Biological Sciences

Code:

EQ0013

Acronym:

CB

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Life Sciences

Instance: 2006/2007 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemical Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Chemical Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LEQ	0	Plano de estudos de transição para 2006/07	2	6	6	-
MIEQ	89	Syllabus since 2006/2007	2	-	6	-

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

To present basic concepts in the areas of microbiology, genetics, biology and physiology using examples from biotechnology. To motivate the students regarding the use of biological systems as means to obtain specialties or commodities that can not be obtained by chemical synthesis or as a strategy to add value to established chemical processes.

Program

1. BIOTECHNOLOGY

a) A definition for biotechnology
b) Biotechnology areas
c) Diagram of a biotechnology process
d) Historical milestones

2. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE CELL

a) Major chemical components
b) The role of water as a solvent in biological systems
c) The building blocks of cells: Polysaccharides, Nucleic acids, Lipids, Proteins

3. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

a) Universal phylogenetic tree
b) Microbial diversity: prokaryotes, eukaryotes and virus
c) Structure and morphological diversity
d) Virus: morphology, infection e multiplication.

4. CELLULAR STRUCTURES ON THE 3 BIOLOGICAL DOMAINS

a) Cytoplasmic membrane and cell wall
b) Organelles: Endoplasmatic reticulum, Golgi complex, lisosomes, nucleus
c) Flagella and motility: chemotaxis
d) Resistance forms (endospores, spores e cysts)
e) Intracellular and extracellular polymeric substances (glycocalyx and storage materials)

5. COMMONLY USED ORGANISMS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY

a) Most used organisms (bacteria, fungi, yeast, animal cells, plants and transgenic animals)
b) Advantages and disadvantages of common host systems

6. BIOTECHNOLOGY PROCESSES

a) Main products obtained by biological systems
b) Raw materials used

c) Metabolism
c1) Anabolism and catabolism: Classification of the organisms regarding the carbon and energy source
c2) Catabolism: High energy compounds, redox reactions and electron tower
c3) Enzymes
c4) Catabolic processes: Glycolysis, Krebs cycle and aerobic respiration
c5) Fermentation
c6) Anaerobic respiration
c7) Lithotrophy
c8) Photosynthesis (anoxygenic and oxygenic)

d) Factors that control microbial growth
d1) Nutrients, temperature, pH, water activity, pressure and oxygen

e) Cellular reproduction
e1) Prokaryotes: binary fission
e2) Eukaryotes: mitosis and meiosis

f) Microbial growth, quantitation
f1) Total count and viable count
f2) Biomass determination and turbidimetry

g) Fermentation
g1) Growth curves (kinetics)
g2) Cellular death, sterilization
g3) Batch cultivation
g4) Continuous cultivation
g5) Fed-batch cultivation

h) Biological reactor design
h1) Mixture
h2) Gas transfer
h3) Mass and heat transfer
h4) Non-conventional geometries

i) Product recovery
i1) Cell rupture, product capture, polishing and formulation

7. MICORBIAL GENETICS OVERVIEW

a) DNA replication
b) Genetic information transfer
c) Transcription
d) Genetic code
e) Ribosomes
f) Protein synthesis (translation)
g) Contrasts in gene expression between prokaryotes and eukaryotes
h) Genotypic variability versus phenotypic traits
i) Genotypic variability: Mutations and mutagenic agents
j) Prokaryotic genetic recombination (transformation, transduction and conjugation)

8. GENETIC ENGINEERING

a) PCR reaction
b) Cloning vectors
c) Organism improvement
d) Recombinant DNA and transgenic organisms

9. ENZYMATIC ENGINEERING

a) Stability and activity
b) Enzymatic reactors
c) Enzymatic regulation (Feedback, induction, repression)

10. BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

a) Gene therapy
b) DNA vaccines
c) Stem cells

Mandatory literature

Madigan, Michael T; Biology of Microorganisms. ISBN: 0-13-571225-4

Complementary Bibliography

Pelczar, Jr., Michael Joseph; Microbiologia. ISBN: 85-346-0196-8 (vol.1)
Stryer, Lubert; Biochemistry. ISBN: 0-7167-2009-4

Teaching methods and learning activities

Oral exposition of the subjects supported by the blackboard and transparencies. Students are motivated to participate and to deduce the subjects.

keywords

Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Biological engineering

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Subject Classes	Participação presencial	56,00
Mini test	Exame	1,50		2006-10-27
Mini test	Exame	1,50		2006-12-15
Research work	Trabalho escrito			2006-12-06
	Total:	-	0,00

Eligibility for exams

To be approved, students must attain classifications above 8 (on a 0-20 scale) in both tests and the group work. The final grade must be higher than 9.5.

Calculation formula of final grade

N = 0.35xMT1 + 0.35xMT2 + 0.3xW

N - final grade
MT1- Mini test 1
MT2 - Mini test 2
W - Group work

Examinations or Special Assignments

A group of two students must deliver by December 15th an assay based on a scientific paper. This paper will be provided by the teacher and the list of papers is available on the subject page. Students must produce an abstract of the paper by October the 27th.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Final exam according to general rules.

Classification improvement

Students who want to improve their classification (or have failed the tests) may take an exam in the resit period. The grade from this exam substitutes the grades obtained in both mini tests.

Observations

Two evaluation periods are considered (min-tests). These are individual tests to be completed in 1.5h without bibliographic support. The first mini-test is scheduled for the 7th week (October 27th) and the second on the 14th week (December 15th). Both tests are compulsory and students must attain grades higher than 8 (on a 0-20 scale). For approval, the final grade must be higher than 9.5.