Microbiology

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, protists) and noncellular microscopic agents (viruses, viroids, and prions). Microbiologists study not only the cell and molecular biology of microbes, but also their interactions with other organisms, ecosystems, and habitats. While we most often think of microbes as agents of disease, we now know that by far most species of microbes are not pathogens.

Microbes are glorious players in the biosphere and are fundamental to everything else that goes on in the living world. They are the world’s most talented chemists. Microbes can bring down civilizations, alter the course of world wars, change the weather, spawn multibillion dollar health and hygiene industries, and cause little girls to run from Georgie-Porgie Puddin’ & Pie screaming, “Cooties!”

Microbes contribute to the art of fine dining producing delicacies such as sausage, artisan cheeses, yogurt, chocolate, sour cream, fine wines, and microbrews. Microbes contribute to intestinal health, paint desert landscapes, clean up the most contaminated of soils, mitigate damage from oil spills, control pests in agricultural crops, and reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Microbes serve as remarkable experimental models helping us to decipher the complexities of life at the atomic, molecular, and cellular levels of organization.

TCC offers courses that cover the first two years of a typical four-year college microbiology program (college-level courses) as well as courses to develop skills needed for college-level courses.