Marine biotechnology and aquaculture

Study the applications of bioactive substances of marine origin. Learn prediction tools, sampling, production optimization, and applications of these substances.
Provide an overview of biotechnological advances in the production of marine species and search for technological solutions and improvement in production.

BLOCK 1. BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AQUACULTURE (7 hours)

Introduction to aquaculture. Current state of aquaculture in Spain and Europe (0.5h).
Production processes. Process improvement. Integrated aquaculture (3.5h).
Sustainability and aquaculture (1h).
Pathogenesis associated with aquaculture: new diagnostic and prevention methods (2h).
BLOCK 2. BLUE BIOTECHNOLOGY (13 hours)
5. Introduction to blue biotechnology: chemical and biological diversity of the oceans (1h).

Marine molecules with biological activity. Main groups of organisms producing bioactive substances. The marine microbiome (3h).
Techniques for searching bioactive substances. Bioprospecting and sampling methods. Substance search tools: omics. Success stories (5h).
Biosynthesis of marine products: from gene to compound (1h).
Bioremediation, biomonitoring, and biosensors (3h).
LABORATORY CLASSES (14 hours)
Four sessions of 3 hours and one session of 2 hours will be conducted.

Practice 1: Pathogen detection. Methods based on culture and qPCR.
Practice 2: Search for substances with bioactive capacities: biosurfactants. Detection of bacteria with surfactant activity isolated from marine algae.
Practice 3: Production of microalgae in semi-continuous culture. Characterization of protein and lipid content by flow cytometry.
EXAM:
The exam will last 2 hours and will be written.

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

Design and writing of a research project related to blue biotechnology.

SEMINARS (3 hours)
Study of bacterial populations using automated web tools. Data analysis and contextualization.

GROUP TUTORIAL (1 hour)
The structure of the research project will be explained and ideas discussed.

INDIVIDUAL TUTORIAL (0.5 hours)
Used to clarify doubts, provide guidance, or offer information to students.

Basic bibliography:
Milton, F & Nagabbushanam R (2000) Aquaculture. Colección Recent advances in marine biotechnology. ISBN: 157808010X (o.c) 1578080827 (v. A).
Le Gal, Y & Ulber, R Marine (2005) Biotechnology I & II. Serie Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology. ISBN: 978-3-540-25659-5 (v.1) 978-3-540-25669-4 (v.2).

Supplementary bibliography:

Milton, F & Nagabbushanam R (2003) Molecular genetics of marine organisms.. Colección Recent advances in marine biotechnology. ISBN: 1-57808-297-8 (Vol. 10) 1-57808-010-X (set)
Barnabé, G. 1996. Bases biológicas y ecológicas de la acuicultura. Acribia, Zaragoza.
Bosma, R., Wijffels, R.H. 2003. Marine biotechnology in education: a competitive approach. Biomolecular Engineering, 2003, 20:4-6:125 – 131.
European Centre for Marine Biotechnology: http://www.ecmb.org/index.htm Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine (CMBB): http://cmbb.ucsd.edu/
Marine Biotechnology: A New Vision and Strategy for Europe: http://www.marine.ie/NR/rdonlyres/C076682C-2B32-437C-A781- B2EACBAA6B62/0/ESFMBmarine_biotechnology_paper15LR.pdf

The complementary bibliography will be completed during the lectures.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge/Content: Con01, Con02, Con05
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D02, H/D03, H/D04, H/D05, H/D06, H/D07, H/D10, H/D12, H/D13
Competencies: Comp01, Comp02, Comp03, Comp05

Expository Classes: 20 hours face-to-face

The subject content will be mainly delivered through lectures supported by audiovisual and ICT tools.
Part of the subject will be delivered by proposing activities, problems, or debates to be worked on, in groups or individually, with the support of material and the help of the teacher.
Cooperative learning techniques, such as the jigsaw technique, will be used for certain sessions.
Attendance to the classroom is not mandatory but is recommended, and participation will be promoted and valued (as part of continuous assessment).
Students will be provided with the didactic material used by the teacher in the classroom, as well as complementary didactic material.
A virtual classroom will be available, including the didactic material used by the teacher, as well as other support material including calendars, relevant web pages, etc. It will also serve as a platform for communication and discussion about the subject. This will be complemented by the creation of an MSTeams group, to be used for telematic classes or discussion groups if necessary.

