Microbial Biochemistry

Code:

EQ0109

Acronym:

BM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Physical Sciences (Chemistry)

Instance: 2011/2012 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemical Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Chemical Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIB	15	Syllabus	3	-	7	70	189
MIEQ	7	Syllabus	4	-	7	70	189

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This course aims to:
1- Endow students with knowledge on microbial biochemistry. Students should be capable of using their knowledge on the formulation, resolution and discussion of problems;
2- Develop students’ personal and professional attitudes, namely: reasoning and problem solving (identification and resolution of problems, estimate and quantitative analysis), experimentation and knowledge discovery (hypothesis formulation, research), systemic reasoning, personal skills and attitudes (perseverance and flexibility, creative and critical reasoning, awareness of the own knowledge, time and resources management), professional skills and attitudes (ethics, behaviour, integrity and professional responsibility):
3- Interpersonal skills: Teamwork and communication (oral and written)

Program

THEORETICAL
The impact of microorganisms in the different sectors of society; examples of biotechnological processes
Food industry: beneficial/harmful microorganisms and analysis of bacteriological quality control; methods of food preservation (for example: dairy products)
Chemical industry: (for example: production of ethanol and citric acid); Pharmaceutical industry (for ex: production of beta-lactams; the problem of dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria); Mining industry (microbial leaching of ores); Environment: waste water treatment; bioremediation of xenobiotic; Pollution prevention.
Metabolic pathway vs. industrial process/final product.

PRACTICAL
Yoghurt production and its characteristics (pH, proportion of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus); Survival of potential pathogenic microorganisms in fermented products (yoghurt) - comparison with unfermented products (milk)
Bioremediation of pesticide-polluted waters

Mandatory literature

Bitton, Gabriel; Wastewater Microbiology. ISBN: 0-471-30986-9
Demain, Arnold L. 340; Manual of industrial microbiology and biotechnology. ISBN: 1-55581-128-0
Mitchell, Ralph; Environmental microbiology. ISBN: 0-471-59587-X
Hurst, Christon J. 340; Manual of environmental microbiology. ISBN: 1-55581-199-X
Crueger, Wulf; Biotechnology. ISBN: 0-87893-135-X
Glazer, Alexander N.; Microbial biotechnology. ISBN: 0-7167-2608-4

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures: 1.5 h – twice a week; oral presentation of the themes with audiovisual support. Students will be encouraged to participate and to use their deductive reasoning.
Practical: Laboratory work: 2 h – once per week;

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	70,00
	Exame	2,00
	Trabalho escrito	30,00
	Trabalho escrito	5,00
	Trabalho escrito	10,00
	Total:	-	0,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
	Estudo autónomo	39
	Estudo autónomo	25
	Estudo autónomo	8
	Total:	72,00

Eligibility for exams

Laboratory classes are mandatory to all students, even to those with a special status.
To complete the course, students have to:
- reach a minimum grade of 10 in every assessment components
- reach a minimum average grade of 10 out of 20

Calculation formula of final grade

Mark of the practical component:
PC= (0.3 x AC) + (0.7 x RE)

Mark of the theoretical component:
TC = (0.35 Mon) + (0.15 x AO) + (0.2 x MT1) + (0.3 x MT2)

Final Mark:
FM = (0.6 TC) + (0.4 x PC)
Mon - mark of monograph
MT 1 and MT 2 – mark of the short written test 1 and 2
OP- oral presentation
RE- Report

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students have to write a monograph on a theme that has not been referred to in the theoretical classes. It should also be presented orally (10 min) and then discussed (5 min). Additionally the student must attend a laboratorial exam.

Classification improvement

Students who want to improve their grade should perform a written test.

Observations

Theoretical component: students have to write one monograph on a theme that has not been referred to on the theoretical classes. It should also be presented orally (5 min). Additionally the students must attend 2 short written tests.
Practical component: continuous assessment and laboratory assignment. Each group of 2 students must do a report of one of the laboratorial works. The report must include the following sections: summary, materials and methods, results and discussion, conclusions and references.