Biology and Biotechnology of Microorganisms
LIST OF COURSES
The faculty of the program consists of 18 PhD Professors.
Currently, 31 modules are offered by the staff of the program as well as by professors from other Brazilian and foreign institutions. The program maintains formal technical and scientific collaboration agreements with domestic and international institutions. It stimulates students’ mobility and collaboration with researchers from other institutions and other national and international graduate programs. The program promotes internal events that allow a closer relationship between professors, students, graduates and society.
- Analytical methods applied to biotechnology: Sample preparation; connection between properties of biomolecules and methods of extraction, separation and characterization; methods of extraction and purification of biomolecules and metabolites of microbial origin; techniques for analysis of biomolecules; spectrophotometric methods; chromatographic systems and applications in biotechnology; electrophoretic separation of biomolecules; mass spectroscopy.
- Biochemical, molecular, and functional characterization of proteins and proteome analysis in developmental organisms and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses: Techniques of protein extraction, fractionation, purification, and dosage. Biochemical characterization tests: thermostability, salt and solvent responses, protein-protein interaction, protein interaction with organic and inorganic compounds. Strategies for the study of proteins aiming at functional characterization: enzymatic assays, antibody production and immunological assays, inhibition and blocking of proteins, application of isolated proteins in media, cells or tissues and others. Physicochemical methods of analysis. Proteome analysis: developmental stages of organisms, temporal responses to biotic stresses, temporal, cellular and tissue responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.
- Biophysical chemistry principles and nanobiotechnological applications of biomimetic systems: Provide fundamental theoretical elements on the properties and application of biomimetic systems within nanobiotechnology in controlled drug delivery, biosensor development, and creation of biofunctionalized surfaces etc.
- Biosafety: Study and guidance on the basic instructions that allow students to develop laboratory activities within the safety and biosafety norms required for working in Microbiology laboratories.
- Biotechnology of Microorganism: Traditional and modern microbial biotechnological products and processes. Microbial biotechnology in food and beverage, pharmaceutical, agro-industry, chemical, environmental preservation, energy production industries. Applications of molecular biology. Applications of recombinant microorganisms. Application of bioinformatics, functional genomics, and metagenomics in biotechnology. Bioprospecting of microbial enzymes. Microbial fermentation processes to produce enzymes: solid-state fermentation and liquid fermentation. Study of enzymes of biotechnological interest produced by microorganisms. Extraction methods and physicochemical characteristics of enzymes. Perspectives and applications of microbial enzymes in different areas. The importance of collections of microorganisms for biotechnological development. Notions of patents and intellectual property protection.
- Biotechnology of microbial enzymes: Global enzymes market. The catalytic function of enzymes. Classification of enzymes. Use of agro-industrial wastes to produce microbial enzymes. Methods of separation and purification of enzymes. Immobilization of enzymes. Enzyme potential.
- Environmental microbiology: Natural habitat of microorganisms. Main microbial groups. Microbial ecology. Morphology and physiology. Biogeochemical cycles. Terrestrial environments. Aquatic environments. Biodegradation, biotransformation, mineralization, biostimulation, biosorption and bioaccumulation of metals. Microbial corrosion.
- General microbiology: History of microbiology. Main microbial groups. Morphology and ultrastructure; Physiology and metabolism. Growth and nutrition. Cultivation and identification techniques.
- Pathogen host interaction: Study of the mechanisms of different microbial interaction with human, plant, and other animal cells, including microbiological and immunological processes.
- Seminar 1: Basic concepts and techniques for preparing and presenting scientific lectures. Seminar on a free topic in Biology and Biotechnology of Microorganisms.
- Seminar 2: Basic concepts, methods and techniques for preparing and presenting scientific lectures. Seminars on original scientific research in Biology and Biotechnology of Microorganisms.
- Seminar 3: Basic concepts, techniques and instructions for preparing and presenting scientific-technological lectures. Seminars on an advanced topic in Biology and Biotechnology of Microorganisms.
- Soil microbiology: Main groups of microorganisms. Physical and chemical characteristics of soil. Microbial metabolism; Microbiological processes in the cycle of carbon, nitrogen and other nutrients. Traditional and molecular methods of microbiota analysis. Soil organic matter. Importance of microbiota in soil quality.
- Special topics I, II, III, IV, V and VI: Special Topic modules will be offered according to the demands and needs of the Program in order to cover innovative and scientifically relevant themes.
- Structure and function of macromolecules: Structure and properties of proteins. Stability, denaturation, and inactivation of proteins. Techniques of analysis of proteins. Functions of proteins. Enzymes: classification of enzymes, mechanisms of catalysis and kinetics of enzymatic reactions. Structure and function of carbohydrates. Structure of nucleic acids. Analysis of nucleic acids. Synthesis of DNA - replication of chromatin. Transcription and its control in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. RNA processing and post-transcriptional control. Protein biosynthesis and its regulation. Addressing and subcellular localization of proteins.
- Teaching internship I and II: It consists of following an undergraduate course under the supervision of a professor, an opportunity for the graduate student to teach classes and carry out other teaching activities as a supervised internship.
