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 measurement 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
Measure and interpret microbial biotransformation rates
Discuss how microbial processes drive biogeochemical
cycles
Recognize and interpret microbial interactions and their
importance in microbial ecology, and describe opportunities to
interfere in those interactions
Explain how environmental conditions (abiotic factors) affect
microbial processes and interactions
Isolate bacteriophages and plasmids from environmental
samples
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
Litteraturhenvisninger:
Brock Biology of Microorganisms 14th edition (selected
chapters)
Mulighed for GRØN DYST deltagelse:
Dette kursus giver den studerende en 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
