MB 479

Microbial Symbiosis & Microbiomes

Section: 001

Course Description

Microbial symbioses affect all life on earth. A recent surge of research has identified the critical role of microbial symbionts in maintaining host health and well-being, for example by mediating the breakdown of food for host nutrition, priming the immune system and directly fighting off pathogenic bacteria, and triggering key physiological outcomes associated with behavior and development. This course explores core topics in the study of microbial symbioses, including partner recognition and communication, adaptations to host association, the role of symbiosis in genome evolution and ecology, and the effects of microbial symbiosis on host health. Lectures and discussions will draw heavily from the primary literature in the field of microbiome/symbiosis research, focusing on the most recent discoveries, key methodological advancements, and on diverse associations ranging from marine symbioses to the human microbiome.