研究领域包括遗传学，生理学，生物化学，分子生物学，系统和环境微生物学，微生物生态学和病毒学。该领域使用的大多数实验室都是最近建造或翻新的，并且在微生物学和分子生物学的各个方面都有广泛的仪器可用于工作。博士学位需要一学期的教学。学位候选人。康奈尔大学微生物学的研究生领域是该国为数不多的研究生课程之一，在该课程中，人们非常重视原核生物生物学，细菌和古细菌的基本特性研究。这包括对原核生理学，遗传学和生态学的研究。了解原核生物和其他微生物的多样性和独特方面对于农业，生物技术，医学和环境科学的未来发展至关重要。
Research areas include genetics, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, systematic and environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, and virology. Most of the laboratories used by the field have been recently built or renovated, and a broad range of instrumentation is available for work in all aspects of microbiology and molecular biology. One semester of teaching is required for Ph.D. degree candidates. The Graduate Field of Microbiology at Cornell is one of the few graduate programs in the country in which there is a strong emphasis on prokaryote biology, the study of the fundamental properties of Bacteria and Archaea. This includes the study of prokaryotic physiology, genetics, and ecology. Understanding the diversity and unique aspects of prokaryotes and other microorganisms is crucial for future progress in agriculture, biotechnology, medicine, and environmental sciences.