Unit APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

Course
Agricultural and environmental biotechnology
Study-unit Code
A002227
Curriculum
In all curricula
Teacher
Pietro Buzzini
CFU
12
Course Regulation
Coorte 2024
Offered
2024/25
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa integrata

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY

Code A002228
CFU 6
Teacher Benedetta Turchetti
Teachers
  • Benedetta Turchetti
Hours
  • 54 ore - Benedetta Turchetti
Learning activities Caratterizzante
Area Discipline biotecnologiche generali
Academic discipline AGR/16
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction English
Contents Microbial biodiversity. Metabolic Diversity of Microorganisms.
Geochemical Cycles. Applied environmental microbiology (silage, compost, biogas, wastewater treatment, bioregionation, hydrogen)
Reference texts - Environmental Microbiology (Third Edition)Edited by:Ian L. Pepper,
Charles P. Gerba and Terry J. Gentry - Elsevier Inc
- Brock Biology of Microorganisms - Michael T. Madigan, Kelly S. Bende,
Daniel H. Buckley, W. Matthew Sattley, David A. Stahl - Pearson 2017
Educational objectives Provide students with the knowledge of: major factors affecting microbial
survival; the main microbial groups present in the environment in relation
to their metabolic ability, the main microbial metabolites, the main
applications of microorganisms in the environment: silage, composting,
biogas production, water purification and environmental rehabilitation.
Provide students with the capabilities to: conduct and evaluate
environmental sampling, perform selective microbial isolation, perform
microbial counts from environmental samples, critically analyze and
discuss laboratory results
Prerequisites In order to understand and interpret critically the covered topics, good
preparation in general microbiology (basic techniques of microbiology)
and biochemistry (principal metabolisms) is required
Teaching methods Teaching methods: frontal lectures, laboratory exercises, student
seminars, educational visit to plants.
Teaching and learning support: video screenings of lessons, teaching
material distributed by the teacher, texts recommended for study, papers selected by the teacher
Methods of learning (in addition to the frequency of teaching activities):
reading and personal study on reference texts, reading and personal
study on material suggested by the teacher, laboratory practice,
realization and presentation of individual reports or small working groups
on topics and specific projects.
Learning verification modality The exam consists on an oral test of approximately 20 minutes, aimed at assessing the level of knowledge and understanding of the topics of the course and the ability to link them. The oral examination will also allow to
verify the student's communication skills and the technical language
skills in relation to the discussed topics. Individual or small group reports on specific topics and projects indicated by the lecturer, delivered during the semester, and their presentation to the class, will also be assessed. This type of test will make it possible to assess the student's ability to synthesise and propensity to work in a group.
Extended program - Factors that influence microbial diversity.
- Metabolic diversity of microorganisms: phototrophy, chemotherapy,
autotrophy and heterotrophy.
- The role of microorganisms in the biogeochemical cycles of the
elements: carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles.
- Microbial biofilm.
- Silage: micoorganisms involved and role, processes.
- Compost: composting process, microflora during the process, evaluation
of the maturation state.
- Energy production in the form of methane: methanogens, ecology of
methanogenic microorganisms, process biochemistry, applications.
- Energy production in the form of hydrogen: production of hydrogen by
fermentation, production of hydrogen by photosynthetic microorganisms.
- Biological water purification: structure of a purification plant, microbial
ecology of activated sludge, biochemistry of microbiological processes.
- Bioremediation of contaminated soil: role of microorganisms in soil
contaminants degradation processes, influence of environmental factors,
bioremediation in situ, bioremediation techniques.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile 6, 7, 15

INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY

Code A002138
CFU 6
Teacher Pietro Buzzini
Teachers
  • Pietro Buzzini
Hours
  • 54 ore - Pietro Buzzini
Learning activities Caratterizzante
Area Discipline biotecnologiche generali
Academic discipline AGR/16
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents - Fundamental of microbial biotechnologies and of biocatalytic processes.
- Use of bioreactors and control systems of operational parameters. Batch, fed-batch and continuous cultures. Cell immobilization.
- Chemostat and Turbidostat. Industrial culture media, kinetic of substrate utilization, assessment of biomass.
- Examples of industrial utilization of selected microorganisms for production of biomass and chemicals of industrial importance.
- Techiques of screening for selecting microorganisms for the production of industrially relevant molecules.
- Techniques of downstream processing and determination of biological activity of microbial metabolites.
Reference texts M. MANZONI. Microbiologia Industriale, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano, 2006.
B. BIAVATI, C. SORLINI. Microbiologia Generale e Agraria. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2007.
A. N. GLAZER, H. NIKAIDO. Microbial Biotecnology, Cambridge Univesrity Press, 2007.
A. L. DEMAIN, J. E. DAVIS. Manual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. ASM Press, 1999.
Educational objectives Ability to:
- Work with innovative biotechnological approaches in the field of microbial biotechnology applied to food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and food additives;
- Investigate all aspects related with the use of selected microorganisms for biotechnological innovation process type.
- Apply the knowledge acquired in fermentation processes conducted at different scales (laboratory scale, pilot scale, industrial scale) and with different modes (batch, fed-batch and continuous);
- Apply the acquired knowledge to the development of new processes of fermentation and / or improvement of existing processes.
Prerequisites Basic knowledges of microbiology and biochemistry
Teaching methods Lecture
Other information Laboratory practical lessons
Learning verification modality final oral examination
Extended program - Fundamental of microbial biotechnologies and of biocatalytic processes. Selection and conservation of biotechnologically relevant microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi), culture collections (BRCs). Screening, genetic improvement, optimizing, modelling and scale-up.
- Use of bioreactors and control systems of operational parameters. Batch, fed-batch and continuous cultures. Cell immobilization.
- Chemostat and Turbidostat. Industrial culture media, kinetic of substrate utilization, assessment of biomass.
- Examples of industrial utilization of selected microorganisms for production of biomass and chemicals of industrial importance (ethanol, enzymes, vitamins, organic acids, glycerol, EPS, VOCs).
- Techniques of screening for selecting microorganisms for the production of industrially relevant molecules (e.g. enzymes, vitamins, antibiotics, organic acids).
- Techniques of downstream processing and determination of biological activity of microbial metabolites.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile 9
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