about bacteria, as well as using their skills in clinical settings. This includes investigating properties of bacteria such as
morphology
Morphology, from the Greek and meaning "study of shape", may refer to:
Disciplines
* Morphology (archaeology), study of the shapes or forms of artifacts
* Morphology (astronomy), study of the shape of astronomical objects such as nebulae, galaxies ...
, ecology, genetics and biochemistry,
phylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups ...
,
genomics and many other areas related to bacteria like
disease diagnostic testing.
Alongside human and animal
healthcare providers, they may carry out various functions as
medical scientists, veterinary scientists, or
diagnostic technicians in locations like clinics,
blood banks, hospitals, laboratories and
animal hospitals.
Bacteriologists working in public health or biomedical research help develop vaccines for public use.
Bacteriologist specializations
*
Pathology
Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...
*
Immunology
Immunology is a branch of medicineImmunology for Medical Students, Roderick Nairn, Matthew Helbert, Mosby, 2007 and biology that covers the medical study of immune systems in humans, animals, plants and sapient species. In such we can see the ...
*
Cell Biology
*
Medical Laboratory Science
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
*
Biomedical Research
*
Health Technology
Health technology is defined by the World Health Organization as the "application of organized knowledge and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures, and systems developed to solve a health problem and improve quality of liv ...
*
Veterinary Bacteriology
*
Biosecurity
Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the introduction and/or spread of harmful organisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, etc.) to animals and plants in order to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious disease. In agriculture, thes ...
*
Research
Research is " creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...
*
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population.
It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evide ...
*
Agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...
*
Food Safety
*
Bacterial Evolution and Systematics
*
Phylogenetics and Taxonomy
*
Ecology
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overl ...
Education
Because bacteriology is a
sub-field of microbiology, most careers in bacteriology require an undergraduate degree in microbiology or a closely related field.
Graduate degrees in microbiology or disciplines like it are common for bacteriologists because graduate degree programs provide more in-depth and specific education on topics related to bacteriology. They also often include research and lab experience. Graduate studies also provide opportunities for practical experience in applying bacteriological concepts to a work environment. If someone wants to pursue independent research or desires to work in a university research facility, they will have to complete a
PhD in bacteriology or a similar field.
Noted bacteriologists
File:Jan Verkolje - Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.jpg, Antonie Philips van Leeuwenhoek is commonly known as "the Father of Microbiology", and is one of the first microscopists and microbiologists. He used single-lensed microscopes of his own design to observe, experiment with, and identify the first known microbes
A microorganism, or microbe,, ''mikros'', "small") and ''organism'' from the el, ὀργανισμός, ''organismós'', "organism"). It is usually written as a single word but is sometimes hyphenated (''micro-organism''), especially in olde ...
.
File:Louis Pasteur.jpg, Famed French chemist and bacteriologist Louis Pasteur's first major work on bacterial disease prevention was with chicken cholera (''Pasteurella multocida
''Pasteurella multocida'' is a Gram-negative, nonmotile, penicillin-sensitive coccobacillus of the family Pasteurellaceae. Strains of the species are currently classified into five serogroups (A, B, D, E, F) based on capsular composition and ...
)''. This came about after he discovered chickens injected with aged chicken cholera bacteria cultures did not become ill like chickens injected with fresh cultures. This discovery later led to himself and others inventing antiseptic technique, vaccinations
Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop immunity from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism. In stimulating ...
, and germ theory.
File:WilliamWatsonCheyne.jpg, Sir William Watson Cheyne was a British surgeon and bacteriologist, who pioneered the use of antibacterial
An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention ...
surgical methods in the United Kingdom.
File:RobertKoch cropped.jpg, Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
and microbiologist who discovered the specific causative bacteria of deadly infectious diseases including tuberculosis, cholera, and anthrax. He is regarded as one of the main founders of modern bacteriology. He is also popularly nicknamed the father of microbiology alongside Pasteur
Louis Pasteur (, ; 27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization, the latter of which was named after ...
, and is called the father of medical bacteriology.
File:Synthetic Production of Penicillin TR1468.jpg, Sir Alexander Fleming
Sir Alexander Fleming (6 August 1881 – 11 March 1955) was a Scottish physician and microbiologist, best known for discovering the world's first broadly effective antibiotic substance, which he named penicillin. His discovery in 1928 of what ...
, was a Scottish bacteriologist, biologist, pharmacologist and botanist. He discovered the antibacterial enzyme lysozyme
Lysozyme (EC 3.2.1.17, muramidase, ''N''-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase; systematic name peptidoglycan ''N''-acetylmuramoylhydrolase) is an antimicrobial enzyme produced by animals that forms part of the innate immune system. It is a glycoside ...
in 1923. Later he isolated and studied the antibiotic substance penicillin from the mold Penicillium notatum
''Penicillium chrysogenum'' (formerly known as ''Penicillium notatum'') is a species of fungus in the genus ''Penicillium''. It is common in temperate and subtropical regions and can be found on salted food products, but it is mostly found in in ...
in 1928.
File:Hans Christian Gram portrait by Hansen & Weller.jpg, Hans Christian Joachim Gram was a Danish bacteriologist who developed the Gram stain
In microbiology and bacteriology, Gram stain (Gram staining or Gram's method), is a method of staining used to classify bacterial species into two large groups: gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria. The name comes from the Danish b ...
. This stain is still a standard technique to classify bacteria and make them more visible under a microscope to this day.
See also
*
Bacteriology Bacteriology is the branch and specialty of biology that studies the morphology, ecology, genetics and biochemistry of bacteria as well as many other aspects related to them. This subdivision of microbiology involves the identification, classificat ...
*
Microbiologist
*
Bacteria
Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one Cell (biology), biological cell. They constitute a large domain (biology), domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometr ...
*
Pathogenic Bacteria
*
Human Disease
References
{{Reflist
Science occupations
Microbiologists