35499 - Biotechnologies of Industrial Microorganisms

Academic Year 2011/2012

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (cod. 8519)

Learning outcomes

Aim of the course is the employment of microorganisms in the industrial fermentative processes to obtain metabolites of pharmaceutical interest. In particular, industrial processes for the production of primary metabolites, secondary metabolites, recombinant proteins, screening programmes to identify new microbial metabolites, as well as new strategy for the genetic improvement will be studied.

Course contents

Genetic improvement of micorbial strains to be used at industrial level. Industrial production of microbial primary and secondary metabolites: amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, antibiotics and antitumoral agents. Expression and production of heterologous pharmaceutical proteins in microbial hosts: hormones (insulin, growth hormone), fibrinolytic agents (streptokinase, urokinase), cytokines, recombinant toxins, vaccines. Industrial production of chimeric monoclonal antibodies, FVIII, tPA and EPO by recombinant cell lines.

Readings/Bibliography

Papers and reviews suggested by the teacher

Teaching methods

Development and employment of microorganisms in pharmaceutical field.

Assessment methods

Students will be tested with an oral exam. The latter will verify the knowledge about microorganisms to be used for the industrial production of drugs.

Teaching tools

PC, projector

Office hours

See the website of Patrizia Brigidi