The course comprises lectures, laboratory work, colloquia in the morning and afternoon and modelling exercises on the computer in the evening. Preparatory discussions and sessions on particular course subjects are offered during the course and research themes will be discussed during the minisymposia on Saturday, October 6 and on October 18 and 19. On field trips we will point out characteristic microbial habitats, collect microbes and try to enrich and isolate them in the laboratory. The laboratory work is investigative, i.e. we would like to discover new microbes and understand their potentials and activities. It is designed to educate students in some current techniques and to encourage independent research. The students will carry out laboratory investigations in groups with faculty assistance and independently.

LOCATIONS AND TIME

Classes	Start daily at 09.30 in the lecture room of the Oceanography and Natural Sciences Department or in alternative rooms as posted. See weekly program (pdf)
Laboratory work	Afternoons or mornings in the course lab and in the labs of the course staff at the Microbiology Department
Colloquia / Exercises	Lecture room and computer laboratory of the Oceanography and Natural Sciences Department. See weekly program (pdf)
Field trips	Special schedules
Minisymposia	Saturday, October 6, 09.00 to 15.00 in the lecture room of the Oceanography and Natural Sciences Department. See special program (pdf) Thursday and Friday, October 18 and 19, in the lecture room of the Oceanography and Natural Sciences Department. See special program (pdf)
Guest lecture	Friday, October 12, at 12.30, Auditorium Claudio Gay. "Nutrient cycling in oligotrophic high mountain lakes: A study on natural eutrophication processes". See special announcement (pdf)

INSTRUCTORS AND INVITED LECTURERS 

Victor Gallardo	vagallar@udec.cl	Earth Systems Studies
Apolinaria Garcia	apgarcia@udec.cl	Microbial Cell Wall Structures
Carlos González	cgonzales@udec.cl	Bacterial Genetics
Gerardo González	ggonzal@udec.cl	Antibiotic Resistances in Bacteria
Kurt Hanselmann	hanselma@botinst.unizh.ch	Microbial Ecology
Rolf Kümmerlin	rkummerl@udec.cl	Applied Hygien Microbiology
Miguel Martinez	mimartin@udec.cl	Microbial Bioremediation Technology
Maria Angelica Mondaca	mmondaca@udec.cl	Bacterial Heavy Metal Resistances
Angel Oñate	aonate@udec.cl	Immunity against Brucella abortus
Carlos Smith	csmith@udec.cl	Immunological Vertrebate Defence
Osvaldo Ulloa	oulloa@profc.udec.cl	Ocean Systems Studies
Homero Urruti	hurrutia@udec.cl	Microbiology of Anaerobes

PARTICIPANTS

COURSE THEMES / LECTURES

See also detailed weekly programs (pdf)

The students will be encouraged to participate in short laboratory exercises which will allow them to get hands-on experience in microbiological techniques and learn about concepts. The exercises are under the guidance of course staff members. Examples: Sample storage, microscopy and sample processing (Kurt Hanselmann) Detection of antibiotic resistance genes by PCR (Gerardo González) Designing microbial diets for the discovery of microbes (Kurt Hanselmann) Structure and activity of archaeal biofilms (Homero Urrutia) Isolation of metal resistant bacteria from industrial effluents (Maria Angelica Mondaca) Thermodynamic modelling (Kurt Hanselmann) Degradation of halogenated aromatics (Miguel Martinez and Apolinaria Garcia) Solving microbiological problems (Kurt Hanselmann) Microscopic analysis of hot spring microorganisms (Kurt Hanselmann) Analysis and physical enrichment for Thioploca and Beggiatoa (Victor Gallardo & Kurt Hanselmann)

October 6: Current Aspects of Environmental and Eco-Clinical Microbiology This minisymposium will introduce the participants to frontier research carried out by established investigators on campus and at institutions outside, and advisors of the course will briefly introduce the kind of research they are themselves involved in. The course organizers hope that these presentations will inspire interest in research with ecological perspectives, research which might in turn provide new solutions to current microbiological and environmental problems. The contributions will also broaden the often narrow focus of the every-day research work and offer students and established investigators an ecological approach to answering microbiological questions. There will be ample time for discussions after each presentation. Sections 1: Biofilms, 2: Eco-clinical Aspects, 3: Environmental Aspects PROGRAM (pdf)

FIELD TRIPS

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS / GRADING / CERTIFICATE

Full credit requires: Giving a 15 minute presentation on the work the student is presently involved in (at the beginning of the course). Participating actively in lectures, exercises and labs (during the course). Choosing a scientific paper related to the student's field of interest, presenting the essence of the paper in 10 minutes in English and being able to respond to questions related to it (= exam at the end of the course). Grade scale Points Grade Scale 100 - 88 A excellent 87 - 68 B good 67 - 58 C sufficient 57 - 1 D insufficient 0 F failed I incomplete X withdrawn The number of points assigned is a composit of the following three activities: Seminar: A presentation of the work the student is persuing for the thesis project or of the research the student is involved in at her or his home institution. Presentation of a scientific paper chosen by the student and relating to the contents of interest in the course. Oral exam: consisting of questions related to the presentation of the scientific paper and the course contents Each section is evaluated with a maximum of 100 points. The grade is calculated by summing up the points of the sections and dividing them by 3.   Students who successfully participate and who fulfill the above requirements will receive a document listing the number of grade points received. Students who participate in only part of the course can ask to be evaluated for individual sections if they fulfill the necessary requirements. Students who attend individual lectures or participate at the minisymposia may obtain a non-graded certificate of participation.

 

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FURTHER INFORMATION

For more information about the Microbiology Course please contact one of the course organizers in Chile. For information about the Postgraduate Program in Oceanography (course contents, application requirements, scholarships etc.) connect to the Internet link: http://www.oceanografia.udec.cl and contact the program directors or the administrators:   Carmen E. Morales Van de Wyngard Depto. Oceanografía Estación de Biología Marina - Dichato Casilla 44 Dichato - VIII Región - Chile Fono: ++56-41-683342 / 683033 / 683247 Fax: ++56-41-683902 E-mail camorale@udec.cl   or   Fabiola Gaete Secretaria Programas de Postgrado en Oceanografía Departamento de Oceanografía Casilla 160-C, Concepción - Chile Fono: ++56-41-204239, Fax: ++56-41-204345 E-mail: fgaete@udec.cl   or   Tarcisio Antezana Director Programas de Postgrado en Oceanografía Departamento de Oceanografía Casilla 160-C, Concepción - Chile Fono: ++56-41-204239, Fax: ++56-41-204345 E-mail: antezana@udec.cl   or   José Stuardo Cátedra UNESCO y Coordinador de Cursos Internacionales Departamento de Oceanografía Casilla 160-C, Concepción - Chile Fono: ++56-41-203322, Fax: ++56-41-522369 E-mail: jstuardo@udec.cl

SUPPORT

The course "ECOLOGY & DIVERSITY OF MICROORGANISMS" as part of the Cursos Internacionales 2001 is supported by

Proyecto MECESUP UCO 0002

Cátedra UNESCO-IOC

Escuela de Graduados, Universidad de Concepción

Departamento de Oceanografía, Universidad de Concepción

Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Concepción

Servicio Aleman de Intercambio Academico (DAAD)

IOC UNESCO

MINERA ESCONDIDA LTDA.

Swiss Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE)

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THE COURSE IN PICTURES

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