Microorganisms, Biotechnology and Sustainability. The Power of the Unseen | Study abroad program | Science | Blended Learning | 4 weeks | University of Almeria | Spain

The importance of microorganisms is undeniable. They are the origin of life on Earth, in fact, they constitute the bulk of their biomass, and carry out chemical reactions necessary for higher organisms, to the point that without them they could not exist, since they also take care of recycling of the fundamental nutrients and the degradation of organic matter. On the other hand, the field of Biotechnology is closely linked to Microbiology, since the first processes of production of substances of interest to humans (currently encompassed in studies with a biotechnological approach) were developed thanks to prior knowledge about the microbial world. In short, microorganisms play a leading role in this applied branch of science and, especially, in the so-called White Biotechnology, in which microorganisms or products derived by them, like enzymes, are used for their subsequent application in different industries.