DrChika

Chika Ejikeugwu (PhD, 2017, UNIZIK, Nigeria) is a Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) Stiftung in Germany. Dr. Chika Ejikeugwu is currently a Research Fellow at the Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung GmbH-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany, where he is working on "the soilRESIST project to investigate the effects of antibiotic mixtures on soil microbiomes." He founded Africa's Number 1 Microbiology website, www.MicrobiologyClass.net. Dr. Chika Ejikeugwu was a DAAD postdoctoral fellow at Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Berlin, Germany (2021) and a MIF Postdoctoral Fellow at Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan (2018). In 2021, he was awarded the Young Investigator Award on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) by Institute Mérieux in France. Dr. Chika Ejikeugwu is a member of the Global Young Academy in Germany, and a member of other professional (microbiology) societies including Applied Microbiology International (AMI), European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), Nigerian Society for Microbiology (NSM) and American Society for Microbiology (ASM). He holds a doctorate degree in Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology. Dr. Chika Ejikeugwu is a Senior Lecturer & Researcher at Enugu State University of Science & Technology (ESUT), Nigeria where he mentors undergraduate and postgraduate students on microbiology & other aspects of life. He has a flair for teaching, research and community service.

STRAIN IMPROVEMENT

STRAIN IMPROVEMENT Strain improvement is defined as the process of improving the production and yielding capacity of a microorganism through certain (deliberate) technological, microbiological, biotechnological, or biochemical process. Microorganisms of industrial importance must possess some certain qualities– which will determine their usage for industrial productions. After their isolation from their natural habitat or environment, the […]

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Biotechnology, Industrial Microbiology,

GARDNERELLA VAGINALIS

GARDNERELLA VAGINALIS Gardnerella vaginalis in association with other bacteria is the causative agent of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in women. G. vaginalis is a Gram variable (i.e. they are not typed by the Gram stain), encapsulated, facultative, pleomorphic and non-motile bacillus. BV which can also be called vaginitis is a medical condition that is characterized by

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Bacteriology, Medical Microbiology, , ,

PREPARATION OF INOCULUM FOR FERMENTATION PROCESS

Microorganisms for industrial production are usually sourced naturally from their natural habitat or purchased in their pure forms from culture collection organizations such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). After their purchase or isolation, the industrial microbes must be prepared through inoculum preparation techniques which activate these organisms prior to their usage for fermentation.

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Industrial Microbiology,

Melting curve analysis in Real-time PCR

Melting curve analysis and detection systems Melting curve analysis can only be performed with realtime PCR detection technologies in which the fluorophore remains associated with the amplicon. Amplifications that have used SYBR® Green I or SYBR® GreenER™ dye can be subjected to melting curve analysis. Dual-labeled probe detection systems such as TaqMan® probes are not

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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , , , , ,

Real-time PCR probes

TaqMan® probe signal production Whether an MGB or non-MGB probe is chosen, both follow the same pattern for signal production. In the early PCR cycles, only the low, quenched reporter signal is detected. This early signal, automatically subtracted to zero in the real-time PCR software, is termed “baseline”. If the sample contains a target, eventually

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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , , ,

Sample template on how to write your research achievements and results when applying for a fellowship or grant

Sample of my research statement and results below: My Research Goal My research focused on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), specifically on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in non-hospital environments. My goal is to understand the fate and effect of antibiotic mixtures on soil microbiomes, since the threats and effects of antibiotic mixtures on the

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Research & Proposal Tips & Scholarships links, ,

Nycodenz: application and properties

What is Nycodenz Nycodenz is a non-ionic, triiodinated radiopaque substance used primarily in molecular biology and biochemistry for density gradient centrifugation. Its chemical formula is C_19H_26I_3N_3O_9. Nycodenz creates gradients that are used to separate cells, viruses, organelles, and other biological particles based on their density. Nycodenz is a brand name for a non-ionic, iso-osmotic density

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Environmental & Soil Microbiology, Microbe Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , , , ,

Luria Broth (LB) and Luria Agar (LA) Media

Luria-Bertani (LB) broth is the most widely used medium for the growth of bacteria. It is a standard medium for propagation of Escherichia coli. It can also be used when culturing cells for plasmid preparation. LB is a nutrient-rich microbial broth that contains peptides, amino acids, water-soluble vitamins, and carbohydrates. It is also suitable for non-selective

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Culture media, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , , ,

Real-time PCR fluorescence detection systems

Real-time PCR fluorescence detection systems Real-time fluorescent PCR chemistries Many real-time fluorescent PCR chemistries exist, but the most widely used are 5” nuclease assays such as TaqMan®Assays and SYBR® Green dye–based assays (Figure 1). The 5” nuclease assay is named for the 5” nuclease activityassociated with Taq DNA polymerase (Figure 2). The 5” nuclease domain

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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , , , , , , ,

Real-time PCR analysis technology

BaselineThe baseline of the real-time PCR reaction refers to the signal level during the initial cycles of PCR, usually cycles 3 to 15, in which there is little change in fluorescent signal. The low-level signal of the baseline can be equated to the background or the “noise” of the reaction (Figure 1). The baseline in

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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , , , ,