Ateneo - UPO

The course provides students with knowledge on the structure and function of microbial communities and in particular on the human gut microbiota. The main methodologies used in the study and analysis of the microbiota will be described

No textbooks are required. All the teaching material used for the frontal lessons (ppt lectures, articles and reviews) will be made available to students in the DIR platform.

The course aims to teach students the importance of studying the genomes of the microbial communities present in our organism in order to understand their diversity, functionality and their impact on our health. Students will be also provided with the tools for understanding the methodologies used in this discipline, from next generation sequencing (NGS) to bioinformatics analysis of data.

Basic knowledge of molecular biology and genetics.

Class lectures with PowerPoint projections. Reading, discussion and presentation of scientific articles in class.

Learning control will be carried out through collegial discussion of the topics covered Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Oral exam. The oral exam includes few questions on the main topics of the program and/or the discussion of scientific articles presented during the course. To pass the exam the student is required to know and understand the fundamental concepts of the subject and be able to explain them in an understandable and scientifically correct way.

Introduction to metagenomics. Microbiome and Microbiota. The Human Microbiome Project. Alpha and Beta diversity. The human gut microbiota: composition, origin, and variations. Functions of the gut microbiota: protection against pathogens and metabolic functions. The microbiota and the gut-brain axis. Intestinal dysbiosis in aging, in metabolic diseases (obesity and type-2 diabetes), and neurological and neurodegenerative diseases (depression, autism, and Alzheimer’s Disease). Description of the main Next Generation Sequencing platforms (Illumina and Nanopore) and their applications in biomedical research and personalized medicine. 16S rRNA sequencing for microbiome analysis: advantages and disadvantages. Shotgun sequencing for microbiome analysis: advantages and disadvantages. Overview of the main bioinformatics tools for metagenomic data analysis. Introduction to metatranscriptomics. Presentation and discussion of scientific articles related to metagenomics.

Understanding the importance of metagenomics to detect genetic and taxonomic diversity of microbial communities, in particular of the human gut microbiota and its possible implications on health. Know the techniques of high-throughput sequencing, those of data analysis and, in theory, be able to apply them. Communication skills: ability to expose the topics of the course in a clear and understandable way and with the use of appropriate scientific terminology. Learning skills: deepen one's knowledge of the metagenomics through the reading of scientific publications, in order to follow the advancement of the discipline with a critical attitude.