The History of Microbiology
What is microbiology and how has this science come to be a specialized part of biology?
•Microbiology as a Science
• Organisms of study: bacteria, fungi, protozoans, algae, helminths, viruses
•The Discovery of Cells
• Anton Leeuwenhoek and Robert Hooke
• The Cell Theory
•Schleiden, Schwann and Virchow
•The Debate over Spontaneous Generation
• Francesco Redi and rotten meat (1668)
• Lazarro Spallazani and chicken broth (1765)
• Pasteur and swan-necked flasks (1861)
• Tyndall and Sterility
•The Golden Age of Microbiology (1857-1914)
• Fermentation and Pasteurization
• Germ Theory of Disease (Koch)
• Vaccines (Edward Jenner)
•Developments in the 20th Century
•Salvarsan for syphilis, sulfa drugs
•Antibiotics (penicillin in 1928 by Fleming)
•Discovery of viruses
•Molecular biology and DNA technology
• Microbes in the Environment; Bioremediation
•Sub-disciplines of microbiology
The study of microbiology came into being with the discovery of cells and disproving spontaneous generation.
Microorganisms in our lives
Food and Chemical Production
Decomposition & Spoilage
Learning about life
Disease
Leading Causes of Death in 1998*
United States
1. Heart disease
2. Stroke
3. Cancer
4. Resp. infections
5. Accidents
6. Diabetes
7. Suicide
8. Liver disease
Africa
1. AIDS/HIV
2. Resp. infections
3. Diarrheal diseases
4. Perinatal conditions
5. Strokes
6. Heart disease
7. Accidents
Southeast Asia
1. Heart disease
2. Resp. infections
3. Diarrheal diseases
4. Stroke
5. Perinatal conditions
6. Tuberculosis
7. AIDS/HIV
*Infectious diseases caused by microbes are highlighted in red
Three Domain System of Classification
Bacteria
Eucarya
Soil bacteria
Water bacteria
Disease bacteria
Photosynthetic bacteria
“Extreme” bacteria
that live in high
salt, hot water,
acid, or alkali
(unusual “bacteria”)
All living things
Plants Animals
Fungi Protists
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632-17330
Leeuwenhoek’s microscope
Leeuwenhoek discovers “animalcules” in 1670
Robert Hooke’s microscope and light source
Robert Hooke discovers “boxes” in cork
Spontaneous generation: Francisco Redi’s experiments in 1668
Maggots develop spontaneously on meat?
Box uncovered
Box covered with cheesecloth
Disproving Spontaneous Generation: Lazzaro Spallanzani ~1750
Microbes develop spontaneously in chicken broth?
Chicken broth
Sealed in flask
Boiled
No growth
Pasteur disproves spontaneous generation conclusively in 1861
Pasteur’s Swan-necked flask experiment
Tyndall (1820-1893) Showed That Some Infusions Had to Be
Boiled Longer than in Pasteur’s Experiments
Tyndall’s apparatus showing that air without
dust grows no microbes.
Cell Theory
Developed by Virchow, Schleiden, Schwann and Pasteur
1. All living things are made of one or more cells
2. All existing cells arise from pre-existing cells (biogenesis)
Semmelweis introduces hand-washing to reduce puerperal fever in 1840
Pasteur describes fermentation and invents pasteurization in 1864
Lister uses phenol as an antiseptic to control infections in 1860
Germs Cause Disease: Koch’s Postulates to prove causation
Jenner demonstrates effectiveness of vaccination with cowpox in 1796
Paul Ehrlich discovers first chemotherapeutic agent (salvarsan) in 1910
Alexander Fleming discovers first antibiotic in 1928
James Watson and Francis Crick work out DNA structure in 1952
DNA technology: food, medicines, environmental cleanup
Microbial Ecology
How do microbes grow in nature? How does this information pertain to controlling
or fostering growth?
Biofilm growing on a medical implant
Bioremediation
How can we utilize the abilities of microbes in cleaning up our messes?
Modern Branches of Microbiology
Bacteriology
Bacteria
Virology
Viruses
Protozoans & animal
parasitic worms
Rabies virus
Staph. aureus
Immunology
Parasitology
Epidemiology
Disease transmission
Resistance to disease
Trypanosoma
Mycology
Fungal diseases
Macrophage
Ebola Virus
Aspergillis
The History of Microbiology
What is microbiology and how has this science come to be a specialized part of biology?
•Microbiology as a Science
• Organisms of study: bacteria, fungi, protozoans, algae, helminths, viruses
•The Discovery of Cells
• Anton Leeuwenhoek and Robert Hooke
• The Cell Theory
•Schleiden, Schwann and Virchow
•The Debate over Spontaneous Generation
• Francesco Redi and rotten meat (1668)
• Lazarro Spallazani and chicken broth (1765)
• Pasteur and swan-necked flasks (1861)
• Tyndall and Sterility
•The Golden Age of Microbiology (1857-1914)
• Fermentation and Pasteurization
• Germ Theory of Disease (Koch)
• Vaccines (Edward Jenner)
•Developments in the 20th Century
•Salvarsan for syphilis, sulfa drugs
•Antibiotics (penicillin in 1928 by Fleming)
•Discovery of viruses
•Molecular biology and DNA technology
• Microbes in the Environment; Bioremediation
•Sub-disciplines of microbiology
The study of microbiology came into being with the discovery of cells and disproving spontaneous generation.