SLE236 - Marine Microbiology and Genomics

Year:

2024 unit information

Enrolment modes: Trimester 1: Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Credit point(s): 1
EFTSL value: 0.125
Prerequisite:

SLE111

Corequisite:

SLE010

Incompatible with: Nil
Study commitment

Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site.

Scheduled learning activities - campus

2 x 1 hour online lectures per week (weeks 1-4, 6-11); 3 x 4 hour practical experience (laboratory) per trimester, 2 x 4 hour practical experience (computer practical) per trimester, 1 x 4 hour online practical experience (workshop) per trimester.

Note:

There will be 1 x 4 hour practical experience (laboratory) per trimester that will be conducted at the Deakin University Queenscliff Marine Science Centre.  The remaining 4 x 4 hour practical experiences will be based at the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus.

Content

This specialty unit is designed to immerse students into the intriguing microscopic world of marine microbiology. In this unit, students will gain an understanding of the importance that marine microorganisms play in driving the health and fitness of marine ecosystems and marine hosts. Key areas covered in this unit include: Microbial diversity, form and function; Microbial involvement in the cycling of nutrients in ocean systems; Host-associated microbiomes in health and disease; Anthropogenic impacts and dynamics in a changing climate; Biosecurity and bioremediation; and Biotechnology and bioprospecting. In order to study marine microbiology, knowledge of advanced methods is required. In this unit, a combination of classical bacteriological approaches (cultivation and sanger sequencing of marine isolates) as well as state-of-the-art Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) or "omics" techniques will be applied, and a variety of bioinformatics tools and statistical analyses used to investigate microbiome (16S rRNA gene amplicon) datasets. Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to culture and identify marine bacterial isolates, assess microbial communities from specialised niches, and apply key concepts gained from classes to address fundamental environmental and industry-related problems (e.g. food security, disease, climate change, biotechnology). Lastly, this unit will support students in their learning of other units within the Marine Science Course (e.g. Oceanography, Aquaculture, and Marine Animal Physiology).

Unit Fee Information

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

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