pure branches of microbiology
Bacteriology: the study of bacteria
Mycology: the study of fungi
Protozoology: the study of protozoa
Phycology/algology: the study of algae
Parasitology: the study of parasites
Immunology: the study of the immune system
Virology: the study of viruses
Nematology: the study of nematodes
Microbial cytology: the study of microscopic and submicroscopic details of microorganisms
Microbial physiology: the study of how the microbial cell functions biochemically. Includes the study of microbial growth, microbial metabolism and microbial cell structure
Microbial ecology: the relationship between microorganisms and their environment
Microbial genetics: the study of how genes are organized and regulated in microbes in relation to their cellular functions Closely related to the field of molecular biology
Cellular microbiology: a discipline bridging microbiology and cell biology
Evolutionary microbiology: the study of the evolution of microbes. This field can be subdivided into:
Microbial taxonomy: the naming and classification of microorganisms
Microbial systematic: the study of the diversity and genetic relationship of microorganisms
Generation microbiology: the study of those microorganisms that have the same characters as their parents
Systems microbiology: a discipline bridging systems biology and microbiology
Molecular microbiology: the study of the molecular principles of the physiological processes in microorganisms