Microbiology vs Biotechnology vs Biochemistry: Which major suits you best?

In Bangladesh, pursuing Life Sciences typically puts you at a crossroads between three major choices, with only a handful of universities offering any different program than these three. While much of Life Sciences tend to overlap with each other, it is important to note that even in the fairly limited offerings in Bangladesh, there is a considerable amount of difference to be seen in the specifics of what is being taught. Students interested in Life Sciences but not completely certain about the niche they would like to be in should ideally pay close attention to the specifics, as their choice may almost completely reshape their future, and these choices must not be made uninformed.

For starters, Biochemistry as a field is a fascinating foray into the chemical reactions of biological molecules. In fact, much of what you learn in Biochemistry requires an acute understanding of chemistry, not just of the molecules themselves but also of how they interact inside the human body or in a laboratory setting.

Dr Mohammed Kabir Uddin, Assistant Professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at North South University (NSU), shares his expertise.

"As a field, this is important in hospitals, food manufacturing, and drug synthesis. But the main reason Biochemistry stands out from other fields is that you are constantly expected to worry about the chemistry of everything, and you are expected to have an intimate knowledge of the chemistry of whatever it is that you are working with because that ends up being a huge part of the work you will do in these fields. So, in university, be prepared to get intimately familiar with chemistry."

Microbiology, on the other hand, is a rather unique field in Life Sciences in how it focuses primarily on organisms at a microscopic level instead of a molecular level. A lot of the core ideas are shared between Biochemistry and Microbiology, but the principles of understanding biological interactions become innately important to study bacteria and viruses and other such organisms, not the molecules that make up their building blocks. As such, their fields of specialisation vary significantly as they tend to uncover the secrets of the natural world from a different perspective even while sharing the same principles as biochemists.

Nayara Noor, a graduate in Microbiology and a research assistant at BRAC University (BRACU), shares her thoughts.

"Biotech versus Microbiology was my dilemma when applying to BRACU but when I was looking at the course structures, I realised there was a bit more plant-related content being taught in Biotech, which pushed me away from learning Biotechnology. Microbiology, on the other hand, seemed to be very involved in the world of infectious diseases, which is something I'm personally passionate about, so my pick was pretty obvious. I didn't know if I made the correct call until I started my thesis, where I realised our lab, which I adore, was the most equipped to deal with microbial work."

It's clear that even within the same major, some universities tend to value certain niches over others. This variation can cause frustration among students if their interest does not align with the course content. At an undergraduate level, much of the variation is kept to a minimum, and the professors in the department typically have varying fields of interest, so communication with these professors can be very helpful at later stages of one's university journey.

This leads us to Biotechnology. Admittedly, Biotechnology as a field is perhaps the broadest out of the three in discussion here. Given its nature, Biotechnology's application generally comes second after the principles of Biochemistry or Microbiology are set in place. It is, however, a vast field of knowledge worthy of being a major all on its own. In Bangladesh, Biotechnology seems to be studied more commonly in the context of nutrition, plant and agricultural sciences.

Asmita Mehefin, a second-year student at BRACU majoring in Biotechnology, shares her experience.

"Biotech gives you the power to make changes in plants, animals, and any sort of living beings. In our major, you mainly have to study plants, animals, and other organisms with a strong emphasis on plants. You can't really pick and choose at an undergraduate level. The application of Biotechnology in lab-based work also requires extensive knowledge of other fields, including courses you may encounter as a Biochemistry or Microbiology major."

With all that in mind, it would seem as if the biggest differences in the many fields of Life Sciences only appear when you peer deep inside, much like the microorganisms and the molecules they study. Any student interested must thus take some time and look deep into these fields to see what they have to offer.

Raian Abedin is a student at NSU.