This course will provide an overview of different techniques used during manipulation of microorganisms. It will allow students to gain a historical perspective of techniques used in microbiology (Winogradsky column, Koch solid agar plating) as well as learn state of the art molecular characterization of microorganisms and their genetic manipulation. This course introduces current biochemical, physiological and molecular biology methods to assess community diversity and microbial activity in a variety of ecosystems. Other topics discussed include bacterial growth and survival, population biology, and microbial interactions.