This was an amazing class! Material is absolutely difficult (it builds on biochem and ochem a lot) and it's fast-paced, but prof Thomas makes it interesting and he is always willing to help you if you're stuck on a concept. So long as you study often and ask for help when needed you will be fine.Rate My Professors ↗
Historical instructor
MICHAEL THOMAS
What students say
Original student reviews · all captured dates
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Was very worried about the difficulty of the class, but after finishing the class I can say it was one of the most rewarding ones I have taken. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the field as a whole and is pleasant to talk to. His office hours are a godsend for any confusion. A little intimidating, but genuinely caring and wants you to do well.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 4/5Difficulty 5/5
Attendance is not recquired but strongly encouraged to keep up with heavy class content and gauge important topics. While content was in-depth, professor was very understanding and took many liberties to facilitate a comfortable learning environment and prime students for exam content. Lectures can be dry but rewarding. Don't use AI.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Essentially a graduate-level biochem course. Yet he made central metabolism very easy to memorize. Enjoy the beauty of chemical logic! Also, prepare to learn A LOT, as this course moves very fast. It's also best if you have taken Chem345, as this course has significant emphasis on ochem. Exams are usually easier than what's expected in lecture.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
Great prof, very informative lectures. This class is tough so be prepared to study tons. Most of the grade is made up of exams and problem sets. ...Only this semester half the class decided to use AI on the first problem set so now it's all exams! Um yeah if you're gonna rely on AI for this class pls don't take it so ppl who care won't be punished!Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 5/5Difficulty 5/5
Professor Thomas is a fantastic professor. He explains very difficult concepts well and his exams are very fair. They are challenging, but fair based on class material. I have struggled in this class, but he is very easy to talk to and explains concepts well when you need clarification.Rate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Classes with MICHAEL THOMAS
Covers the biochemistry and physiology of microbial processes.
No offering record · Spring 2026
with this instructor · course overall, matching historical terms
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2021–Spring 2026MICROBIO 990
Research
1–9 creditsMICROBIO 990 is a research course involving full lab and literature review of a microbiology problem, leading to thesis preparation and publication.
No offering record · Spring 2026
No recorded grade history
Recorded teaching history
Distinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →Browse recorded courses
| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Spring 2026 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2025 | CHEM 980 | Seminar: Review of Current Research |
| Fall 2025 | CHEM 990 | Research |
| Fall 2025 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Fall 2025 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2025 | MICROBIO 875 | Special Topics |
| Fall 2025 | MICROBIO 899 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2025 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2025 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2025 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2024 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Fall 2024 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2024 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2024 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2024 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2023 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2023 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Fall 2023 | MICROBIO 682 | Senior Honors Thesis |
| Fall 2023 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2023 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2023 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2023 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2022 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2022 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Fall 2022 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2022 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2022 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2021 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2021 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2021 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2020 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2020 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2020 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Spring 2020 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2020 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2019 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2019 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2019 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2019 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2019 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Spring 2019 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2019 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2018 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2018 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2018 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2018 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2018 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Spring 2018 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2018 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2017 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2017 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2017 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2017 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2017 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Spring 2017 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2016 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2016 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2016 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2016 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2016 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2016 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2015 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2015 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2015 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2015 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Spring 2015 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2015 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2014 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2014 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2014 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2014 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Spring 2014 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2014 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2013 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2013 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2013 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2013 | MICROBIO 875 | Special Topics |
| Spring 2013 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2012 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2012 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2012 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2012 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2012 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2012 | MICROBIO 875 | Special Topics |
| Spring 2012 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2011 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Fall 2011 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2011 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2011 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2011 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2010 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Fall 2010 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2010 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Spring 2010 | MICROBIO 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2010 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Spring 2010 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
| Fall 2009 | MICROBIO 526 | Physiology of Microorganisms |
| Fall 2009 | MICROBIO 699 | Special Problems |
| Fall 2009 | MICROBIO 990 | Research |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
Instructor identity & provenance
{
"instructor_uid": "instructor_970e6b5f0e3588b6ce2496de",
"source": "madgrades",
"source_instructor_id": "140812",
"identity_basis": "source_id",
"identity_status": "source_identified",
"name": "MICHAEL THOMAS",
"email": null,
"first_observed_at": "2026-09-06 23:14:58.172943+00:00",
"last_observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
"ratings": {
"review_count": 18,
"quality": 4.89,
"difficulty": 3.56,
"quality_count": 18,
"difficulty_count": 18,
"profile_id": "rmp:832962",
"source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/832962",
"match_basis": "exact_name",
"observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:17:34.187098+00:00",
"courses": {},
"bayesian_quality": 4.242466201866629,
"prior_mean": 3.6596857835465957,
"prior_weight": 20
},
"grade_statistics": {
"gpa": 3.169,
"graded": 818,
"counts": [
293,
142,
177,
72,
87,
38,
9
],
"sections": 114
},
"current": false,
"courses": [],
"revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
"instructor_url": "/instructors/MICHAEL_THOMAS--instructor_970e6b5f0e3588b6ce2496de"
}