BMB818: Extremophile microbes: Microbiology and biotechnology (5 ECTS)

STADS: 01011901

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the spring semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: r.p.cox@bmb.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
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Comment:
Max 16 studerende

Prerequisites:
No formal requirements

Academic preconditions:
Academic preconditions. Students taking the course are expected to:

• Have knowledge of basic microbiology, biochemistry and molecular biology at the level of a bachelor's degree in biological science
• Be able to use Powerpoint or similar presentation software
• Be sufficiently fluent in English to give oral presentations and write reports

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to enable the student to obtain a broader knowledge and understanding of the diversity of living organisms through a discussion of microbes adapted to extreme environments. The course will give students experience in reading and understanding the latest research literature and communicating current results and concepts. Students will also obtain experience with working with extremophile microbes in the laboratory.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in introductory courses in biochemistry, molecular biology, and microbiology (BMB507,  BB509, or similar) and contributes to the academic basis for a final year Masters thesis on a microbiological topic and employment in biotechnology.

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

• Give the competence to independently acquire new knowledge at the highest professional level and integrate new knowledge with previous experience
• Give skills to critically evaluate original research findings and  presentation of research both orally and in writing
• Give knowledge of theoretical and experimental methods used in microbiological research and knowledge of the relationship between microbiology and modern biotechnology and environmental technology.

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

• critically evaluate original research articles on extremophile microbes and present seminars in English
• describe the different types of extreme environment and explain how Bacteria and Archaea are able to survive and grow under these conditions. 
• give examples of the biotechnological application of extremophiles
• work with extremophile microbes in the laboratory, including isolation of pure cultures and identification using ribosomal RNA gene sequences

Subject overview


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

1. Satisfactory presentation of 2 research articles and approval of the report about the laboratory activities. Pass/fail, evaluated by the instructor. (01011912).

Assessment and marking:

1. Written report. Internal examiner, graded after Danish 7 mark scale. Pass/fail, evaluation by instructor (5 ECTS). (01011902).

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 12 hours
Skills training phase: 32 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 20 hours
 - Laboratory exercises: 12 hours

Educational activities

• Reading research articles and preparing presentations in Powerpoint or similar
• Reading articles to be presented by other students in preparation for active participation in discussion
• Writing a individual report on the laboratory activity
• Writing the final report

Educational form
The introductory phase comprises 12 hours of lecture where the main course themes are introduced.
The skills training phase contains 20 hours of scheduled student presentations using Powerpoint or similar with subsequent discussion, and 12 hours of laboratory work where students work individually on a small project involving isolation of a pure culture of an extremophile microbe and identification using gene sequences.

Language
This course is taught in English.

Remarks
The course can be followed by bachelor students with prior knowledge of microbiology (BMB507 or BB509).

The course has limited entry. The following 4 criterias are taken into consideration when seats are assigned.

1. Students with the most ECTS from their master
2. Students who are accepted conditionally on the master 
3. Students who follows master courses concurrent with their bachelor programme
4. Bachelor students

If the score is even lots are drawn.

The academic enviroments at The faculty of science manages the prioritisation and at waiting list is established and will then be made aware from the faculty. The waiting list will not be transferred to the following year.

In order to keep the assigned seat you need to attend the first course day or notify the teacher, otherwise the seat is given to the next student from the waiting list.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.