BIOL 200
Microbiomes
Current Events
Microbiology in the Movies
ASMUW Events
100

Mitochondria and chloroplasts both have DNA that is inherited from this person.

What is your mom?

100

The gut microbiome is thought to be connected to the brain, and an enhanced gut microbiome is linked to a lower risk of this neurodegenerative disease, which is also the most common form of dementia.

What is Alzheimer's disease?

100

A cyclosporiasis outbreak this past summer was linked to this produce sold by Taylor Farms.

What is (iceberg) lettuce?

100

A scene from Project Hail Mary that annoyed lab scientists everywhere involves Dr. Ryland Grace improperly placing samples into this device.

What is a centrifuge?

100

On 11/4/26, we will be using bacteria to make art on these pieces of lab equipment!

What is a Petri dish?

200

The lac operon is a group of genes on this bacteria, and is activated by the presence of lactose.

What is E. coli (or Escherichia coli)? 

200

Lactobacillus bacteria are crucial to the vaginal microbiome because they help maintain an acidic environment by producing lactic acid through this process.

What is fermentation?

200

Mary-Dell Chilton, the "Queen of Agrobacterium," passed away in June 2026. She did her groundbreaking research on plant tumors and created the first genetically-modified organisms as a scientist at this PNW university.

What is the University of Washington?

200

The COVID-19 pandemic provided the premise for this movie, in which Miles Bron hosts a murder mystery party and Daniel Craig's character plays Among Us in a bathtub.

What is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery?

200
On 11/18/26, we will be discussing the current landscape and how to get involved in this activity.

What is undergraduate research?

300

The Shine-Dalgarno sequence in bacterial and archaeal mRNA helps certain organelles bind and initiate this process.

What is translation?

300

This hot beverage is rich in antioxidants and contains polyphenols and catechins, which help reduce the growth of harmful bacteria in the oral microbiome.

What is green tea (or matcha)?

300

An ongoing outbreak of this disease has caused 4 deaths across 38 counties in Pennsylvania.

What is measles (or rubeola)?

300

This 1995 movie starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and Morgan Freeman focuses on the fictional Motaba virus, and outlines how far a military goes to contain a deadly disease.

What is Outbreak?

300

These are the two platforms where you can learn more about upcoming ASMUW events, meetings, and co-curricular opportunities!

What are Instagram and Discord?

400

This enzyme attaches to and "unzips" double-stranded DNA to begin DNA replication.

What is helicase?

400

Rhizobia bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia to make it usable for plants, and they do so while inhabiting nodules in this part of the plant.

What are the roots?

400

In August 2026, public health officials began investigating outbreaks of this bacteria linked to jalapeño peppers, broccoli sprouts, and the droppings of pet turtles.

What is Salmonella?

400

The film Contagion was partially inspired by a 2009 outbreak of this disease, which is caused by an H1N1 virus that predominantly infects Sus scrofa.

What is swine flu?

400

This two-year program is hoping to get third-year undergraduate students connected with microbiology grad students!

What is MicroMentors?

500

This lab technique, abbreviated FISH, uses a dyed "probe" to detect and locate a specific DNA sequence on a chromosome.

What is fluorescence in situ hybridization?

500

Nocardia is a key bacterial genus to this industrial process, during which biofilms of bacteria break down fats, oils, and greases in activated sludge systems.

What is wastewater treatment (or sewage treatment)?

500

In September 2026, a team from Syracuse University identified “fire amoeba” in Lassen Volcanic National Park in this U.S. state.

What is California?

500

An engineering professor nicknamed “Virus” is played by Boman Irani in this 2009 Bollywood movie starring Aamir Khan as Rancho, who navigates college life with Raju and Farhan.

What is 3 Idiots?

500

On 11/5/26, we will be attending a lab event hosted by this institute which has locations in Laurelhurst and South Lake Union.

What is Seattle Children's Hospital (or Seattle Children's Research Institute)?

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