Model Systems and Industrial Applications

Course objectives

General skills This course aims to illustrate the characteristics of different model organisms and their use in industrial platforms, also analyzing the various improvement strategies. The course aims to identify and evaluate the appropriate choice of the model organism based on the type of biotechnological application addressed, depending on the different industrial sectors (eg food, pharmaceutical and chemical). The course includes lectures and laboratory sessions, dedicated to learning the ability to cultivate and manipulate some of the model systems treated. Specific objectives A) Knowledge and understanding - Knowledge of the main organisms used in industrial platforms - Knowledge and understanding of the main production processes based on the different cellular systems - Knowledge and understanding of improvement strategies for obtaining products on an industrial level B) Applying knowledge and understanding - be able to use specific terminology - to identify the right procedures to solve the basic questions of the use of different model systems -practicing the strategies for the improvement of the model organisms studied -be able to cultivate and handle the different model systems treated during the course C) Making judgements - acquire critical judgment skills, through the study of model systems and their use in various industrial platforms - learning by questioning D) Communication skills -be able to communicate what has been learned during the oral exam E) Learning skills - learning the specific terminology - be able to make the logical connections between the topics covered - be able to identify the most relevant topics

Channel 1
DANIELA UCCELLETTI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
Introduction to the course; general information on the production of primary and secondary metabolites, Streptomyces and Bacillus as reference genes and examples concerning their use in the pharmaceutical industry (10 hours). Microbial ecology of foods and lactic bacteria as starters in the food industry, generality of various kinds of lactic bacteria and improvement strategies for their use (8 hours). Yeast as a general model system and various applications in the fields of chemogenomics, biosensors, recombinant proteins, and the food industry (8 hours). Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster as models of invertebrates, characteristics, manipulability and their applications in different industrial platforms (10 hours). Murine models, generality and examples of applications in industrial biotechnologies (4 hours). LABORATORY SESSIONS (12 hours). Observation and manipulation of some model systems treated during the course such as Streptomyces and C.elegans.
Prerequisites
N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D
Books
Review articles Antonio Moreira, Volume 3 Industrial Biotechnology and Commodity Products, Comprenhensive Biotechnology, second edition, Elsevier
Teaching mode
The course is structured in theoretical lectures and exercises. In particular, 52 hours of teaching (6 CFU) are planned, of which 40 hours of lectures (5 credits) and 12 hours of exercises (1 CFU). The lessons are held twice a week in the classroom and the exposure takes place through the use of slides on power-point. The lessons are interspersed with laboratory hours based on the topics covered. During the laboratory sessions the student learns how to cultivate and manipulate some of the organisms studied. There are no tests of self-assessment in progress, there will be in the classroom the opportunity to review with the teacher key aspects of the program.
Frequency
n/d
Exam mode
The exam is aimed at verifying the level of knowledge and in-depth examination of the topics of the teaching program and the reasoning skills developed by the student. The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths (minimum grade 18/30, maximum mark 30/30 with honors). The evaluation consists of an oral test. The overall exam allows to verify the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and skills acquired as well as communication skills.
Lesson mode
The course is structured in theoretical lectures and exercises. In particular, 52 hours of teaching (6 CFU) are planned, of which 40 hours of lectures (5 credits) and 12 hours of exercises (1 CFU). The lessons are held twice a week in the classroom and the exposure takes place through the use of slides on power-point. The lessons are interspersed with laboratory hours based on the topics covered. During the laboratory sessions the student learns how to cultivate and manipulate some of the organisms studied. There are no tests of self-assessment in progress, there will be in the classroom the opportunity to review with the teacher key aspects of the program.
  • Lesson code1038164
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseCell biology and technology
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year1st year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDCHIM/11
  • CFU6