Learning outcomes

The course is designed to deepen the theoretical basis and the criteria for the application of microbial systems to the production of compounds of economic interest, to energy recovery and production, to waste treatment and environmental detoxification. Based on the wealth of information acquired while attending previous classes of microbiology content, students will address issues relating to the properties of microorganisms, both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, including bacteria, archaebacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi and - in a distinct position because of their non-cell structure – viruses, in relation to potential technological applications. Microorganisms will be mainly analyzed as biological catalysts of specific biosynthetic reactions and/or degradations, carried out either in a confined environments (bioreactors) or in open context, focusing on the actions aimed at controlling and optimizing the processes of interest.

Program

SYLLABUS – 1. Back references to microbial diversity and taxonomy ; 2. Proteins production in bacteria and yeasts ; 3. Single-cell proteins ; 4. Insecticides of microbial origin ; 5. Enzymes of microbial origin ; 6. Microbial Polysaccharides e polyesters ; 7. Microbial degradation of biopolymers: cellulose and lignin ; 8. Microbial production of amino acids ; 9. Production of antibiotics ; 10. Microbial degradation of xenobiotic compounds in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions ; 11. Microbiology of wastewater depuration ; 12. Principles of composting ; 13. Anaerobic digestion of biomass ; 14. Industrial production of edible mushrooms

SUGGESTED TEXTBOOK - Manual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (3rd Edition) – 2010 Richard H. Baltz, Julian E. Davies, Arnold L. Demain ASM Press, ISBN: 978-1-55581-512-7. Microbial Biotechnology - Fundamentals of Applied Microbiology (2nd Edition) – 2007 Alexander N. Blazer, Hiroshi Nikaido Cambridge University Press, ISBN: 978-0-521-84210-5.

Examination Methods

Written examination