95829 - Microbiome and Health

Academic Year 2022/2023

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Rimini
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Human Nutrition, Well-Being And Health (cod. 5812)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has the basic knowledge about: - the advanced technologies for the phylogenetic and functional characterization of the complex microbial ecosystems (microbiomes) colonizing the human body; - the role of the intestinal microbiome dysbiosis in the onset and progression of several disorders; -the role of nutritional and dietary approaches in the modulation of the microbiome profile.

Course contents

Introduction of microbiology, microbial systematics, metabolic and functional diversity of microorganisms. Olobionts and microbiomes. Next generation sequencing (NGS) approaches for identifying and quantifying complex microbial communities. Human microbiomes: microorganism-microorganism interactions. Host cross-talk and gut microbiome: enhancement of the digestive efficiency and modulation of energetic homeostasis, development, education and function of the immune system, competitive barrier against colonization/invasion, central nervous system modulation,endocrine system modulation, detoxification of xenobiotics. Eubiosis and dysbiosis. Microbiome modulation: approaches based on diet, administration of probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotics and postbiotics, fecal transplant.

Readings/Bibliography

Papers and reviews suggested by the teacher.

Teaching methods

Didactic materials (presentations with written text) prepared ad hoc by the teacher and usable in pdf format, provided before and during the lesson, will be made available in the Virtual environment, as well as articles from scientific journals published in open access and videos of the lessons recorded with the Panopto system (video-lesson) provided at the end of the lesson and available throughout the Academic Year in a Virtual environment.
In particular, the use of the lessons in asynchronous mode will allow students to prepare themselves for the exam, possibly with the remote supervision of the teacher.

The teaching participates in the University's educational innovation project.

Assessment methods

The written test consists of 40 questions (multichoice). If you answer all the questions correctly, the grade is 30L. The weight of each correct answer is 0.8. If 38-39 questions are answered correctly, the grade is 30, the other scores are calculated proportionally by rounding up or down. Wrong answers are not penalized.

At the end of the course, there is a single ongoing test (not compulsory or binding) (via EOL + Zoom platform) which, if passed, will allow you to acquire the final grade of the module.

Registration is required by Alma Esami.

Teaching tools

PC, projector, Virtuale, EOL, Panopto

Office hours

See the website of Patrizia Brigidi

SDGs

Good health and well-being

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