75633 - Plant Marine Biotechnology and Algal Toxins

Academic Year 2018/2019

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Ravenna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Marine Biology (cod. 8857)

Course contents

Aspects of biotechnology of algae: open and closed cultivation systems, carotenoid and lipid production, wastewater remediation, renewable energy production. 

Problems due to the presence of harmful algae: algal blooms (differences in causative organisms, effects on ecosystem and on human health, influence of abiotic and biotic factors); main biointoxications with hints on species distribution, life cycles, growth and nutrient acquisition strategies, relationships with other microorganisms, allelochemical interactions; chemical structure of the main toxin groups and their mechanism of action. Cyanobacteria and water treatment. Effects of global changes on algae. Overview of molecular methods for harmful algal identification and of various structural and functional methods for toxin analysis. 

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes

Scientific papers

Ecology of Harmful Algae, Graneli e Turner, Springer

Handbook of Microalgal culture. Applied phycology and biotechnology. Richmond e Hu. Wiley Blackwell

 

 

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Teaching tools

Power point presentations

Office hours

See the website of Laura Pezzolesi

SDGs

Clean water and sanitation Sustainable cities Climate Action Oceans

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.