The concept of contagious disease caused by microorganisms is first seen in the Old Testament. The biblical roots of microbiology are not a surprise when we consider the contributions of Louis Pasteur, the Father of Modern Microbiology. Pasteur’s swan-necked flask experiments not only disproved the theory of spontaneous generation (i.e., life evolved from nonliving matter), but also set the foundation for the law of biogenesis: life comes from preexisting life.
Conduct research of microbial pathogens/infectious agents. Refer to Part IV – Infections Diseases (Chapters 21–27) in Nester’s Microbiology: A Human Perspective and other online scientific journal/articles (e.g., .edu, .gov/, .org websites). Select one microorganism (bacteria, virus, fungus, protozoa, or prion) and create a PowerPoint presentation (10 slides) that addresses the following criteria:
- Title slide (clearly present your topic and your name)
- Physiology and Structure
- Virulence
- Epidemiology
- Disease, Signs, and Symptoms (list disease(s) caused by the microorganism along with the signs and symptoms)
- Diagnosis
- Treatment, Control, and Prevention
- Microbe in the News (highlight one news article about your microorganism)
- Christian Worldview (provide a relevant Bible verse/passage and briefly discuss the significance of microbes from a biblical perspective)
- Reference slide (Use a minimum of three references; only use reliable sources)
Reliable sources include: the course textbook, other books from major publishers, newspapers, peer-reviewed articles, peer-reviewed journals, PhD dissertations and research, public library, scholarly articles, isolated studies or academic research, professional organizations’ websites, educational institutions’ websites, and government websites.
Unreliable sources include: Wikipedia, blogs, forums, self-published books, questionable sites created by nonprofessional organizations, and sites that provide biased information.