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Global Environmental Microbiology
(GEM)
Applications for the July 9 - August 3, 2012 GEM Course are now closed.
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Students include German Alvarez-Valdez, Keelan Barcina,
Arianna Benfanti, Jennifer Block, Marcos Chavez,
Jessica Forrest, Roxana Gutierrez, Emma-Leah Hale,
Alexa Kusmik, Rufina Mariano, Deleynna Martinez,
Mayra Miramontes, Sheila Preble, Adrian Ricarte,
Matthew Strebe and John Zeytounian. Also pictured
are instructors Eric Webb and John Heidelberg, Teaching
Assistant Lily Momper, Education Director Cindy
Joseph, C-DEBI Director Katrina Edwards and their
families.
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See the full course description [PDF]
| Introduction to Microbiology |
Week 1 |
USC Doheny Library (Photo by P. Channing)
I n the laboratory (Photo by C. Joseph) |
Welcome to the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations
(C-DEBI) Global Environmental Microbiology (GEM)! In the first
week of the course, lectures will be focused on beginning
our tour of the microbial world and discussing what microbiology
is all about. We will cover the importance of microbes, the
cell as the fundamental unit of life and how it all works
together. Further, we will discuss the historic roots of microbiology
and explain how scientists hundreds of years ago came to realize
that these very small 'animals’ existed.
Hands on laboratories in the first week:
- Microscopy and the Gram stain
- Dilution theory and endospore isolation
- Yogurt making (or good milk goes bad, but with good consequences)
- Killing bacteria with ultraviolet light
Week 1 Field Trip: To the La Brea Tar Pits in the heart of
Los Angeles
| Microbial Environments and
Processes |
Week 2 |
Hot Springs (Photo by A. Close)
Collecting Hot Springs water samples (Photo by A. Close)
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In this week, we will focus our attention on the environments
where bacteria live and the processes that they carry out.
Many people think that bacteria are solely 'germs' that are
bent on infecting humans and other animals. The truth is that
bacteria are everywhere and play an important role in the
global biosphere as both consumers and producers.
Hands on laboratories in the second week:
- Studying a Winogradsky column and chlorophyll measurements
- Isolation of filamentous fungi from soil
- Bioremediation - Oil spill cleanup in a test tube
Week 2 Overnight Trip: To the Owens River valley and Eastern
Sierra
| Detection, Enumeration and
Identification of Microbes |
Week 3 |
Water sampling (Photo by A. Close)
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This week we leave the Big City and cross the ocean to Catalina
Island. Here we will continue our investigations of the microbes
at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center, a state-of-the-art
teaching facility and research center on Catalina Island,
just 20 miles offshore from Los Angeles.
Hands on laboratories in the third week:
- Isolation and enumeration of coliform bacteria from human
impacted and pristine coves around Catalina
- Enumeration of protists in the sea and lakes
- Bacterial population shifts in reaction to nutrient additions
- Isolation of bacterial viruses
| Studying Microbes in Nature |
Week 4
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GEM 2011 Student ROVs (Photo by A. Close)
GEM 2011 Student ROVs (Photo by A. Close)
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The focus of C-DEBI is to explore life beneath the seafloor
and make transformative discoveries that advance science,
benefit society, and inspire people of all ages and origins.
Now that you are well versed in microbiology and have studied
them in a handful of easy to reach habitats, how would you
study them on the ocean floor? During this week, you will
learn how scientists combine biological research with engineering
to study microbes that inhabit environments inhospitable to
humans.
Hands on laboratories in the fourth week:
- Development and implementation of remotely operated vehicles
(ROVs)
> See the full course description [PDF]
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