Apr
16
An Up Rate for a Microbiology Education Proposed
April 16, 2014 | Leave a Comment
Microbes can be highly efficient, versatile and sophisticated manufacturing tools, and have the potential to form the basis of a vibrant economic sector. The report is based on the deliberations of experts who were gathered by the American Academy of Microbiology to discuss the potential contributions of a microbe-powered industry and the human elements needed for this emerging sector to thrive. It can be found online at: http://academy.asm.org/images/stories/documents/MicrobePoweredJobs.pdf. However the contents of the report reflect the discussions of the colloquium and are not intended to reflect official positions of the American Academy of Microbiology or the American Society for Microbiology.
In making a basis for the report Doran-Peterson said, “Industrial microbiology is experiencing a Renaissance; microorganisms make products ranging from the tightly regulated pharmaceuticals industry to large-scale production of commodity chemicals and biofuels. Educating and training the next generation of employees for these rapidly expanding industries is critically important to their survival.”
Bacterial Genomes Sequenced vs Species. Click image for the largest view.
For thousands of years humans have harnessed the power of microbes to make products such as bread, cheese, beer and wine. In the early 20th century scientists discovered how to use mold to produce antibiotics. It has only been in the past few decades, with the advent of DNA-based technologies, that our understanding of the vast diversity of microbial capabilities has exploded.
“If there is a chemical you want to break down, there is probably a microbe that can do it. If there is a compound you wish to synthesize, a microbe can probably help,” says the report, entitled Microbe-Powered Jobs: How Microbiologists Can Help Build the Bioeconomy. The report provides a litany of examples of potential biological products including bioenergy, biofuels, environmentally friendly industrial chemicals, and bioenzymes (the production of which already fuels a nearly $4 billion market).
To take full advantage of the potential the bioeconomy offers, the report suggests academia needs to re-think and take a broader approach to teaching microbiology at the undergraduate level. According to the report, the future growth of a microbial-based industry sector depends on two crucial elements: expansion of the fundamental understanding of microbiology and translation of that understanding into viable products.
Current microbiology education primarily trains scientists with an eye toward academic research, which is what is needed to continue the expansion of knowledge. Most undergraduates that take microbiology, though, have an eye on a medical career, so many undergraduate microbiology curricula focus on the biomedical aspects of microbiology, according to the report.
Here is the point that could raise cheers among employers and entrepreneurs. The report said, “One can imagine that instead of the current situation where pre-medicine is virtually the only undergraduate program with a microbiology component, there could be a series of majors with microbiology at their cores.”
One specific major, which the report outlines, could be an industrial microbiology track, with a focus towards translation. Not only would it emphasize microbiology, but it would also include quantitative skills important for success in industry. This type of curriculum could also be made available to engineering students in the form of a bioengineering track.
In addition to the traditional degree programs, the report also recommends other formats be used to teach specialized skills or offer intensive introductions to new fields of study.
The report might seem to be an appeal to department chairs and curriculum designers to build out majors for students, and it is. But the report is much more, offering a wealth of information in narrative and graphics that make the case that we are overlooking an enormous opportunity.
The American Academy of Microbiology has a self interest, obviously. But for improving the future consumers, businesses and academics could do well to take notice of the points raised in the report.
For now the scientific understanding and technological capacity to put microbes to work continues to advance at an impressive pace. It will take a lot more well educated students and graduates to discover and produce the products of the future.
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