6/17/2020 Microbiology - Wikipedia

contemporaries of Cohn, and are often considered to be the fathers

of microbiology[21] and medical microbiology, respectively.[23]
Pasteur is most famous for his series of experiments designed to
disprove the then widely held theory of spontaneous generation,
thereby solidifying microbiology's identity as a biological science.[24]
One of his students, Adrien Certes, is considered the founder of
marine microbiology.[25] Pasteur also designed methods for food
preservation (pasteurization) and vaccines against several diseases
such as anthrax, fowl cholera and rabies.[2] Koch is best known for Van Leeuwenhoek's microscopes by
his contributions to the germ theory of disease, proving that specific Henry Baker[17]
diseases were caused by specific pathogenic microorganisms. He
developed a series of criteria
that have become known as the Koch's
postulates. Koch was one of the first
scientists to focus on the isolation of
bacteria in pure culture resulting in his
description of several novel bacteria
including Mycobacterium tuberculosis,
the causative agent of tuberculosis.[2]

While Pasteur and Koch are often

considered the founders of
microbiology, their work did not
accurately reflect the true diversity of
the microbial world because of their
exclusive focus on microorganisms Martinus Beijerinck, the
having direct medical relevance. It was founding father of the Delft
Innovative laboratory glassware and not until the late 19th century and the School of Microbiology, in
experimental methods developed by work of Martinus Beijerinck and Sergei his laboratory. Beijerinck is
Louis Pasteur and other biologists Winogradsky that the true breadth of often considered as a
contributed to the young field of microbiology was revealed.[2] founder of virology,
bacteriology in the late 19th century.
Beijerinck made two major environmental microbiology,
contributions to microbiology: the and industrial
discovery of viruses and the microbiology.[18]
development of enrichment culture techniques.[26] While his work on the
tobacco mosaic virus established the basic principles of virology, it was his
development of enrichment culturing that had the most immediate impact on microbiology by allowing
for the cultivation of a wide range of microbes with wildly different physiologies. Winogradsky was the
first to develop the concept of chemolithotrophy and to thereby reveal the essential role played by
microorganisms in geochemical processes.[27] He was responsible for the first isolation and description
of both nitrifying and nitrogen-fixing bacteria.[2] French-Canadian microbiologist Felix d'Herelle co-
discovered bacteriophages in 1917 and was one of the earliest applied microbiologists.[28]

Joseph Lister was the first to use phenol disinfectant on the open wounds of patients.[29]

Branches
The branches of microbiology can be classified into applied sciences, or divided according to taxonomy,
as is the case with bacteriology, mycology, protozoology, virology and phycology. There is considerable
overlap between the specific branches of microbiology with each other and with other disciplines, and
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