| Department of Ecology
50 % Department of Food Science 25 % Department of Veterinary Pathobiology 25 % | |||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | MSc. 1 year | ||||||||||||
| Duration | One block | ||||||||||||
| Credits | 15 (ECTS) | ||||||||||||
| Course Level | MSc | ||||||||||||
| Examination | Final Examination written examination and oral examination All aids allowed Description of Examination: Evaluation and presentation of projects and selected articles Weight: 60% report 30% presentation 10% article 13-point scale, internal examiner | ||||||||||||
| Requirement For Attending Exam | Submission of project report | ||||||||||||
| Organisation of Teaching | Lectures and journal club based on reviews and original articles will provide the theoretical background. The students will carry out theoretical and practical group work on a particular problem/task in microbial microbiology. | ||||||||||||
| Block Placement | Block 4 Week Structure: Outside schedule | ||||||||||||
| Teaching Language | English | ||||||||||||
| Optional Prerequisites | Microbiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbial interactions, Genome and cellbiology, Advanced Microbiology | ||||||||||||
| Areas of Competence the Course Will Address | |||||||||||||
| Competences include: Basic science: Knowledge of the different ways microorganisms can been used in biotechnology: Understanding and comprehending the basic physiology and genetics of bacteria and fungi that are relevant for their exploitation in food sciences and the medical industry. Understanding and comprehending microbial pathogenesis at the genetic and physiological level. Technology and production: Knowledge of and practical experience with techniques in molecular biology, design of laboratory protocols and safety proceedures in relation to handling and exploitation of microorganisms in biotechnology. Ability to interpret results and formulate conclusions from experiments. Ethics and values: Ability to evaluate ethical aspects in the exploitation of microbial biotechnology. Awareness and ability to tranfer knowledge and experience to practical and scientific applications of microbes in biotechnology. | |||||||||||||
| Course Objectives | |||||||||||||
| The course aims to give the students an understanding of the diversity and properties of microorganisms and their exploitation in industry, food production, effect on human and animal health and the environment. To give practical experience with the molecular techniques available for the study of gene structure and regulation, gene manipulation, heterologous gene expression and transformation systems. To teach design of experiments and application of relevant technology. | |||||||||||||
| Course Contents | |||||||||||||
| Lectures and journal club will cover physiology and genetics of bacteria and fungi in relation to use of microorganisms in biotechnology. Group projects will be carried out within the following topics: 1)Fusarium spp. are soil borne plant pathogenic fungi that produce many bioactive secondary metabolites/toxins. To determine the regulation of the biosynthesis of these compounds gene expression analysis, knock out mutagenesis and reporter gene vector constructs are used. 2) Pseudomonas is used for biological control. Gene expression and metabolite production is studied in the bacteria in culture and in soil/plant systems to provide information on their ability to produce inhibitory compounds and their survival in the environment. 3) Many different dairy products are made by fermentations of milk with lactic acid bacteria e.g. Lactococcus lactis. Milk often contains viruses that can kill lactic acid bacteria and mechanisms that improve the survival of Lactococcus lactis will be studied. 4) Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes are Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria that cause infections in humans and animals. To determine the interplay between stress tolerance and virulence, protein and gene expression will be examined in relevant mutants. | |||||||||||||
| Teaching And Learning Methods | |||||||||||||
| Lectures and journal club using state of the art articles in microbial microbiology will provide the theoretical background. The students will carry out group work on a particular problem/task in microbial microbiology. They will analyse the problem theoretically and design experiments and laboratory protocols to answer their hypotheses. The different groups will interact to develop the best methods and protocols for the project. The groups will be given the possibility to carry out and plan their own experiments. The participating institutes will be responsible for particular projects. | |||||||||||||
| Course Litterature | |||||||||||||
| Reviews and original research papers | |||||||||||||
| Course Coordinator | |||||||||||||
| Henriette Giese, heg@life.ku.dk, Department of Ecology/Section of Genetics and Microbiology, Phone: 35332638 | |||||||||||||
| Study Board | |||||||||||||
| Study Committee NSN | |||||||||||||
| Course Scope | |||||||||||||
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