Learning objectives
Students will acquire knowledges on the benefits and challenges of microbial genomics applied to outbreak investigation, source attribution and risk assessment.
Prerequisites
There are no compulsory prerequisites, but students are strongly advised to
attend the course of ‘Biological Hazards in Food’ (year of study 1).
Course unit content
The course is about microbial genomics applied to outbreak investigation, source attribution and risk assessment. Whole genome sequencing platforms and technologies will be described. Benefits of a real-time outbreak investigation and a more targeted source attribution and hazard identification/characterisation will be discussed along with major challenges and opportunities.
Full programme
Whole genome sequencing platforms and technologies
• Introduction to microbial risk analysis
• WGS and outbreak investigation (definition of outbreak, subtyping approaches, platforms for real-time outbreak investigation)
• WGS and source attribution (frequency-matching, machine learning, network models)
• Genome Wide Association Studies and prediction of phenotypic traits
• WGS and risk assessment (pathogen typing and characterisation for hazard identification, prediction of virulence potential for dose-response relationships in hazard characterisation, prediction of phenotypic traits associated to growth/survival for exposure assessment)
Bibliography
Notes of lectures; scientific publications introduced during letcures
Teaching methods
Oral lectures, game-based education through gamification of an outbreak investigation where students will play the role of epidemiologists, use of Kahoot! platform to verify in real-time the acquisition of knowledges by the classroom
Assessment methods and criteria
The oral examination will verify the theoretical and applicative knowledges of the student. Particularly positive will be evaluated the ability to move within the different topics and the achievement of an organic knowledge of the topics presented
Other information
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