MIB-30303 Research Methods Microbiology

Course

Credits 3.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Microbiology & Biochemistry; BScA/BScB Biotechnology/Molecular Sciences; Microbial Physiology.

Continuation courses:

Thesis/internship Microbiology.

Contents:

Note: This course has a maximum number of participants (maximum number is 36). The deadline for registration is one week earlier than usual.
See Academic Year.(http://www.wur.nl/en/Education-Programmes/Current-Students/Agenda-Calendar-Academic-Year.htm) -> Registration for Courses.
The advanced practical course microbiology offers a set of experiments that is based on on-going ecological, physiological and genetics/genomics research at the Laboratory of Microbiology. Besides the practical part, theoretical background and objectives of the experiments will be explained in several short lectures. Each student will participate in three experiments: one with a molecular-physiological focus, one with a molecular-ecological focus and one with focus on microbe-host interactions. Students work in small groups (~6-8 persons). Techniques that may be applied include: cultivation of (strict) anaerobic and other microorganisms; HPLC and GC analysis; FPLC analysis; gelelectrophoresis (protein and DNA/RNA); isolation, purification and amplification of RNA and DNA; bio-informatics.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- formulate a research question or hypothesis, and a research objective;
- perform various experiments using advanced methods commonly used in microbiology;
- know how to make a quantitative codebook for organizing their data;
- define the meaning of a variable;
- describe follow-up experiments based on obtained results;
- identify a research problem from literature and generated results;
- find, interpret and cite relevant literature to a conducted study;
- interpret, present and describe the results in an oral presentation and written report;
- come up with a theory that puts their conducted research in a wider perspective;
- collaborate with fellow students both in experiments as well as in writing the report.

Activities:

- perform 3 laboratory experiments;
- data will be processed, interpreted and presented in a short oral presentation as well as in a report.

Examination:

The course will be judged on the basis of performance during the experimental phase (50%) and the report (50%).
Both aspects need a minimum mark of 5.5 to pass.

Literature:

A manual will be available on the first day of the course.