This course will introduce the diversity of microbes, the microbial interactions, and the microbial processes that are relevant for many environmental biotechnological applications (e.g. water supply, wastewater biotechnology, contaminant biodegradation, bioenergy production, water quality management). Using case studies (the engineered N cycle, soil pesticide biodegradation, pathogen survival in wastewater effluents), the students will learn how to observe and work with microbes and develop an appreciation for core concepts in microbial ecology. Through laboratory exercises, and a combination of traditional and contemporary tools and techniques, students will learn how to evaluate the presence, abundance, identity, diversity, and activity of microbes in various environments and measure environmental process rates.
Læringsmål:
En studerende, der fuldt ud har opfyldt kursets mål, vil kunne:
Determine and quantify targeted microbes with modern molecular and microscopic methods
Choose and appraise measures for microbial activity and abundance in environmental samples
Isolate and quantify pathogenic microbes and microbial strains that degrade environmental pollutants via selective enrichment and cultivation
Perform and interpret molecular diversity analysis on environmental strains and communities
Isolate bacteriophages and plasmids from environmental samples
Measure microbial biotransformation rates
Interpret results from biotransformation tests with mathematical models
Recognize and interpret microbial interactions and their importance in microbial ecology
Discover opportunities to interfere in those interactions
Explain how environmental conditions (abiotic factors) affect microbial processes and interactions
Discuss how microbial processes drives biogeochemical cycles
Recognize microbial strategies to survive unfavourable environments
Kursusindhold:
Working with microbes, determination of microbial density, selective enrichment and growth of microbes, biotransformation assays, kinetic analysis, respirometry, C-14 radiotracers, confocal scanning laser microscopy,16S rRNA targeted Fluorescent In situ Hybridization (FISH) and quantitative PCR, nucleic acid extraction, plasmid and phage isolation, molecular fingerprints, bioinformatics
Litteratur:
TBD
Mulighed for GRØN DYST deltagelse:
Kontakt underviseren for information om hvorvidt dette kursus giver den studerende mulighed for at lave eller forberede et projekt som kan deltage i DTUs studenterkonference om bæredygtighed, klimateknologi og miljø (GRØN DYST). Se mere på http://www.groendyst.dtu.dk/kursustilmelding.aspx
