Department of Microbiology

Welcome to the Department of Microbiology

By using links on our web pages, you will find information about the field of Microbiology, receive information on educational programs, research seminars and symposia, learn about our faculty and research enterprises, find out about the history of Microbiology at the University of Chicago, assess job postings, view funding opportunities, retrieve contact information and meet the people of the Department of Microbiology. We hope you will enjoy your stay!

What is Microbiology?

Microbiology is the scientific discipline that examines microbes and microbial diseases. Microbes, extremely small organisms that require microscopic tools for visualization, encompass bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. The discoveries of these organisms at the beginning of the 20th century and the identification of microbes as the causative agents of human, animal and plant diseases led to a revolution that now represents modern medicine and the very broad aspects of biological sciences. Antimicrobial therapies, vaccines, hygiene and antiseptic techniques can be viewed as intellectual achievements that are the foundation of the current medical revolution. Apart from the contributions of Microbiology to human health, the foundations of modern molecular biology and genetics rest on research carried out on microbes. Basic research in Microbiology underlies the efforts to eradicate important pathogens from human populations and at the same time serves as the basis for the gene therapy of the future.

Intellectual Frontiers and Opportunities in Microbiology

In the new millennium, Microbiological sciences face extraordinary challenges and opportunities. On one hand existing therapies against bacterial and parasitic infections face major challenges because the rapid evolution of genes conferring resistance to common pathogens (e.g. staphylococci, streptococci, mycobacteria, salmonella, malaria, etc) has virtually depleted the armamentarium of effective treatments for life-threatening infections with these agents. Human immunodeficiency virus continues to pose a major world-wide problem. Ever expanding human incursions into animal habitats has led to the introduction of hitherto unknown agents of human diseases such as hemorrhagic fever viruses, West Nile virus, and SARS.

The foundation of a new endeavor, gene therapy, is also rooted in Microbiological sciences. The flip side is that the threat of bioterrorism and emerging infections has led to a national reassessment of priorities and the allocation of unprecedented resources to bolster research in Microbiology. These resources support both research and construction of specialized facilities to foster research that was hitherto possible in very few laboratories in the world. Concurrent with these developments are opportunities to train scientists to fill the wide demand for outstanding young scientists in these fields as well as the recruitment of outstanding faculty.

We at the University of Chicago invite you to work with us to answer these questions and solve these problems! Thank you for your visit.

Sincerely yours,

Olaf Schneewind
Chairman