mar560 - Profile Module Fermentation (Vollständige Modulbeschreibung)

The students are getting directly involved in actual scientific projects in the area of general physiology (under guidance). They understand the scientific rational and design of the experiment(s), get acquainted with state-of-the-art concepts and technologies for growth balancing (e.g. bioreactor), know how to write concise scientific protocols, know how to present/discuss their results in public.

"Growth balancing": Daily lectures introduce the students to theory and concepts of growth stoichiometry: (i) aerobic or anaerobic growth experiments in glass vessels and/or bioreactors,
(ii) experimental design,
(iii) design and operating laboratory fermenters,
(iv) HPLC, IC and GC-MS analysis.
Each student will prepare a seminar presentation on selected publications relevant for the actual scientific project. The following sequence of experiments will be conducted:
- cultivation of bacterial pure cultures in Erlenmeyer flasks, glass bottles or controlled bioreactors
- determination of optical density, the live count, dry weight of cells and microscopic inspection during cultivation
- (dis)assembly and sterilization of fermentation devices
- operate process-controlled fermenters (incl. O2 and pH adjustments and sterile sampling)
- determine O2-consumption and CO2-production rates based on on-line GC-MS measurements
- quantification of substrate consumption for HPLC and IC
- quantitative determination and calculation growth balances and efficiencies

Will be announced in the courses.

Announced at the beginning of the course.

One assessment of examination:
Portfolio: Protocol (100 %), seminar presentation (no mark)

Active participation: Active and documented participation in practical courses (labs, exercises, seminars, field trips) and courses. These include e.g. the delivery of exercises, writing a lab report or seminar presentations according to the advice of the course supervisor.