Course syllabus adopted 2026-02-19 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).
Overview
- Swedish nameMedicinsk mikrobiologi
- CodeBBT080
- Credits7.5 Credits
- OwnerMPBIO
- Education cycleSecond-cycle
- Main field of studyBioengineering
- DepartmentLIFE SCIENCES
- GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail
Course round 1
- Teaching language English
- Application code 08141
- Maximum participants60 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
- Open for exchange studentsYes
Credit distribution
Module | Sp1 | Sp2 | Sp3 | Sp4 | Summer | Not Sp | Examination dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0126 Laboratory 2.5 c Grading: UG | 2.5 c | ||||||
| 0226 Examination 5 c Grading: TH | 5 c |
In programmes
Examiner
- Michaela Wenzel
- Associate Professor, Molecular Bioscience, Life Sciences
Eligibility
General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements
Specific entry requirements
English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements
Course specific prerequisites
Basic knowledge in cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, and microbiology.Aim
The aim of the course is to provide deeper knowledge on the cell and molecular biology of microorganisms, primarily bacteria, with emphasis on pathogenic microbes that affect human, animal, and plant health. The course gives an overview of different types of pathogens, their cell biology and physiology as well as virulence and pathogenicity, before moving deeper into the diversity of bacterial pathogens, treatment and prevention of infections, the problem of antimicrobial resistance, and current research and new technologies in the field. While the course focuses on human health, topics are addressed from a One Health perspective and environmental aspects of transmission and resistance are discussed. The course also brushes on immunology and epidemiology where the fields intersect, yet without going into depth.Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)
After completion of the course, students should:- know about different types of microbial pathogens, their cell biology, physiology, virulence, and pathogenicity
- know about biosafety levels and risk assessment of pathogens, transmission, prevention, and treatment of infection
- be knowledgeable about the problem of antimicrobial resistance, both on the molecular and epidemiological level, taking into account a One Health perspective
- know about approaches to the development of drugs and diagnostics with respect to antibiotics, antifungals, and vaccines, as well as further approaches based on current research selected from the scientific literature
- know the basics of biomedical study design
- accurately perform aseptic work with non-pathogenic microorganisms
- assess antibiotic resistance in the lab
- deduce the mechanism of an unknown antibiotic based on advanced phenotypic analysis assays
- be able to grasp a concept from a guided lab exercise and be able to explain it to their peers in an easily understandable manner
Content
The course will cover the following topics:- types and properties of microbial pathogens
- cell biology and physiology of microbial pathogens, focusing on bacteria
- safety levels, risk assessments, and biomedical study design
- virulence and pathogenicity, immunology
- transmission, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases, epidemiology
- antimicrobial agents and modes of action
- mechanisms of resistance, spread of resistance, clinical relevance from the local and global perspectives
- antimicrobial resistance
- new drug development
- new technologies and approaches
- where and how to find new drugs/targets?
- natural vs designer drugs and hybrid approaches
- antibiotic production: engineering producer strains and production pathways
- AI and machine learning in antibiotic development
- (bio)materials and coatings
- antimicrobial implant technologies
- biofilms and anti-biofilm technologies
- vaccines, phage therapy, immunomodulation
- potentiators, antibiotic adjuvants, immune adjuvants, resistance breakers
- synergy and antagonism, drug interactions
- preventing horizontal gene transfer and spread of resistance
- probiotics and microbiome engineering
- hygiene concepts incl. materials
- established and new technologies, challenges
- designing diagnostic tools
Organisation
- Lectures including guest lectures
- Laboratory exercises: working in a sterile environment, assessing antibiotic resistance, identifying the mechanism of an unknown antibiotic (mini project)
- Advanced technologies exercise and seminar: short, guided lab exercises on current research topics related to medical microbiology; students will be divided into groups that follow different techniques and report what they have learned to the rest of the course in a seminar
Literature
Course literature consists of selected review and research articles that will be made available on Canvas. Open Stax Microbiology is recommended for students, who want to brush up on their basic microbiology knowledge before or during the course, but it is optional and we do not directly work with it during the course.Examination including compulsory elements
Examination consists of two parts, a written exam making up two thirds of the final grade, and a lab report, making up one third of the final grade. The grading scale is U, 3, 4, 5.The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers about disability study support.