The primary goals of the Master of Science degree in Bacteriology are to develop students’ understanding of the scientific process and to provide advanced training in bacteriology. Students tailor a curriculum of advanced coursework and/or research, following either a coursework track or a research track. Students acquire a general overview of bacteriology and may focus on a specialized subject area such as bacterial physiology, molecular microbiology, food microbiology, environmental microbiology, biotechnology or medical microbiology.
Bacteriology MS Student Experience







News and Events
Bacteriology MS Student, Sofia Fernandez, is featured in the CALS Spring ’25 Graduates Roundup
Every year, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences highlights just a handful of our incredible students during spring and winter commencement. You can find question and answer profiles for alumni who have graduated in …
Congratulations to Anne Pringle and all the UW researchers on Becoming Elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Seven University of Wisconsin–Madison scholars have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society.
Congratulations to Dr. Kerri Coon on receiving the Emil H. Steiger Teaching Award!
Coon’s teaching philosophy is centered on the guiding principle that educators should serve not only as communicators of information but as facilitators of independent and active learning. She teaches her students that communication and collaboration …
Student Highlights

Elias Kemna
Eli is currently a student in the research track. He works in Dr. Betül Kaçar's lab where he is exploring the evolutionary space of nitrogen fixation by cloning ancient nitrogenase variants into modern day nitrogen fixing bacteria. In his free time, Eli enjoys running and training for half marathons and 5Ks.

Anna Moyer
Anna is a research track student in the Mo Lab studying the dynamic of bacteriophages with methicillin resistant Staph aureus (MRSA). More specifically, she is combining RNAseq and microscopy technique as well as a variety of genomic and lifecycle assays to better understanding how a single point mutation in the genome can increase a mutant phage's ability to kill MRSA. She hopes to add onto the pool of knowledge around phage evolution within phage therapy. Outside of the lab, she is passionate about studying meditation and neruoyoga!

Anna Ardito
Anna is a second year research track Bacteriology Master’s student. She works in the Pellett Lab where she studies Clostridium botulinum and botulinum neurotoxins. When not in the lab, you can find her rowing on Lake Mendota as a part of the women's rowing team. She also enjoys hiking, traveling, and finding new coffee shops and restaurants in the Madison area.

Andrew Wilcox
Andrew is a research track student in the Huynh lab where he studies c-di-AMP signaling in the human gut microbiota with an emphasis on Bacteroides species. C-di-AMP is a cyclic nucleotide chemical messenger that plays a role in many bacterial homeostasis pathways including virulence, membrane fortification and osmotic regulation. Aside from his research, Andrew's hobbies include running, drawing, reading nonfiction books and playing the cello.

Julia Kettner
Julia is a first year Bacteriology Master's student. She is on the research track and works in the Coon lab to investigate the influence of organic and non-organic mastitis treatment practices on the tendency for muscid flies to carry pathogenic bacteria on dairy farms and the distribution of antimicrobial resistance in flies. When not in the lab, she likes to explore different coffee shops and play with her family dogs.
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