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Project 2 Applied microbiology (2024)

Course manager

Esperanza Jurado

Semester schedule

Spring (13 + 3-week periode)

ECTS

5

Language of instruction

English

Course type

Compulsory

Qualifications

Competences corresponding to participation in Project 1 Industrial Biotechnology. 

Objectives

Group work on a project involving Applied Microbiology in an industrial context, e.g. process plants in the production of bioenergy or biological purification. The project work, performed in accordance with the Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate (CDIO) principles, comprises a practical element in which a given project challenge will be documented. The point of departure will be industrial problems in connection with e.g. biogas reactors, dairy production or sludge processing plants. All resulting project work will be presented and discussed in one comprehensive project report.

Content

Applied microbiology

  • Basic knowledge of the design and operation of fermenters and reactors
  • Microbiology relative to biotechnological processes
  • Biogas reactors
  • Analysis of product flows in biotechnological processes

Project work, laboratory skills and communication 

  • CDIO principles and project phases 
  • Project work focused on project completion, milestones, organization and planning
  • Introduction to the management of resources and project economy
  • Project planning and adjustment
  • Follow-up on team roles
  • Trial design, data processing, documentation and handling
  • A systematic approach to searching for literature
  • Application of microbiological laboraotory techniques
  • Project-report writing focused on experimental work and results 
  • Project presentation

Learning targets

The student must independently familiarise him-/herself with a biochemical production process such as e.g. treatment of wastewater, biogas production the use of fermentation in dairy production. This should comprise a description of such biochemical processes that take place and an explanation of the microorganisms involved. 

On completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge

  • Understand and explain microbiological principles relative to selected biochemical processes 
  • Understand and explain the design and function of fermenters and reactors, e.g. comprising biogas reactors 
  • Understand and explain the principles of trial design and data processing

Skills

  • Explain selected microbiological processes that are applied industrially
  • Analyse and account for product flows relative to fermentors and reactors
  • Set up trial designs for the documentation of a given biochemical production process
  • Implement trial design for microbiology experiments in the laboratory
  • Application of microbiological techniques and collection of data from experiments
  • Perform analysis of collected data as well as dat treatment
  • Perform relevant and specific searches for scientific literature

Competences    

  • Explain and apply the CDIO principles in relation to a project 
  • Perform and continuously assess a project plan and budget
  • Collaborate with others on a practical project flow
  • Communicate the progression of a project together with results – in writing and orally   

Teaching method

Seminars, project supervision, practical work in the laboratory, and company visits. 

Qualifications for examination participation

  • Fulfillment of the requirements for compulsory participation as given in the study programme part 2.4
  • Participation in all planned company visits
  • Participation in all planned activities with external lecturers
  • Submission and acceptance of project plan and budget in writing
  • Presentation of project plan and budget at tutorial seminar

If a student does not fulfill the requirements for compulsory participation she/he can be excluded from the project group and hence, shall do an individual project. 

All work will be performed and submitted pursuant to guidelines set out by the course manager.

Examination and aids

  • Submission of project report
  • Oral examination at which each group will present their project (20 min). This is followed by individual examination by way of questions by a panel of instructors. Duration of individual examination: 10 min. pr. student. 

Permitted aids: Project report and presentation.

The final assessment shall comprise the following elements: Project report (50%) and oral examination (50%).

Marking

Internal

Grading

The 7-point grading scale