Achievement

Our core course in Geobiological Systems Science (DGED 610-611) involved 12 graduate students from three colleges and six departments. The course involves training in core fundamental knowledge areas across different disciplines, as well as an independent class-wide case study focused on metabolic modeling of a hypothetical microbial community. Students have constructed an anaerobic microbial community model consisting of six representative microbes. The project is analyzing the competitive and mutualistic relationships between organisms and potential strategies for maximizing biogas or bio-hydrogen synthesis from anaerobic consortia. The integration of efficient metabolic flux modes of individual microorganisms into community networks is the next phase of the project and will culminate in a publication regarding energy cycling in anaerobic microbial communities. The DGED 611 course on metabolic modeling was made possible by expertise and oversight of Dr. Ross Carlson (CBE).