Course Details in 2025/26 Session

Module Title	LH Arctic Microbiology
School	School of Bioscience
Department	School of Biosciences
Module Code	03 40106
Module Lead	Rob Jackson
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester
Pre-requisites	LC Introduction to Microbiology - (03 28777) LI Microbiology: Medicine, Environment, and Industry - (03 37115)
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Seminar-13 hours Fieldwork-84 hours Guided independent study-103 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module will be part-field and part-lab based in Northern Iceland to gain skills in microbiology and specifically to examine the unusual microbes that inhabit extreme environments, such as glacial rivers and volcanic geothermal areas. The base for this module will be the University of Akureyri (UnAk), Iceland. This is in the Arctic region and is in close proximity to glacial rivers and volcanic geothermal zones, which will be visited for sampling. N.B. Access to geothermal sites will be dependent on current safety recommendations. The aim of this module is to provide students with an opportunity to learn field-based sampling techniques and to learn about the microbial biodiversity in the Arctic and how it is changing. This will be done by teaching the students sampling and analysis techniques. The practical aspect will facilitate a better understanding of science outside the laboratory, but it will also improve students’ learning of theory on microbial evolution and function, particularly those of extremophiles. Therefore, the project will be a novel and exciting addition to teaching and learning. Moreover, the field trip will be a collaboration between a range of international Universities from the US, Colombia, UK and Iceland - all provide students and staff who do the course together over two weeks, enabling a unique and innovative joint learning and teaching experience.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Design an appropriate approach for sampling from different environments Implement a range of culturing techniques and phenotypic tests to isolate different microorganisms and identify different characteristics of microbes Develop knowledge of the key environmental drivers for microbial evolutionary changes that enable critical analysis of microbial adaptations to extreme conditions. Analyse, interpret and report the data collected from the experiments to provide insight to microbial performance in extreme environments and enable critical evaluation of traits for potential biotechnological applications.
Assessment
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: 80% project write-up: blog (3000 words) 20% Science communication blog (500 words) Reassessment: Re-sit failed components
Other	Travel and subsistence costs, contribution to laboratory costs
Reading List