ID:
504457
Duration (hours):
48
CFU:
6
SSD:
BOTANICA SISTEMATICA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (29/09/2025 - 16/01/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
Aim of the course is to provide the students mycological knowledge useful in supporting them in the future work as laboratory analysts. Through the training course, the student will acquire theoretical and practical skills related to:
1. specific theoretical knowledge, updated on the basis of the latest taxonomic and phylogenetic developments of the Fungi Kingdom; 2. practical skills, essential for the proper management of fungal strains, from their collection in environments/matrices to their identification and cataloging; 3. critical evaluation of biological results, including the potential implementation and risk assessment procedures, essential elements in any laboratory professional context.
1. specific theoretical knowledge, updated on the basis of the latest taxonomic and phylogenetic developments of the Fungi Kingdom; 2. practical skills, essential for the proper management of fungal strains, from their collection in environments/matrices to their identification and cataloging; 3. critical evaluation of biological results, including the potential implementation and risk assessment procedures, essential elements in any laboratory professional context.
Course Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of mycology is required.
However, during lessons, peculiar aspects of mycolgy will be reconsidered and discussed in order to allow a proper understanding of the various topics of the educational program.
However, during lessons, peculiar aspects of mycolgy will be reconsidered and discussed in order to allow a proper understanding of the various topics of the educational program.
Teaching Methods
Lessons will be frontal lectures, supported by extensive PowerPoint presentations with detailed information. Students will be involved and motivated to discuss the main topics. The presentation with open discussion of interesting case studies concerning laboratory-industrial fields will promote the ability to develop critical evaluation of biological data. A wide collection of microscopic images will be discussed during lessons.
Assessment Methods
The exam is oral. The exam includes at least three questions on the topics covered by each Professor. Questions will be aimed to assess the knowledge and skills acquired as well as the personal capacity to elaborate the contents. The student's ability to make connections between concepts and to formulate reasoning questions will also be evaluated.
Texts
- Food and indoor fungi. Ed. 2, 2019. CBS Manual Series.
- Publications of Studies in Mycology (specific instructions will be provided during lessons).
- Publications of Studies in Mycology (specific instructions will be provided during lessons).
Contents
The educational path will focus on environmental microfungi, including species both ubiquitous and associated with specific ecological niches. Special attention will be given to the following topics:
1. Microfungi plant-related with toxigenic potential: the issue of feed and food contamination, the global scenario, the main food categories and their risk, the main toxigenic taxa, possibilities for screening and prevention, mycotoxicoses.
2. Microfungi contaminant of foods: specific risk related to food categories, spoilage by yeasts, xerophilic and extremophilic taxa and their impact on both solid and liquid food, methods of analysis.
3. Fungal bioaerosols and the discipline of Aeromycology: updates on knowledge, implications related to the aerial dispersion of spores both in the atmosphere and indoors, IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) assessments, safety controls in production environments and in controlled atmosphere settings, correlations between fungal aerodispersion, product contamination, and toxigenic/pathogenic potential, methods for outdoor and indoor sampling.
4. Specific methodologies for mycology: culture media, new possibilities for isolation and screening, identification of microfungi with updates on the latest diagnostic and taxonomic techniques.
1. Microfungi plant-related with toxigenic potential: the issue of feed and food contamination, the global scenario, the main food categories and their risk, the main toxigenic taxa, possibilities for screening and prevention, mycotoxicoses.
2. Microfungi contaminant of foods: specific risk related to food categories, spoilage by yeasts, xerophilic and extremophilic taxa and their impact on both solid and liquid food, methods of analysis.
3. Fungal bioaerosols and the discipline of Aeromycology: updates on knowledge, implications related to the aerial dispersion of spores both in the atmosphere and indoors, IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) assessments, safety controls in production environments and in controlled atmosphere settings, correlations between fungal aerodispersion, product contamination, and toxigenic/pathogenic potential, methods for outdoor and indoor sampling.
4. Specific methodologies for mycology: culture media, new possibilities for isolation and screening, identification of microfungi with updates on the latest diagnostic and taxonomic techniques.
Course Language
Italian
More information
During the lessons, it will be possible to focus on fungal taxa or issues recently reviewed by the international scientific community. Some topics will also be approached by presenting real case studies.
Degrees
Degrees
EXPERIMENTAL AND APPLIED BIOLOGY
Master’s Degree
2 years
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People
People (2)
Teaching staff
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