BB509: Microbiology (5 ECTS)

STADS: 04018301

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the spring semester.

Teacher responsible

Email: atreusch@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable

Group	Type	Day	Time	Classroom	Weeks
Common	I	Monday	14-16	U31	11
Common	I	Tuesday	10-12	U31	10
Common	I	Tuesday	10-12	U46	12
Common	I	Tuesday	10-12	U163	14-17
Common	I	Thursday	08-10	U47	11
Common	I	Thursday	08-12	*Odense Lokalitet aftales 13	16
Common	I	Thursday	08-12	Red Lab	16
H1	TE	Tuesday	10-12	U64	18-19
H1	TE	Wednesday	10-12	U51	11
H1	TE	Wednesday	08-10	U48	16
H1	TL	Wednesday	14-18	Red Lab	18
H1	TL	Wednesday	12-16	Red Lab	19
H1	TE	Thursday	08-10	U64	12,14
H1	TL	Friday	12-16	Red Lab	18-19
H2	TE	Tuesday	12-14	U23A	18-19
H2	TE	Wednesday	08-10	U24	11
H2	TE	Wednesday	10-12	U48	12,14,16

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Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
It is required that the content of the course BB537, BB539 and KE535 is known.

Course introduction

The aim of the course is to enable the student to understand microbial systematic, cell structure, physiology and evolution, which is important in regard to understand the importance and impact microbes have on Earth.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses BB537, BB539 and BB537, BB539 and KE535, and gives an academic basis for studying the topics environmental microbiology, ecology, biogeochemistry, that are part of the degree.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

Give competence to engage in collaborations and structure their own learning
Give skills to conduct experimental investigations, critically reflection and formulation of biological, evaluate and solve biological problems.
Give knowledge and reflective understanding of biology scientific theory, the experimental methods and safety of these, about current research topics and on their use in the discussion of biological problems.

Expected learning outcome

The learning objective of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to:

Discuss current theories about the origin of life, microbial evolution and systematics
Describe the structure of a prokaryotic cell and list the structural and functional differences between Bacteria and Archaea
Apply and explain standard methods for enumeration, isolation, identification and cultivation of prokaryotes and report the results in a scientifically acceptable form
Make simple calculations of microbial growth kinetics in batch and continuous culture and describe how microbial growth can be controlled
Describe the different modes of energy metabolisms used by microbes
Describe beneficial and harmful interactions between microbes and eukaryotes (e.g. humans)
Discuss the role of microbes in natural ecosystems with emphasis on biodegradation of organic material and biogeochemical cycles

Subject overview

The following main topics are contained in the course:

History of microbiology
Microbial diversity and evolution
Structure of the bacterial cell
Bacterial metabolism
Bacterial genetics and genomics
Microbial growth kinetics in batch and continuous culture
Physical and chemical limits to microbial growth
Interactions between microbes and humans, including infectious disease
The role of microbes in biogeochemical cycles
Laboratory methods for the investigation of microbes

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam

Participation in all laboratory exercises and excursions. The prerequisite examination part a) is a prerequisite for participation in exam element a). (04018322).

Assessment and marking:

Approval of laboratory report. Pass/fail. Examination by teacher. (1 ECTS). (04018312).
Continuous evaluation throughout the course in the form of small quizzes on e-learn and 3-hour written examination with limited aids permitted (only 10 pages of own notes). Grading on the Danish 7-point grading scale with external examiner. (4 ECTS). (04018302).

A closer description of the exam rules will be posted under 'Course Information' on Blackboard.

Reexam in August, written or oral, internal censor.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 20 hours
Skills training phase: 26 hours, hereof:
- Tutorials: 10 hours
- Laboratory exercises: 16 hours
- Excursion: 4 hours

Educational activities Study phase: 7 hours

recapture topics from the lectures, seminars
write reports
compile a Wiki

Educational form
The introduction to the topics will be performed with lectures that are encouraging active student participation. Intention of the seminars is to link theory and the practicals by preparing the students for the laboratory exercises as well as analyze results from them.
The compilation of a Wiki will be used to reduce learning by heart for a conceptual understanding of the topics and will be part of the things they are allowed to use during the exam.
Commencement of the laboratory exercises will be with an excursion where samples will be collected that later will be continued working with in the practicals. This will demonstrate how microbiological processes can be applied and help showing the relevance of the methods and topics taught. In order to provide the students with an overview, reports will be written that include both the theory and the results and analyses of the laboratory exercises.

Language
This course is taught in English.

Remarks

This course is part of the compulsory program in Biology.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.