Knowledge: Con01, Con02, Con05
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D02, H/D03, H/D05, H/D06, H/D07, H/D10, H/D13
Competencies: Comp01, Comp02, Comp03, Comp05

Seminars: 3 hours face-to-face

Students will work, individually or in groups, on tasks proposed by the teacher. Results will be presented and discussed, either in person or using the virtual classroom, with the teacher and other students.

Knowledge/Content: Con01, Con02
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D03, H/D04, H/D05, H/D06, H/D07, H/D10
Competencies: Comp01, Comp02, Comp03, Comp05

Laboratory Practices: 14 hours face-to-face

Practices will be conducted face-to-face in the laboratory and/or the computer room.

Knowledge/Content: Con01, Con02, Con05
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D03, H/D04, H/D05, H/D06, H/D07, H/D10, H/D12, H/D13
Competencies: Comp01, Comp03, Comp05

Group Tutorials

These will be used to develop key concepts of writing the research project and to discuss their approach.

Knowledge/Content: Con01, Con02, Con05
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D03, H/D05, H/D06
Competencies: Comp01, Comp02, Comp03, Comp05

Individual Tutorials:

Used to clarify doubts about the syllabus, the realization of the project, or to provide guidance or information to students.

FINAL EXAM: 50% of the final grade
The exam is a mandatory and evaluable activity that will include the subject contents. Passing is set at 5 out of 10.
A grade of 5 on the exam is necessary to add the continuous assessment grade.

Knowledge/Content: Con01, Con02, Con05
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D02
Competencies: Comp01, Comp02, Comp03, Comp05

PRACTICES: 15% of the final grade
Laboratory practices are mandatory and evaluable with attendance controlled by signature. Unjustified absences will result in a non-pass grade.
Practices will be evaluated by submitting a report, as well as active participation.
A minimum grade of 5 out of 10 is necessary to add the grade to the continuous assessment.

Knowledge/Content: Con01, Con02, Con05
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D03, H/D04, H/D05, H/D06, H/D07, H/D10, H/D12, H/D13
Competencies: Comp01, Comp03, Comp05

SEMINAR: 5% of the final grade
Attendance to at least two-thirds of the seminars is required to add the grade to the continuous assessment. Unjustified absences will result in a non-pass grade.
Seminars will be evaluated by student participation and by submitting and/or presenting a small report.

Knowledge/Content: Con01, Con02
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D03, H/D04, H/D05, H/D06, H/D07, H/D10
Competencies: Comp01, Comp02, Comp03, Comp05

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT: 30% of the final grade
Active student participation (reported by the teacher) in expository classes, as well as activities carried out during them, will be evaluated. 10% of the final grade.
Evaluation of the development of a research project on the search for bioactive substances or improvement of aquaculture systems. The project will be done in groups and worked on throughout the semester. 20% of the final grade.

If the minimum requirements of all parts are met, the grades obtained in each part can be added together.

For the second chance evaluation, all grades from activities evaluated during the course will be maintained, except for the final exam, which must be repeated.

For cases of fraudulent exercise or test completion, the "Regulations for the evaluation of student academic performance and review of grades" will apply.

Knowledge/Content: Con01, Con02, Con05
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D02, H/D03, H/D05, H/D06, H/D07, H/D10
Competencies: Comp01, Comp02, Comp03, Comp05

Work in the classroom:

Expository classes: 20 hours
Laboratory practices: 14 hours
Seminars: 3 hours
Group tutorials: 1 hour
Individual tutorials: 0.5 hours
Exam: 2 hours
Total: 40.5 hours

Student's personal work: 72 hours

Total work: 112.5 hours

Active participation in classes, practices, and seminars.
Continuous work throughout the semester with weekly reviews of the subject matter taught.
Use of individualized tutorials that can be arranged through MSTeams, virtual classroom forums, or face-to-face to resolve doubts and guide study.