Course Outline

Office hours:

My office is always open if I am there. I am always accessible by e-mail, and your messages will normally receive a response the same day. The course web site will provide reminders, detailed course outlines, and assignment solutions.

Course prerequisites:

A course in Organic Chemistry and a basic understanding of Biochemistry is assumed. If unsure, review Chapter 2 entitled Chemicals of Life in the book by Bailey and Ollis (see below). It is also assumed that students have completed micr 229 or chee 229, but background reading will serve as a suitable alternative. Please contact the course instructor if unsure of your background.

Course objectives:

Biochemical Engineering involves the application of Chemical Engineering principles and approaches to biologically-based systems and processes. Biochemical Engineering is central to the area of environmental engineering, and to biotechnology processes that produce pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and genetically engineered products. The course Engineering Biology involves a study of the biological and biochemical principles supporting the field of Biochemical Engineering. It will be expected that students develop an understanding of the science and engineering principles underlying modern industrial practices in bioprocessing.

Course text:

There will be no required text for the course, so students will need to rely on library references, class notes and handouts, and assignments. There are several textbooks in the field of Biochemical Engineering, but little available in support of a course initiative in Engineering Biology. You may find the following library references helpful.

Shuler, ML and F Kargi. Bioprocess Engineering: Basic Concepts.TP248.3.S58.1992
Aiba, S., A.E. Humphrey, N. Millis. Biochemical Engineering. (Missing?)
Blanch, H.W., D.S. Clark. Biochemical Engineering. TP248 .3 .B625 1997
Atkinson, B. Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology Handbook. TP248 .3 .A853 1991.
Bailey, J.E., D.F. Ollis. Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals. TP248 .3 .B34 (1997).
Doran, P. Bioprocess Engineering Principles.TP248 .3 .D672 1995t.
Pirt, S., Principles of microbe and cell cultivation. QR66 .P5 1975b.
Wang, D.I.C. et al.. Fermentation and enzyme technology.TP156 .F4 F45 (1979).
Peppler, H.J. Microbial Technology. QR53 .P45 1979.
Vieth, W.R. Bioprocess Engineering: kinetics, mass transfer, reactors and gene expression.
TP248 .3 .V54 1994.

Course evaluation:

Final grade will be based on in-class tests (20%), assignments (20%), design project/report (20%), and a final examination (40%). Final exam will be closed book but you may bring two sheets of 8.5x11 inch paper to the final exam, containing your written summary of the course notes. The tests will be held during the regular class periods.

Lecture topics and outline: We will attempt to cover the following topics, more or less in the order listed.

History and an overview of the products of Biochemical Engineering

Citric acid
Antibiotics
Brewing/Bioethanol
Amino acids
Vaccines
Monoclonal antibodies
Therapeutic proteins, Farmaceuticals
Site directed mutagenesis

Principles of Cell Culture

Properties and structure of the cell
Nomenclature
Bacteriophage
Growth behavior
Determining cell mass
Chemical composition of cells

Tissue engineering

Tissue culture with mammalian and plant cells
Products and medical applications
Large-scale mammalian cell culture systems

Metabolism and product formation

Metabolic pathways catabolic/anabolic
Biosynthesis
Stoichiometry and energetics
Control and regulation
Industrial strain improvement
Screening for new metabolites
Molecular genetics and control

Enzymes and enzyme kinetics (versus Monod growth kinetics)

Naming and classification
Applications purification of racemic mixtures of amino acids
Reaction kinetics (Michaelis-Menten)
Inhibition
Batch and continuous reactor kinetics

Immobilized biocatalysts

Immobilization methods
Immobilized enzyme/cell kinetics
Mass transfer resistance, effectiveness factors

Product separation and purification

Downstream process scheme in protein purification

Design project:

Students will examine a downstream separation process in detail and will be assigned one particular unit operation within the purification protocol, for a detailed design. The design will be presented in class, followed by a written report.