Aim
Based on previous knowledge obtained from courses particularly in gene technology, mathematics and microbiology, the course aims to introduce the students in the field of metabolic engineering and give the students insight in how the technology can be used in the industry.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• relate previous knowledge to new knowledge

• relate knowledge from different courses

• relate and distinguish evidence and argument

• organise and structure the scientific content into a whole

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

• solve mass balances

• design simple metabolic flux models

• set-up a bioreactor for batch and continuous cultures

• evaluate the performance of genetic modified organisms

• master the terminology in the field in verbal and written form

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

Contents

• the course includes lectures on the following topics: catabolism, aerobic and anaerobic energy metabolism, metabolic control analysis, metabolic flux analysis, transcriptomics, proteomics, strain engineering and systems biology.

• the literature study consists of a thorough study of research strategies on a specific topic within metabolic engineering.

• in the practicals, either ethanol or lactate is produced from sugars with wild-type and genetically engineered micro-organisms in well-controlled fermentors. The practical exercise entails the preparation of fermentation substrates, growth and product formation, calculations of mass balances, yields and productivities based on experimental data and critical evaluation of the results.

• exercises will be performed on carbon balance, redox balance, flux analysis and metabolic control analysis.

Literature
Compendium in metabolic engineering