NBIB15008U Microbial Biotechnology

Volume 2018/2019
Education

BSc Programme in Biology
BSc Programme in Molecular Biomedicine

Content

Significant areas within the following topics are covered:

  • Microbial activity in natural environments and their requirement for biotechnology
  • Systems for microbial growth
  • Fermentation kinetics
  • Strain and media development
  • Product Optimization
  • Basic topics in microbial physiology
  • Primary / secondary metabolite excretion (enzymes and penicillin production), and ingredients for food industry
  • Bioremediation
  • Rights and patenting
  • Innovation and startup companies
     

To illustrate some of the areas, guests from industry and university attend.

Learning Outcome

The course aims to give students insight into and understanding of areas of microbial biotechnology research and provide background information on the molecular biological methods, which are prerequisites for this research. With the students own involvement in the lessons, it is expected that they will acquire the ability to participate in public discussion of related topics.

Knowledge:

  • Selected areas of research within microbial biotechnology
  • Selected biotechnological processes related to microorganisms
  • Danish biotechnology companies and their focus areas
  • Natural environments as a prerequisite for microbial biotechnology
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship


Skills:

  • Assess natural environments as a prerequisite for microbial biotechnology
  • Use selected laboratory methods relevant to microbial biotechnology
  • Perform oral and written presentations of topics in microbial biotechnology
  • Analyze scientific articles on microbial biotechnology


Competences:

  • Assess selected areas of research within microbial biotechnology
  • Assess selected biotechnological processes related to microorganisms
Lectures, discussions and laboratory exercises.

The practical exercises focus on
i) production and activity of bacterial enzymes at low temperature and high pH and
ii) fungal production of penicillin.
Students hand in a written report on the exercises and do an oral presentation of a specific part of the exercises.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 5
  • Exam
  • 0,5
  • Excursions
  • 9
  • Lectures
  • 19
  • Practical exercises
  • 14
  • Preparation
  • 149,5
  • Project work
  • 2
  • Theory exercises
  • 7
  • Total
  • 206,0
Oral
Individual
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 15-20 minutes, no preparation time
The exam questions will be handed out in the beginning of the course.
Exam registration requirements

To take the final exam, the students must have delivered a satisfactory essay dealing with the laboratory exercises.
 

Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
Re-exam

As ordinary.

If the requirement for the exam is not fulfilled, the students must have delivered a satisfactory essay dealing with the laboratory exercises 2 weeks before the reexamination.

Criteria for exam assesment

In order to obtain the grade 12 the student should convincingly and accurately demonstrate the knowledge, skills and competences described under Learning Outcome.