General Microbiology - Microbiologia generale (2008/2009)

Course Not running, not visible

Course code
4S00279
Name of lecturer
Giovanni Vallini
Number of ECTS credits allocated
6
Academic sector
BIO/19 - MICROBIOLOGY
Language of instruction
Italian
Location
VERONA
Period
1° Sem dal Oct 1, 2008 al Feb 6, 2009.

To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link * Course organization

Lesson timetable

Learning outcomes

The Course aims to introduce the students to the fundamentals, the main methods of investigation and the basic applications of microbiology, with reference to both activity and properties of the microorganisms either prokaryotes or eukaryotes, including bacteria, archaebacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi and - in a distinguished position as non-cellular biological forms - the viruses. During the first part of the Course, topics will be discussed such as morphology and structure, genetics and biochemical-metabolic diversity, evolution and ecology of the microorganisms, according to the mechanisms through which these microbes interact with the surrounding environment. In the second part of the Course, the microorganisms will be analyzed as means for either research purposes or different biotechnological applications, with particular mention to the methods of cultivation and control of their growth and metabolism. The third part of the Course will finally focus on the mechanisms of interaction between pathogenic microorganisms and man, with an analysis of the general principles of epidemiology.

Syllabus

First Part (A). 1.A Principles of microbiology - 1.1a) Aspects of the microbial life. 1.2a) Macromolecules of microbial interest. 1.3a) Structure and function of the microbial cell: prokaryotes and eukaryotes. 1.4a) Nutrition, cultivation and metabolism of microorganisms. 1.5a) Microbial growth and methods for the control of microbial growth. 1.6a) Elements of molecular biology of microorganisms. 1.7a) Regulation of the microbial metabolism. 1.8a) Basic aspects of virology. 1.9a) Fundamentals of bacterial genetics. 2.A Evolutionary microbiology and microbial diversity – 2.1a) Theory of evolution within microorganisms and microbial taxonomy. 2.2a) Diversity of prokaryotes: bacteria and archaebacteria. 2.3a) Diversity of eukaryotic microorganisms. 2.4a) Principles of microbial genomic. 2.5a) Diversity of viruses. 3.A Metabolic diversity and microbial ecology – 3.1a) Diversity of microbial metabolic processes for energy production and carbon assimilation. 3.2a) Methods in microbial ecology. 3.3a) Structure of different microbial ecosystems. 3.4a) Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur. 3.5a) Introduction to soil microbiology and interactions plant-microorganisms.

Second Part (B). 1.B Genetic engineering and biotechnology of microorganisms - 1.1b) Techniques in microbial genetic engineering. 1.2b) Applications of microorganisms in basic research. 1.3b) Microorganisms for the management of environmental problems. 1.4b) Microorganisms and agriculture. 1.5b) Microorganisms and food production. 1.6b) Exploitation of microorganisms in non-food industrial productions.

Part Third (C). 1.C Interactions man-pathogenic microorganisms - 1.1c) Infection mechanisms: virulence factors and toxins. 1.2c) Control of microbial growth in vivo: antibiotics, antifungal and antiviral products. 1.3c) Resistance to the antimicrobial substances. 2.C Diseases of microbial origin - 2.1c) Transmission of man-to-man microbial diseases. 2.2c) Microbial diseases from animals and endemic soil pathogenic microorganisms. 2.3c) Diagnostic microbiology and immunological techniques 3.C Principles of epidemiology and public hygiene - 3.1c) The vocabulary of epidemiology. 3.2c) Current world epidemiology. 3.3c) Measures for the control of epidemic diseases. 3.4c) Pathogenic microbial agents and biological weapons.

Assessment methods and criteria

Written mid-term exams with both descriptive answers and multi-choice quizzes.

Possible integration with a final oral examination

Studying

Share