Program Requirements
Students following this specialization receive education and training in fundamental principles and applied aspects of microbiology. Complementary courses allow students to focus on basic microbial sciences or applied areas such as biotechnology. Successful graduates may work in university, government and industrial research laboratories, in the pharmaceutical, fermentation and food industries, and with an appropriate CGPA proceed to post-graduate studies or professional biomedical schools.
For information on academic advising, see:
Required Courses (18 credits)
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BTEC 306 Experiments in Biotechnology (3 credits)
Overview
Biotechnology : Practical laboratory-based research experience. Techniques in cellular and molecular biology, designing experiments and developing skills in interpretation and communication of experimental results.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Gélinas Bélanger, Jérôme (Winter)
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MICR 331 Microbial Ecology (3 credits)
Overview
Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : The ecology of microorganisms, primarily bacteria and archaea, and their roles in biogeochemical cycles. Microbial interactions with the environment, plants, animals and other microbes emphasizing the underlying genetics and physiology. Diversity, evolution (microbial phylogenetics) and the application of molecular biology in microbial ecology.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Driscoll, Brian T (Winter)
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MICR 338 Bacterial Molecular Genetics (3 credits)
Overview
Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : Basic bacterial genetics, DNA damage and repair, mutagenesis, gene cloning, mapping and regulation, molecular biology. Laboratory sessions will provide the student with practical experience in the genetic manipulation of microbes and in molecular biology techniques.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Driscoll, Brian T (Fall)
Prerequisite: LSCI 230
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MICR 341 Mechanisms of Pathogenicity (3 credits)
Overview
Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : A study of the means by which bacteria cause disease in animals and humans. Includes response of host to invading bacteria, bacterial attachment and penetration processes, and modes of actions of exotoxins and endotoxins.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: LSCI 230
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MICR 450 Environmental Microbiology (3 credits)
Overview
Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : Focus on microbes in the environment. Topics include extreme environments, polar microbiology, biotechnology and bioremediation. Emphasis will be on population studies based upon molecular biological methods.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sugden, Scott (Winter)
Prerequisites: LSCI 230
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PARA 424 Fundamental Parasitology (3 credits)
Overview
Parasitology : Systematics, morphology, biology and ecology of parasitic protozoa, flatworms, roundworms and arthropods with emphasis on economically and medically important species.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Opadokun, Tosin (Winter)
Complementary Courses and Suggested Electives (6 credits)
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ANSC 350 Food-Borne Pathogens (3 credits)
Overview
Animal Science : Exploration of the taxonomy, characteristics, epidemiology, mechanisms of pathogenicity, disease, incidence, and factors affecting the survival and growth of pathogenic microorganisms in foods of animal origin; principles of detection, prevention and control of food-borne pathogens (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, helminths, viruses).
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Ronholm, Jennifer (Winter)
Prerequisite: LSCI 230, or permission of the instructor
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ANSC 420 Animal Biotechnology (3 credits)
Overview
Animal Science : Applications of animal biotechnology in agriculture, biomedicine and environmental preservation, including culture, manipulation and transformation of somatic cells, isolation of stem cells, reproductive biotechnologies, animal cloning by nuclear transplantation, production of genetically modified and gene-edited animals, and cell and gene therapies.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Gutierrez, Karina (Fall)
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BINF 511 Bioinformatics for Genomics (3 credits)
Overview
Bioinformatics : Bioinformatics methods and reasoning in relation to genomics, proteomics and metabolomics strategies with an emphasis on functional genomics data. The course will cover introduction to UNIX, Perl programming, data processing and integration, file parsing, relational database design and implementation, angled towards solutions relevant for genomics.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Stromvik, Martina (Winter)
Prerequisite: Understanding of cell and molecular biology (equivalent to a cell or molecular biology course) or permission from instructor.
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BTEC 501 Bioinformatics (3 credits)
Overview
Biotechnology : This course introduces the application of computer software for analysis of biological sequence information. An emphasis is placed on the biological theory behind analytical techniques, the algorithms used and methods of developing a statistical framework for various types of analysis.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Xia, Jianguo; Mirzavand Borujeni, Poorya (Fall)
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BTEC 535 Functional Genomics in Model Organisms (3 credits)
Overview
Biotechnology : An overview of strategies used to understand the function of genes, especially those identified through genome sequencing and bioinformatics. Use of model organisms that have proved particularly valuable for this purpose.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: 300-level course in genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry or permission of instructor.
Restriction: Limited to 30 students.
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BTEC 555 Structural Bioinformatics (3 credits)
Overview
Biotechnology : Fundamentals of protein structure and the application of tools for structure determination, how protein structure allows us to understand the complex biological functions, and how knowledge of protein structure can contribute to drug discovery.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Salavati, Reza; Sulea, Traian; Mirzavand Borujeni, Poorya (Winter)
Winter
1-hr lecture, followed by 2 hrs of computer lab.
Prerequisite: Molecular biology or biochemistry, and basic bioinformatics, or permission of instructor.
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FDSC 442 Food Microbiology (3 credits)
Overview
Food Science : Topics in Food Microbiology including an overview of the natural flora and microbiological spoilage of food products, methods of control and shelf-life extension, methods of detection and control food-borne pathogens and the use of suitable microorganisms in the production of a variety of food products.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Somerville, Vincent; Feng, Zhixuan (Fall)
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MIMM 324 Fundamental Virology (3 credits)
Overview
Microbiology and Immun (Sci) : A study of the fundamental properties of viruses and their interactions with host cells. Bacteriophages, DNA- and RNA-containing animal viruses, and retroviruses are covered. Emphasis will be on phenomena occurring at the molecular level and on the regulated control of gene expression in virus-infected cells.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Teodoro, Jose Guerreiro; Liang, Chen; Kukolj, George; Briedis, Dalius J; Mouland, Andrew J; Archambault, Jacques; Liu, Qian; Liu, Leo (Fall)
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PLNT 304 Biology of Fungi (3 credits)
Overview
Plant Science : This course describes the various groups of fungi and explores in depth their biology and physiology, their ecological niches and the role in various ecosystems and their benefits and uses in industry and biotechnology.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
Restriction: U2 or above, or permission of instructor.
