- Docente: Patrizia Brigidi
- Credits: 6
- SSD: CHIM/11
- Language: English
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (cod. 9068)
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from Mar 10, 2025 to Apr 10, 2025
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student has the basic knowledge of industrial processes that employ microorganisms for the production of metabolites of pharmaceutical interest. In particular, the student is able to: - develop production processes for recombinant proteins, primary and secondary microbial metabolites; - develop screening programs for the identification of new microbial metabolites of pharmaceutical interest; - develop strategies to improve production processes.
Course contents
Advanced industrial approaches for cloning, expression and production of heterologous pharmaceutical proteins in different host systems (cell factories): hormones; fibrinolytic agents, coagulants and anticoagulants; biologics, i.e. chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, cytokines, recombinant toxins; vaccines. Protein engineering to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of the recombinant proteins.Industrial production of microbial primary and secondary metabolites: amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, antibiotics and antitumoral agents. Advanced screening to discover new antibiotics.
The laboratory course will address the following experiences: expression and production of recombinant proteins in microbial hosts (batch fermentations); exploitation of microbiomes in industrial microbiology (metagenomics and bioinformatics approaches for next-generation industrial processes);shotgun sequencing for the functional characterization of microbial communities.
Readings/Bibliography
Papers and reviews suggested by the teacher
Laboratory notes describing the experimental procedures.
Teaching methods
Development and employment of recombinant host cells in pharmaceutical field.
Assessment methods
Students will be tested with an oral exam. The latter will verify the knowledge about recombinant cells used for the industrial production of drugs.
Teaching tools
PC, projector
Office hours
See the website of Patrizia Brigidi
SDGs

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.