Presentation
Microalgae are photosynthetic, ubiquitous microorganisms that can be found in the most inhospitable habitats such as snow, bare rocks, desert soils or hot springs. In aquatic ecosystems they represent the base of the food chain and produce organic matter from sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. They are also responsible for producing most of the oxygen needed for the metabolism of aerobic organisms. Being among the most important marine and freshwater resources used as raw material in the blue bioeconomy, its contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is recognized, namely in promoting prosperity and general well-being and improving of human and animal nutrition. Despite this importance, knowledge and exploitation of microalgae are still at a very early stage. This course addresses the biodiversity of microalgae and various aspects of its real or potential biotechnological interest.
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General information
- Course type: Non Degree Course
- Subject area: Natural Sciences
- Qualification awarded: Diploma/Certificate
- Course coordinator: Professor Lília Santos (liliamas@ci.uc.pt)
- Duration: 2 weeks
- ECTS credits: 6
- Numerus clausus: 15
- General Objectives: To recognize the amazing diversity of microalgae; to understand its prime importance for the production of valuable compounds; to be conscious of the global ecological importance of these organisms; to understand the contribution of microalgae to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely the promotion of prosperity and general well-being, and improvement of human and animal nutrition.
- Admission requirements:Target audience: Researchers, undergraduate, master and PhD students, technicians, stakeholders and other professionals with an academic degree in sciences with interest in Phycology, namely Microalgae Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Food and Feed Engineering and related areas. Candidates should check the admission requirements available on this site, in addition to the information provided here.
- More information: UC website
Study programme
| COURSE UNIT TITLE | TYPE | REGIME | ECTS |
| Microalgae Biodiversity and Biotechnology | Compulsory | Semestrial | 6 |
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The course is organized into four topics and is essentially practical, in a laboratory environment using various equipment, namely photobioreactor with parameter control, HPLC-DAD/RID; GC-FID, etc, and may involve field activities. |
| Topic I |
Biodiversity and importance of microalgae - polyphasic approaches |
| Topic II |
Cultivation of microalgae – from laboratory to pilot scale |
| Topic III |
Biomass collection methodologies and extract production |
| Topic IV |
Methodologies for analysis of algal extracts - interpretation of results and applications |