gsw250 - Molecular Microbiology (Complete module description)

Enrolment in Master´s programme Molecular Biomedicine

Goals of this module:
Upon completion of this module the students will have a basic knowledge about bacteriology, antibiotic resistances and gene mutagenesis methods.

Skills to be acquired/ competencies:
++ deepened biological expertise
++ deepened knowledge of biological working methods
  + deepened knowledge of clinical diagnostics
  + data analysis skills
++ interdisciplinary thinking
++ critical and analytical thinking
++ independent searching and knowledge of scientific literature
++ data presentation and discussion (written and spoken)
  + teamwork + ethics and professional behavior
++ project and time management

Lecture:
In the first lectures, basic knowledge of general and specific bacteriology is taught. Subsequently, antibiotic resistance as well as resistance mechanisms are explained in more detail. Finally, the topic of horizontal gene transfer and mobile genetic elements will be discussed.

Seminar:
The seminar will address with the topic of antibiotic resistances. Students gain initial experience in formulating a scientific question and designing experiments to answer it. Different cloning strategies are discussed in detail.

Practical course:
The methods developed in the seminar will be put into practice. Antibiotic resistance plasmids will be modified using various techniques and the effects of these manipulations on bacterial physiology and resistance patterns will be investigated.

Textbooks of microbiology. Current literature on antibiotic resistances and horizontal gene transfer will be announced in the lecture.

(participation at lectures is not restricted)

The lecture is held weekly during the semester (first half). Seminar and practical course form a joint block course.

written examination: end of the module,
presentation: during the seminar/practical course joint block,
protocol: end of the practical course

graded: written examination, ungraded: presentation, protocols