A child-centric microbiology education framework

The MicroRogues Gallery

Image created by Medical Mycology laboratory, UMH

Microbes are the origin of life and sustain life: they are essential to the survival and wellbeing of all organisms. They are exceptionally diverse, both in terms of their differences from one another, and in terms of the biochemical reactions they carry out. These reactions enable microbes to interact with and transform all manner of materials on Earth (more than 50% of the elements of the Periodic Table), and to drive the life-giving biogeochemical cycles of our planet. It has been estimated that there are one trillion species of microbe! However, there are a few microbes some 1400 species – representing only a minuscule fraction of all microbes, that bother us by causing disease: infectious disease. Some of these infections can be serious and a few can have profound effects on society, as we recently experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic. So: while appreciating the fact that microbes in general are beneficial and essential to life, we also need to know about the nasty ones that can cause us problems, in order to minimise our exposure to them, and defend ourselves if they catch us. Let’s learn about the MicroRogues!