BIO 200 Project Presentation, Spring 2014

Microbiology BIO 311 Anton Van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) Anton Van Leeuwenhoek Anton Van Leeuwenhoek’s drawings Francesco Redi (1626 – 1697) Francesco Redi’s Experiment John Needham (1713 – 1781) and Lazaro Spalanzani (1729 – 1799) John Needham’s response to Lazaro Spalanzani’s experiment Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) Louis Pasteur’s Experiment Robert Koch (1843-1910) Robert Koch's Other Contributions to Science  Robert Koch's scientific achievements are indeed impressive and multifaceted, ranging from basic discoveries of bacteria as infectious agents, to revealing the role of bacteria in infectious disease and the possible impact on public health. Listed below are some of Koch's major scientific accomplishments:  He showed in a convincing way that microorganisms cause disease in humans. He established Koch's Postulates.  Koch developed a technique for isolating bacteria on a culture plate. This "Plate Technique" not only created the foundation for bacteriological research, but became indispensable for the study of bacterial genetics.  He made the first photomicrographs of bacteria. Koch was the first to discover and describe the importance of drying ("fixing") a bacteria-containing sample on thin glass plates (slides). Robert Koch's Other Contributions to Science  He discovered and worked out the life cycle of anthrax bacteria, and showed the importance of spores for their survival.  Koch discovered the staphylococcus, a major disease- causing bacterium in wound infections. He isolated and identified the bacterium that causes cholera, Vibrio cholerae.  Koch was instrumental in the development of essential procedures and methods for disinfection and sterilization.  Koch was the first to observe that healthy human beings could be carriers of disease-causing bacteria, and hence responsible for the spread of infectious disease. The Germ Theory of Disease Microbiology - Disciplines Microbiology covers several disciplines, including: - Virology (study of viruses) - Bacteriology (study of bacteria) - Mycology (study of fungi), and - Parasitology (study of parasites). Each of these disciplines may include but is not limited to studies of infectious disease-causing microorganisms. Specialties within Microbiology Specialties within microbiology may include: - microbial physiology (i.e., microbial growth, metabolism, structure), - microbial genetics and evolution, - environmental microbiology (i.e., microbial ecology), - industrial microbiology (i.e., industrial fermentation, wastewater treatment), Specialties within Microbiology - food microbiology (i.e., use of microbes for food production, fermentation). - Medical microbiology (i.e., study of diseases caused by infectious microorganisms and their treatment) - Pharmaceutical microbiology (i.e., use of microbes for production of Pharmaceutical products) - Public Health microbiology (i.e., study of methods for prevention of microbial exposure and infection)