Syllabus

• Week 1

  Meet the microbes

  • Welcome to the course

    Welcome! Meet Dr Glyn Barrett, your lead educator, and learn about the topics you'll be discussing over the next three weeks as you explore the hidden world of microbes.

  • Types of microbes

    Current estimates suggest there could be at least 1 billion different species of microbe on Earth, yet these can all be grouped into five major types. Explore each type in detail in these Steps.

  • How microbes function

    Most environments are inhabited by a community of different microbes, all competing to gain the nutrients they need for growth and reproduction. Find out how microbes function in this activity.

  • Where microbes live

    Microbes may be invisible to the naked eye, but they dominate every environment on Earth. In this activity you will discover how each species of microbe has adapted to live in a specific environment.

  • Microbe-host interactions

    Many microbes adapt to live in association with another organism, known as their host. In this activity you will explore the spectrum of microbe-host interactions.

  • Review and reflect

    This week you explored the characteristics of the five groups of microbes, how they function and where they live. Next week you'll examine the current methods microbiologists use to investigate this fascinating, hidden world.

• Week 2

  Studying the hidden world

  • Microbiology discoveries

    Welcome to Week 2. Microbes live in every environment on Earth and advances in technology are helping us discover new species in previously inaccessible places. This week discover how microbiologists study the hidden world.

  • Microbiology techniques

    A single microbial sample contains many species of microbes with widely differing properties. Watch just a few of the techniques microbiologists use to study them in these lab demonstrations.

  • Interpreting results

    You've now seen a selection of the scientific techniques used to find and isolate microbes. In this activity, you'll turn to the methods used to interpret the results.

  • Your turn to analyse results

    Observation and record keeping skills are key for any microbiologist. Now it's your turn! In this activity, you'll perform and write-up an experiment using everyday items you can buy in a supermarket.

  • Review and reflect

    This week you explored the techniques microbiologists use and tested a hypothesis for yourself. Next week you'll discuss the impact microbes have on health, food and the environment.

• Week 3

  For better or worse

  • Medical microbiology

    Pathogens are often in the news because of their devastating impact. Hear about the techniques used by microbiologists to identify the microbes which cause disease.

  • Treatment and prevention

    At some point in your life, you may have taken antibiotics to fight an infection, but do you really know how they work? Find out and hear from our medical microbiologists about their research into specific pathogens.

  • Food microbiology

    Using the correct cooking method, avoiding cross-contamination and keeping clean are all key priorities in the kitchen to safeguard your health. Explore the microbiology behind these food-related rules and try another experiment.

  • Environmental microbiology

    Microbes live in every environment on Earth from volcanoes, caves and oceans, to glaciers and us. But microbes also have an impact on key global processes. What roles do microbes play within the carbon and nitrogen cycles?

  • Microbes and biotechnology

    Microbes are often seen to have a negative impact on the way we live, but we can also take advantage of microbes to improve our lives. In this activity, you will look at the ways microbes are used in research and biotechnology.

  • Review and reflect

    Thank you for joining us on this University of Reading course. Now you’ve reached the end, let’s reflect together and think about the next steps you may like to take.

Who will you learn with?