Microbiology focus is now available for aspiring biology majors – UAA Northern Light

Photo credit: Jian Bautista

For many biology majors, a microbiology focus is not only beneficial, but recommended. Due to the high demand for microbiology in various biological fields, being educated in the subject will allow more opportunities for jobs around the globe.

Most states already have some sort of a microbiology program. Microbes are intricately involved in our own lives: how we digest food, theres research coming out about our own moods, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance in the medical field, to some of the stuff I do out in the environment, Brandon Briggs, assistant professor for the biology department at UAA, said.

The need for microbiology in various fields is growing, the desire for a course in microbiology is becoming more and more of a necessity.

[Microbes] really affect every aspect of our lives, Khrys Duddleston, professor in the biology department, said. A lot of what we learned, especially early on about genetics, we learned by studying bacteria. Because microorganisms are so easy to grow in the lab many of them are, I should say so you can grow them overnight, generate a lot of cells, you can carry out a variety of studies in which you can mutate their genomes.

Despite the importance, Alaska is the last state to receive a microbiology course.

We have a lower population in the state compared to others, we dont have nearly as many universities as other states do, Duddleston said. As a consequence of that, I dont think its too surprising then that we were the last state.

Though the end goal is for UAAs microbiology course to be a degree, it is still only a focus and will be available starting in the fall semester of 2017. Additional information has not yet been posted on the University Catalog.

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Microbiology focus is now available for aspiring biology majors - UAA Northern Light