Magic Bullets, Miracle Drugs, and Microbiologists: A History of the Microbiome and Metagenomics

Following the historic trail of microbiology from its beginnings in the 17thcentury to its key role in addressing global challenges in the 21stcentury, the author recounts the fascinating story of how microorganisms were discovered, cultivated in the laboratory, classified and manipulated to become cures as well as deadly weapons. His focus is on the last decades of the 20thcentury that sparked the ongoing transformation of microbiology into a molecular science, and opened up the field of microbial ecology, of which the microbial communities (or microbiomes) that live on the inside and on the outside of humans as well as every other organism are but one striking example. The style of presentation is transparent and colloquial to make this book a useful introduction for students and junior researchers. It is, on the other hand, sufficiently referenced to meet scholarly standards.