What is Molecular/Cellular Biology?
College and university programs in modern biology may be divided into two
categories: organismic biology and molecular/cellular biology. The basic
difference between these two categories is their primary level of focus. The
multicellular organism is the center of attraction in the former category,
whereas the microbiologist or cellular biologist deals with microbes
(bacteria, viruses, and fungi) or with activities within cells of
multicellular organisms. The common feature of the various types of
micro/cellular biologists is that they usually study living systems that can
only be seen with a microscope.
Microbial and cellular biologists often combine the fields of
microbiology, cell biology, genetics, chemistry, biochemistry, cellular
physiology, physics, ecology, and pathology in their day-to-day work or
experiments. Some professional microbiologists focus on findings critical to
health, agriculture and environmental sciences, while other cellular
biologists focus more on questions of how living systems perform these
functions of "life."
What Microbiologists or Cellular Biologists Do
In colleges and universities, microbial and cellular biologists may teach
courses such as medical microbiology, veterinary microbiology, environmental
microbiology, public health microbiology, immunology, virology, mycology,
microbial/cellular physiology, molecular genetics (genetic engineering),
protozoology, parasitology, food microbiology, industrial microbiology,
biotechnology and an extensive list of other courses.
In addition, they
teach students how to conduct research, and they do research in their
individual areas of expertise to expand knowledge and understanding of the
evolution and diversity of organisms and how cells perform the necessary
biological processes of life.
Many microbiologists and cellular biologists are employed by county, state
and federal agencies or in the private sector such as an animal vaccine
supply company, a clinical reference laboratory doing tests for physicians
and health departments or a pharmaceutical corporation. Many industries
require the expertise of microbiologists to ensure the safety of their
products, such as the cosmetic industry, food processors and the dairy
industry.
Today new directions for cellular biologists include the
environmental and pollution control companies and the biotechnology
industry. Biotech companies use the advances in molecular or cellular
biology to improve agricultural crops, develop new tests for disease agents,
develop new forms of drugs, or harness microbes to recycle wastes. Many of
the biotech companies utilize skills of genetic engineering to accomplish
their corporate goals. In all, careers in these fields span the gamut of
topics as diverse as the courses listed above that may be taught by a
microbial or cellular biologist.
Academic Requirements
Although there are career opportunities for microbial and cellular
biologists with the baccalaureate degrees, many professionals hold either a
masters degree or a Ph.D. For this reason it is advisable that individuals
interested in careers in microbial or cellular biology give careful
consideration to graduate study after completion of the bachelor's degree.
At Emporia State, students who plan to become microbial and cellular
biologists earn a Bachelor
of Science degree in this concentration. The major consists of a minimum
of 45 semester hours in biology plus an additional 10-20 semester hours in
chemistry. Coursework in physics and computer science is also encouraged.
All biology majors complete a common core of 21 semester hours in Principles
of Biology, Biology of Plants, Biology of Animals, Microbiology, Genetics,
and Ecology. The remaining 24 semester hours are selected from advance
courses in microbial and cellular biology.
Information from: http://www.emporia.edu/biosci/exmolcel.htm
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