Description

Theme 1: Social bacterial interactions

• Bacterial interactions, Quorum sensing, Socio-microbiology

Theme 2:  Microbial biofilm and evolution

• Biofilms, Evolution of bacteria

Theme 3: Bacterial mobile genetic elements

• Plasmids, transposons, and bacteriophages
• Horizontal transfer of plasmids in natural environments

Theme 4: Phenotypic heterogeneity

• Phenotypic plasticity, Adaption to environmental change
• Phenotypic heterogeneity in isogenic populations

By the end of the course students are expected to be able to master:

Knowledge:

• describe the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary basis of social bacterial interactions and behaviour
• describe the different mechanisms behind horizontal gene transfer among bacteria
• describe the prokaryotic species concept and evaluate different species definitions

Skills:

• evaluate the importance of biofilm formation to bacterial survival
• evaluate quorum sensing in relation to biofilm formation and bacterial pathogenesis
• evaluate the concept of sociomicrobiology and analyse the importance of bacterial interactions
• evaluate the role of phenotypic heterogeneity in isogenic population as an adaption to environmental change
• analyse the evolution and phylogeny of bacteria
• analyse horizontal transfer of plasmids in natural environments

Competences:

• use and evaluate classic and molecular experimental methods to research central topics covered in the course and subsequently analyse data
• put into a plasmid pespective the evolution of antibiotic resistance, both in human infections and in various environments
• analyse, put into perspective, and criticize the primary scientific literature
• perform oral presentation of acquired knowledge and ideas

Recommended qualifications

Introductory courses in molecular biology and microbiology are recommended.



Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.