Microbes and viruses in water: the good, the bad and the innocuous

November 25

Rizlan Bernier-Latmani

Prof. Rizlan Bernier-Latmani, EPFL, Prof. Melanie Blokesch, EPFL, Prof. Tamar Kohn, EPFL.

Dr. Luigi Vezzulli, University of Genova, Italy

Dr. Tim Julian, EAWAG, Switzerland

Dr. Helmut Buergmann, EAWAG, Switzerland

Prof. Bastiaan  Ibelings, Institut Forel, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Prof. Tamar Kohn, ENAC, EPFL, Switzerland

Schedule:

9:00                      Welcome and introduction

9:05-10:00          Luigi Vezzulli, University of Genoa, Italy.

                               Title: “Aquatic microbes and Human health in the light of climate change: the "Vibrio" case study”

10:00-11:00        Bastiaan Ibelings, Institut Forel, University of Geneva.

                               Title: "A variable environment and Chytrid parasites maintain genetic diversity of a spring bloom diatom population"

11:00-11:30        coffee break

11:30-12:30       Tim Julian,  EAWAG, Zurich.

                              Title: "The role of the environment in drinking water contamination in Tanzania"

12:30-13:30         lunch

13:30:14:30       roundtable discussions for students of DPMS:

      roundtable 1:     Luigi Vezzulli & Melanie Blokesch (room AI2.142)

      roundtable 2:     Bastiaan Ibelings & Rizlan Bernier-Latmani (room AI1.142)

      roundtable 3:     Tim Julian & Tamar Kohn (room AI1.153)

14:30-15:00 coffee break

15:00-16:00           Helmut Bürgmann, EAWAG, Zurich.

                                  Title: "Antibiotic resistance in wastewater and the aquatic environment"

16:00-17:00           Tamar Kohn, ENAC, EPFL.

                                   Title: "Occurence and inactivation of waterborne viruses"

Description:

The goal of this one-day workshop is to expose students to the various roles –both beneficial and harmful– of microbes and viruses in water. The workshop will consist of lectures by invited speakers and three separate parallel roundtables. The roundtables will be led by the morning speakers and require the students to read a specific publication from the speaker before the workshop. The roundtables are designed to promote student participation and interaction with the speakers.

Roundtables:

Three roundtables will be held (max. 5 students each) in parallel. The students will need to select the morning speaker whose roundtable they would like to participate in beforehand and read the associated publication (to be listed soon). During the roundtable, the students are expected to ask questions and engage in a lively exchange with the speaker. After the roundtable, the students are expected to submit a one-page summary of the roundtable discussion highlighting what they learned from the exercise. This write-up is due within a week of the workshop and should be submitted to the instructor who participated in the roundtable.

Flyer

EPFL, Room AI 1153

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