Advanced Bacteriology

By the end of the course students are expected to be able to master:

Knowledge:

• describe the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary basis of social bacterial interactions and behaviour
• describe the different mechanisms behind horizontal gene transfer among bacteria
• describe the prokaryotic species concept and evaluate different species definitions

Skills:

• evaluate the importance of biofilm formation to bacterial survival
• evaluate quorum sensing in relation to biofilm formation and bacterial pathogenesis
• evaluate the concept of sociomicrobiology and analyse the importance of bacterial interactions
• evaluate the role of phenotypic heterogeneity in isogenic population as an adaption to environmental change
• analyse the evolution and phylogeny of bacteria
• analyse horizontal transfer of plasmids in natural environments

Competences:

• place complex bacterial interactions in a social evolution perspective
• place the evolution of antibiotic resistance in a plasmid perspective, both in human infections and in diverse environments analyse
• contextualise, and critically evaluate the primary scientific literature
• communicate acquired knowledge and ideas through oral presentations