Beyond the laboratory: professional identity and belonging in contemporary microbiology

Microbiology has expanded well beyond its historical association with laboratory-based investigation. Microbiologists now contribute to work spanning medical education, public health, global health, policy, interdisciplinary research, and more, applying disciplinary expertise in contexts that do not always align with conventional images of what a microbiologist does. This perspective reflects on what that expansion means for professional identity, drawing on experience at the intersections of microbiology, medical education, and global health. Working across disciplinary boundaries can be intellectually rich, but it also raises questions about belonging that are rarely discussed openly within the discipline. Scholars in hybrid roles may find themselves engaged across multiple scholarly communities — each with its own journals, conferences, and criteria for what constitutes valuable contribution — without being fully embedded in any one of them. For early-career researchers in particular, this partial membership has real professional consequences, shaping how contributions are evaluated and how careers are built. This piece argues that these experiences are better understood through the lens of plural disciplinary identity; microbiological expertise does not diminish when applied beyond the laboratory, but is instead refracted through new contexts in ways that extend its reach and relevance. Recognising this broader conception of disciplinary practice has implications for how the field evaluates contribution, structures training, and supports those carrying microbiological expertise into the diverse professional settings where it is increasingly needed.