微生物学的相关性比以往任何时候都更加明显。从致命的传染病的出现到全球气候变化，再到生物技术的发展，再到生物恐怖主义的威胁，微生物对我们生存的影响是惊人的。微生物至少占地球生物量的60％，调节着维持地球生命的土壤养分和大气气体的循环。微生物自然地产生或可以被工程化以产生人类日常所依赖的许多化学物质，酶和抗生素。它们有助于人体消化，并为人体提供有益和有害的作用，并为感染提供了屏障，也使宿主防御系统无法产生疾病。在21世纪，微生物学的职业机会很多。选择微生物学作为您的专业是起点。
The relevance of microbiology is more obvious than ever before. From the emergence of deadly infectious diseases, to global climate change, to advances in biotechnology, to threats of bioterrorism, the impact of microorganisms on our very existence is stunning. Microorganisms constitute at least 60% of the earth's biomass, regulating the cycling of soil nutrients and atmospheric gases that sustain life on the planet. Microorganisms naturally produce or can be engineered to produce many of the chemicals, enzymes, and antibiotics that humans rely upon daily. They provide both beneficial and detrimental effects to the human body as they aid in digestion and provide a barrier to infection or overwhelm host defenses to produce disease. In the 21st century opportunities for careers in microbiology are abundant. Choosing microbiology as your major is the place to start.