Professional and academic scientific organizations have long had a strong web-based presence, and many of them have contributed mightily to online educational initiatives. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) has done their part by creating this set of resources for undergraduate educators working in the fields of bioterrorism, microbiology, and related topics. One of the strongest sections...

This Web site provided by Dr. Mark Schneegurt of Wichita State University is "dedicated to information transfer within the cyanobacterial research community." The most recent version of the bibliographic database contains over 12,000 references, current through 2001. Another feature is the Toxic Cyanobacteria Home Page, which focuses on some aquatic species of cyanobacteria and the toxins that...

The world of the protozoa is one that is still not wholly understood, and certainly not by the average person. Of course one thing that can be immediately appreciated is the many interesting nuances amongst their number (something that is not lost on the creator of this site, one Piotr Rotkiewicz, who holds a PhD in chemistry). The site itself contains 184 pictures (drawn from 84 genera) of...

This educational Web site is provided by the American Society for Microbiology. Microbes live all around us; this site focuses on what they are, where they live, and how they both help and harm people. Several experiments are featured that allow students a hands-on opportunity to learn about microbiological principles, most of which can be completed using normal household items. Recent news...

This site contains several short animated features based on microbiological topics. Although they are informative, the best part about the animations is their entertainment value. Bacterial characters provide their comments on life, an account of evolution from the bacterial perspective, and an understanding of "who" they are and where they live. These movies are a good combination of information...

The Protist Information Server is available through the Soken Taxa Web Server and Japan Science and Technology Corporation. Intended as a resource for research and education, the Protist Information Server contains over 31,000 images of protists representing 487 genera and 1617 species. Users will also find over 500 QuickTime movies, tons of related Web links, a recently added list of biodiversity...

As part of the Institute of Marine & Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University, Dr. Costantino Vetriani's Deep Sea Microbiology Lab focuses on "the physiology, ecology and evolutionary relationships of deep-sea prokaryotes, with an emphasis on deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps"." The Microbiology Lab website includes a Publications section which lists book chapters and a number of...

TIGR, The Institute for Genomic Research, has announced the release of the Drosophila Gene Index (DGI). The Drosophila Gene Index, which may be searched by Nucleotide or Protein Sequence, Identifier (TC, ET, EST, GB) Tissue, cDNA Library Name or cDNA Library Identifier(cat#), or Gene Product Name, contains some 50,500 total sequences (ET, EST, TC, and singletons). Data may be requested free of...

Authored by University of Wisconsin bacteriology professor Kenneth Todar, this online textbook is geared towards college and advanced high school students studying general microbiology and medical bacteriology. The primary sections of the text include: Bacterial Relationships with Animals, Principles of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Bacterial Diseases of Humans, and General Bacteriology. Within these...