Course Offerings General Microbiology
Here you can find an overview of the lectures, practical courses and seminars offered by members of the working group for general microbiology.
Courses in Winter Semester
Bachelor Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (MBBT)
Fundamentals of Microbiology: Practical Course (4 SWS), Prof. Dr. Thorsten Mascher
The module includes the definition of the field of microbiology as well as the microbial concept, the history and phylogenetic classification of microorganisms, and the structure and function of the relevant components within microbial cells. It comprises an overview of microbial diversity (including viruses), their metabolic processes, and their influence on global cycles. In addition to the basics of microbial growth, including the concept of bacterial multicellularity as an important life style for microorganisms, basic concepts of bacterial and phage genetics are handled. The module further explores the methodological foundations for working with microorganisms, including sterile work, isolation of microorganisms from environmental samples, creation of pure microbial cultures, staining methods for microscopy, and taxonomically relevant physiological analyses.
Fundamentals of Microbiology: Practical Course (4 SWS), Prof. Dr. Thorsten Mascher, Dr. Diana Wolf, Dr. Daniela Hartmann and others
This practical course is part of the compulsory module "Fundamentals of Microbiology" and conveys practical skills in working with microorganisms, sterile work, isolation of microorganisms from environmental samples, methods for the isolation of pure cultures, staining techniques for microscopy, and taxonomic and physological tests.
Food Microbiology: Lecture (2 SWS), seminar (2 SWS), practical course (4 SWS), Dr. Diana Wolf
These courses comprise the elective module "Food Microbiology" and provide a glimpse into the importance of microorganisms in the food industry. The module covers topics in the areas of biotechnology and food processing technology as well as the use of microorganisms for food production. During the practical course, foods such as beer, yogurt, and sauerkraut will be made in order to practically apply the knowledge gained in the course.
Microbial Genetics: Seminar (2 SWS), Dr. Diana Wolf
The module covers key concepts of bacterial and yeast genetics including genomic organization, mutations and variations, gene expression, and methods for the genetic modification of bacteria and yeasts. Furthermore, the course includes information on the cultivation and life cycles of selected bacteria and yeasts as well as their applications in genetic technologies and as model systems.
Bacterial Genetics: Practical Course (4 SWS), Dr. Diana Wolf and others
Both courses are part of the compulsory elective module "Microbial Genetics". The practical course deepens and applies the knowledge acquired in the lectures belonging to this module. The possibilities of horizontal gene transfer and the associated genetic modifications of bacteria will be investigated and carried out experimentally. The seminar serves to work through and expand upon scientific content related to the practical course.
Molecular Biology of Natural Products: Practical Course (4 SWS) Dr. Daniela Hartmann and others
The module covers the definition of the research area as well as the classification and function of natural products from diverse organisms and their effects on others. It comprises the occurrence, biosynthesis, and analysis of selected natural products in addition to their biotechnological production and function within the producing organism. The course further covers the effects of natural products on people and microorganisms in regard to interactions with cellular components, physiological processes, toxicity, and medical aspects including resistance. The module also includes experimental methods used in natural products research and the handling of microbial and plant-based model systems.
Master Molecular Biosciences and Productive Biosystems
From Genes to Enzymes: Lecture (4 SWS), Prof. Dr. Thorsten Mascher
The module focuses on the molecular basis of bacterial regulation in the context of transcription and translation initiation as well as signal transduction. It also covers the mechanistic details of the translation of mRNA into proteins in the three domains of life as well as the molecular principles of special translation processes. Furthermore, the module includes the biochemically/physiologically relevant consequences of special translation events and their biotechnological utilization using examples. The module also covers enzyme categories and their significance for applications, relationships between structural and catalytic properties of selected enzymes, and the essential characteristics of biocatalytic use. It also includes classical and modern methods of identifying new enzymes.
Genome Assembly and Annotation (Systems Biology and Genomics): Lecture & Exercise, M.Sc. Genevieve Sohl
In this elective course within the Systems Biology and Genomics module, students will gain hands-on experience in bioinformatical methods for assembling, annotating, and analyzing bacterial genomes. Web-based platforms and tools are used to develop an assembly pipeline as well as carry out genomic analyses including proteome comparisons, identification of mutations between strains, and identification of biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites. Students will further be introduced to background information relevant to genomic analyses such as sequencing methods and mutational consequences.
Courses in Summer Semester
Master Molecular Biosciences and Productive Biosystems
Synthetic Biology: Lecture & Seminar, Prof. Dr. Thorsten Mascher
This course is one of the elective courses in the module “Application Technologies” and explores the multidisciplinary field of synthetic biology (SynBio). SynBio applies engineering principles to develop new biological parts, devices, and systems or redesign existing systems found in nature. Students will learn about metabolic and genetic engineering techniques to impart new functions to living cells in top-down, bottom-up, parallel, and orthogonal approaches and the technologies developed to enable these modifications.
Bacterial Multicellularity and Secondary Metabolites: Lecture & Seminar, Prof. Dr. Thorsten Mascher
This course is one of the elective courses in the module “Productive Pathways” and aims to provide students with knowledge about the various forms and functions of bacterial multicellularity. Topics including the mechanisms behind multicellular structures, genetic regulation of multicellular processes, and the evolution of prokaryotic multicellularity are shown through the lens of model organisms to illustrate both how and why bacteria band together.