Program Overview

MBI 493 - Training in Medical Microbiology Laboratories

Course Description

The MBI 493 course is a training program for undergraduate students in the Botany and Microbiology Department. During this course, students practice various microbiological techniques for their applications in clinical and diagnostic laboratories in hospitals. They learn techniques for examining clinical specimens, including skin, dental, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, urine, and blood, to isolate and identify pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Students employ classical and cutting-edge microbiological techniques and spend time as trainees in clinical laboratories in hospitals. At the end of the course, they prepare and present their findings as a report, which is evaluated by a faculty member.

Course Objectives

The experiments, assignments, projects, and other activities in this course are designed to help students learn the principles of microbial physiology and report their presentation topic clearly and concisely, both in oral and written form. Students are expected to show up for class on time, be prepared for class activities, work diligently, ask questions, and participate in class discussions.

Course Materials

• There is no official textbook for the course, although assigned readings from primary literature will be provided.
• Recommended readings include:
  • Alcamo's Fundamentals of Microbiology 9th by Jeffrey C. Pommerville (2010, Jones & Bartlett Learning)
  • Essentials of medical microbiology by A. S. Sastry and S. Bhat (2018, JP Medical Ltd)
  • Medical microbiology E-book by P. R. Murray, K. S. Rosenthal, and M. A. Pfaller (2020, Elsevier Health Sciences)
  • A guide to specimen management in clinical microbiology by J. M. Miller and S. A. Miller (2017, John Wiley & Sons)

Lecture Topics

The course covers a range of topics, including but not limited to:

• Microbiology
• Blood Smear
• Streak plate method
• Blood culture
• Gram stain
• PyloPlus UBT System
• Stool Culture
• NEWBORN SCREENING
• COVID-19 tests
• Analytical chemistry
• Serology

Course Credits and Format

The course is worth 6 credits, with a format of 0+0+12, indicating no lecture or tutorial hours, but 12 hours of practical or laboratory work.