Microbiology
Microbiology, the branch of biology concerned with microorganisms—including viruses, bacteria, protozoans, and certain algae and fungi. The microbiologist studies the structure and physiology of microorganisms and the effects they have on their environment. Microbiologists play a major role in medicine, public health, the food and drug industries, and agriculture.
There are various branches of microbiology, each devoted to the specialized study of certain groups of microbes. These sciences include phycology (the study of algae), bacteriology (bacteria), mycology (fungi), protozoology (protozoans), and virology (viruses).