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Interdisciplinary Programs

Microbiology student

Microbiology - Ph.D., M.S.

Interdisciplinary Programs

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Earth is microbial: Bacteria, archaea, viruses, protists, and fungi are the largest store of biomass on the planet, and represent nearly all of its biodiversity. They store massive genetic resources that can be used to solve challenges faced by our rapidly growing human population. Microbes are key to developing more sustainable energy generation and material synthesis, improving human health and wellness, and satisfying increased food demands of larger human populations in the face of limited environmental resources. 

The faculty of the University of Delaware (UD) Microbiology Graduate Program address these challenges in five separate colleges and thirteen departments. By bringing these faculty and resources together to train the next generation of microbiologists, with stakeholder guidance to develop an innovative educational program, the Microbiology Graduate Program serves as a model for interdisciplinary enterprises at UD.

The interdisciplinary approach of UD’s microbiology graduate program was a big appeal for doctoral students Austin Morgan (left) and Rene Hoover.
Small wonders, big potential

Read about how the UD microbiology graduate program unleashes the power of tiny creatures in UDaily

Alex Pipinos, the lead author and a UD Class of 2025 graduate with a master’s in microbiology, looks at a bacterial culture of Streptomyces coelicolor.
A microbial hitchhiker

Read about how the UD microbiology graduate program investigated how a bacteria naturally found in the soil that is beneficial to human health can enhance the levels of the amino acid and antioxidant ergothioneine in spring wheat in UDaily.

The goals of this graduate program are to:

  • Recruit and support a diverse pool of high-quality graduate students in Microbiology
  • Support diverse Microbiology faculty invested in cutting-edge student training
  • Rigorously deliver foundational concepts in genome-enabled Microbiology via a core curriculum
  • Provide rigorous electives to support broad exploration beyond the core curriculum
  • Foster professional skills in trainees, enabling them to succeed in multiple career paths
  • Facilitate cross-departmental and cross-college research collaborations

  • RENEE HOOVER

    Ph.D. student, Microbiology

    “The interdisciplinary support, with access to experts in many fields at UD, has been crucial for my research on freshwater bacteria that oxidize iron which can help us improve soil and water quality.”

    Renee Hoover

  • AUSTIN MORGAN

    Ph.D. student, Microbiology

     “UD’s microbiology program is perfect for synthetic biology enthusiasts like me, providing access to multiple labs and projects to enhance genetic circuit stability.”

    Austin Morgan

  • gracee tothero

    Ph.D. student, Microbiology

    “There is so much diversity in the environmental microbiology work at UD, and the collaborative culture here helps me as I study the impact of iron-oxidizing bacteria on biogeochemical cycles and nuclear waste contaminants.”

    Gracee Tothero headshot

  • Casey Derieux

    Ph.D. student, Microbiology

    “The supportive faculty and collaborative environment at UD have made it feel like home while I research how genes influence the growth of green sulfur bacteria.”

    Young woman playing a violin in an outdoor courtyard.

  • Alex Pipinos

    Ph.D. student, Microbiology

    “From the Mass Spectrometry Center to the Bioimaging Center, the vast resources and collaborative atmosphere at UD have been invaluable as I explore using ergothioneine-producing microbes to enhance crops.”

    Young woman in lab coat holding petri dish.

  • Aerin Rost-Nasshan

    Ph.D. student, Microbiology

    “The friendly and supportive community at UD has been instrumental in my work designing genetic tools for green sulfur bacteria to advance biotechnological research.”

    Young woman posing iwth blue penguin statue

  • Emily Morgese

    Ph.D. student, Microbiology

    “My study of soil viruses and symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria as eco-friendly alternatives to harmful human-made fertilizers is enhanced by the sense of community in the microbiology program.”

    Young woman kneeling in shallow pond.
Opportunities for students to present at the annual MicroSymposium.
Opportunities for students to present at the annual MicroSymposium.
Niskin bottles are deployed to sample water at different depths at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station. Photo by Barbra Ferrell
Niskin bottles are deployed to sample water at different depths at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station. Photo by Barbra Ferrell
Spore trappings collected by graduate student, Madeline Henrickson.
Spore trappings collected by graduate student, Madeline Henrickson.
Samples are collected from lakes in western Nebraska with collaborators from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Photo by Barbra Ferrell
Samples are collected from lakes in western Nebraska with collaborators from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Photo by Barbra Ferrell
Malique Bowen, grad student, working in a lab on our Lewes Campus.
Malique Bowen, grad student, working in a lab on our Lewes Campus.
Lab equipment aboard the RV Atlantic Explorer at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station.
Lab equipment aboard the RV Atlantic Explorer at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station.

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