Microbiology
Microbiology (from Greek , "mīkros", "small"; , "bios", "life"; and , "-logia") is the study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, parasitology, mycology and bacteriology.
Microbiomes of the built environment
Many methods are used to study microbes in built environment. A review of such methods are some of the challenges in using them was published by NIST. Hoisington et al. in 2015 reviewed methods that could be used by building professionals to study the microbiology of the built environment. Methods used in the study of microbes in the built environment include culturing (with subsequent studies of the cultured microbes), microscopy, air, water and surface sampling, chemical analyses, and culture independent DNA studies such as ribosomal RNA gene PCR and metagenomics.There are a growing number of research projects and groups focusing directly or indirectly on microbiomes of the built environment. Some of these are targeted towards specific environments (e.g., homes, hospitals, showerheads) and others are broader (e.g., BIMERC, the BioBE Center). More detail about some of these projects is below.