Fermentation Biotechnology
A.Y. 2019/2020
Learning objectives
This course aims to provide the theoretical bases of the strategies employed to set-up, manage and improve microbial biotechnological processes, for the industrial production of compounds. Focus is on bioreactor technology, scale-up strategies, understanding the importance of metabolic pathways on process development and on metabolic engineering strategies utilized to engineer microorganisms in the context of biotechnological applications. Several industrial examples will be showed and critically discussed.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will develop the capabilities for setting-up and manage an industrial fermentation process using microbial cells. More in detail they will acquire specific tools (bioreactor set-up and fermentation control, strain improvement, metabolic flux analysis and engineering, statistical analyses) in order to meet the demand of high productive and efficient industrial bioprocesses.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The course is organised in two units: Unit 1 -Industrial Bioprocess Development (4CFU, Diego Romano); Unit 2 - Improvement of bioprocesses in yeast (3CFU, Concetta Compagno). The specific program of each unit is reported in the following sections.
Unit 1: Industrial Bioprocesses Development, - D. Romano (4 CFU)
Introduction to bioprocesses: bioreactor design, fermentation techniques (batch, fed batch, continuous), scale-up and scale down approaches, downstream processing, experimental design applied to industrial fermentations. Industrial examples: production of aminoacids (glutamic acid, lysine), organic acids (citric, lactic), solvents, biofuels (ethanol, butanol), flavours (vanilline), antibiotics; production of recombinant proteins in prokaryotes. New generation of bioprocesses: biomaterials (polyamide, polylactic-acid, bacterial cellulose, polyhydroxyalkanoates), fermentation of gaseous substrates (CO2, CH4).
Unit 2: Improvement of bioprocesses in yeast, - C. Compagno (3 CFU)
Strategies to improve the metabolic performance of yeast cells and production process:
metabolic flux balance analysis;
recombinant technology in yeast,
regulation of carbon source metabolism in yeasts.
Strategies to redirect existent metabolic pathways improving industrial processes.
Strategies to utilize alternative carbon sources for biofuels production.
Strategies to increase stress tolerance for industrial processes.
Strategies to introduce new pathways for production of new compounds.
Unit 1: Industrial Bioprocesses Development, - D. Romano (4 CFU)
Introduction to bioprocesses: bioreactor design, fermentation techniques (batch, fed batch, continuous), scale-up and scale down approaches, downstream processing, experimental design applied to industrial fermentations. Industrial examples: production of aminoacids (glutamic acid, lysine), organic acids (citric, lactic), solvents, biofuels (ethanol, butanol), flavours (vanilline), antibiotics; production of recombinant proteins in prokaryotes. New generation of bioprocesses: biomaterials (polyamide, polylactic-acid, bacterial cellulose, polyhydroxyalkanoates), fermentation of gaseous substrates (CO2, CH4).
Unit 2: Improvement of bioprocesses in yeast, - C. Compagno (3 CFU)
Strategies to improve the metabolic performance of yeast cells and production process:
metabolic flux balance analysis;
recombinant technology in yeast,
regulation of carbon source metabolism in yeasts.
Strategies to redirect existent metabolic pathways improving industrial processes.
Strategies to utilize alternative carbon sources for biofuels production.
Strategies to increase stress tolerance for industrial processes.
Strategies to introduce new pathways for production of new compounds.
Prerequisites for admission
Students must know fundamentals of microbial physiology (biosynthetic pathways of primary metabolism, microbial life cycles), enzymatic catalysis and molecular biology, organic chemistry (main reactions of carboxylic acids, ketones, aldehydes, amines).
Teaching methods
Unit 1 -Industrial Bioprocess Development - Frontal lessons: 4CFU
Unit 2 - Improvement of bioprocesses in yeast - Frontal lessons - 3CFU
Unit 2 - Improvement of bioprocesses in yeast - Frontal lessons - 3CFU
Teaching Resources
Slides of the lessons and the list of scientific articles will be available during the course and will be available for students on the "Ariel" platform.
Books: Industrial Biotechnology-Products and Processes. 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. Print ISBN: 978-3-527-34181-8
Books: Industrial Biotechnology-Products and Processes. 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. Print ISBN: 978-3-527-34181-8
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination consists in an interview about the "industrial bioprocesses development" module, and a written test on the "improvement of bioprocesses in yeast" module. The score will be a weighted mean based on the credits of the two modules of the course. Course prerequisites and exam arrangements are the same for students attending and not attending the course lessons. Lesson attendance is nevertheless strongly encouraged.
Biotechnological products and processes in bacteria
CHIM/11 - CHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY OF FERMENTATION - University credits: 4
Lessons: 32 hours
Professor:
Romano Diego
Shifts:
-
Professor:
Romano Diego
Biotechnological products and processes in yeast
CHIM/11 - CHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY OF FERMENTATION - University credits: 3
Lessons: 24 hours
Professor:
Compagno Concetta Maria
Shifts:
-
Professor:
Compagno Concetta MariaProfessor(s)
Reception:
upon appointment after email contact