CdeC23: Evolution and genetics on the dinner table

Living organisms have a spectacular ability to adapt to different environments. For instance, the unicellular organism budding yeast allows the production of many fermented foods such as wine, bread, kefir and pisco. Students are going to compete strains isolated from different food products by culture them in several combinations in different environments. By plating samples of the culture over the course of the club, students are going to follow the ecological dynamics of yeast strains of different origin.

The club could include local field trips aimed to isolate local variants of yeast that will then be compared with the ones provided by the Instructor. By taking this club, students will learn the principles of food microbiology and how microorganism occupy anthropic ecological niches. Importantly, this club will allow the students to practically appreciate the genetics behind species adaptation and evolution. This club will be taugh in English.