We invite you to attend the course "Host-microbe interactions: mechanisms and ecosystem relevance", which we offer for the first time. We attempt to integrate plant and soil science with soilmicrobiology/zoology.

We cover the following topics: The holobiont: Concept of the holobiont; host-microbe interactions; nematode holobiont. Plant-microbe interactions: pathogenic and beneficial plant-microbe interactions. Soil microorganisms: The functional structure of microbial communities; diversity of soil bacteria; mycorrhiza; protozoa. Molecular biology and bioinformatics: a linkage between microbial ecology, general ecology and organism-biology using bioinformatics.

A major theme in the course will be the bridge between the good hypothesis, the well planned experiment and the firm discussion and conclusion. Student groupwork will focus on this and it will be the topic of group presentation and the final written assignment. Many scientific papers are unfocussed and difficult to follow and we hope to improve that.

Knowledge

• Holobiont – relevance, methods and application
• Plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere
• Nematode-microbe interactions – microbial attachment to the nematode surface and nematode biocontrol using microbial antagonists
• Sustainable management practices for plant growth

Skills and competences

• Literature review
• Scientific writing and presentation
• Individual and team work
• Project management
• Bridging and application of acquired knowledge to students’ own work

Flemming Ekelund, University of Copenhagen
Olivera Topalovic, University of Copenhagen
Rasmus Kjøller, University of Copenhagen
Nikolaj Lunding Kindtler, University of Copenhagen
Anders Priemé, University of Copenhagen
Jazmin Ramos Madrigal, University of Copenhagen
Simon Barak Caine, University of Copenhagen

External guest lecturers:

Holger Heuer, Julius Kuehn Institute, Germany
Ahmed Abdelfattah, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy, Germany
Aleksandr Gavrin, Aarhus University

Organizers: Terrestrial Ecology Section (Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen).

Venue: Campus North, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen. June 24-28: lectures, discussions, student presentations, seminars. June 27-28: Student presentations, evaluation, and departure.

Signing up: Please note that in addition to your online registration at this page, we also need you to send your name, address, title of your PhD Project and a few lines describing it, including starting and termination date of your study to olivera.topalovic@bio.ku.dk before May 20, 2024.

You will know by June 1 about your attendance. Participants will receive course material incl. detailed information on how to reach the site.

Please contact: Flemming Ekelund, phone: +45 2243 6301, e-mail: fekelund@bio.ku.dk or Olivera Topalovic, e-mail: olivera.topalovic@bio.ku.dk (Terrestrial Ecology Section, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark) if you have further questions.