1. komponenta

Lecture type	Total
Lectures	30
Seminar	15

* Load is given in academic hour (1 academic hour = 45 minutes)

COURSE OBJECTIVE:
The objective of the course Advanced Topics in Microbiology is to i) broaden the microbiological knowledge acquired in the mandatory undergraduate microbiology course through selected, engaging topics from all areas of microbiology (virology, bacteriology, mycology, archaeal biology, etc.); ii) develop the ability to integrate knowledge acquired in other courses into microbiological contexts; iii) foster critical thinking on microbiological topics in public discourse; iv) enhance students' ability to independently identify relevant scientific information, extract key scientific facts, and prepare their own presentations and short essays on selected topics.

COURSE CONTENT:
LECTURES
1) Introductory lecture - course overview, selection of seminar topics, revision of basic microbiological concepts;
2) The human microbiota - history and techniques of microbiota research, the human body as a microbial habitat, the bacteriome and virome, impact of the microbiota on health, probiotics;
3) Antibacterial resistance and phage therapy - what antibiotics are and how they work, mechanisms of resistance, treatment of bacterial infections using bacteriophages;
4?5) Applied microbiology ? the use of microbes in pollution remediation and pest control, food microbiology, and the application of microbes in biotechnology and industry;
6) Bacterial pathogenesis - key concepts related to pathogenesis and host defence, mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis;
7) Soil microbiology - soil as a microbial habitat, soil microbiota, the rhizosphere, sustainable agriculture, and the One Health concept;
8) Viral diseases - pathogenesis, epidemiology, and the emergence of new diseases;
9) Vaccines - historical overview, what vaccines are and how they work, types of vaccines, and the development of new technologies;
10) Viruses and cancer - viruses with oncogenic potential, oncolytic virotherapy;
11) Viruses as ecological agents - their role in nutrient cycling, viruses as drivers of microbial evolution, their impact across ecosystem levels;
12) Viral evolution - current viral evolution, the quasispecies concept, theories on the origin of viruses, giant viruses;
13) Evolution of prokaryotes - the origin of life, domains of life, endosymbiotic theory, Archaea;
14) Extremophiles - what extreme environments are, examples of different types of extremophiles;
15) Student-selected topic - chosen in agreement with students.

SEMINARS
In agreement with the students, seminar topics related to the lecture content will be assigned. Each student will write a short essay on the assigned topic and give a presentation, which will be considered required material for the final exam.
Once the number of enrolled students is known and the range of topics covered through student seminars is determined, the instructor will address the remaining topics in the form of additional seminar work. This may include discussions, working with selected scientific publications, or mini research projects, depending on the context.

1. Prescott's Microbiology, eighth edition (odabrana poglavlja), Willey, JM, Sherwood, LM, Woolverton, CJ (2011) Prescott's Microbiology, eighth edition. McGraw-Hill (odabrana poglavlja), Willey, JM, Sherwood, LM, Woolverton, CJ, McGraw-Hill, 2011.
2. Principles of Virology, 4th edition (odabrana poglavlja), Flint, J, Racaniello, V, Rall, GF, Skalka, AM, Enquist, L (2015) Principles of Virology, 4th edition. American Society for Microbiology (odabrana poglavlja), Flint, J, Racaniello, V, Rall, GF, Skalka, AM, Enquist, L, American Society for Microbiology, 2015.
3. PP prezentacije objavljene na web stranici predmeta, Prezentacije predavanja i studentskih seminara, Lucija Nuskern Karaica.

Izborni predmeti kolegiji 2 / kemija 2 - Regular study - Biology and Chemistry Education