This is an online course where you watch prerecorded video lectures on your own and we meet online for 4 scheduled guest lectures and 3 scheduled workshops. The course provides knowledge and skills in the area of industrial biocatalysis with a focus on replacing chemical synthesis with enzymatic catalysis to achieve more sustainable processes for synthesis of chemical products.
Course memo Spring 2024
Course presentation
Headings denoted with an asterisk ( * ) is retrieved from the course syllabus version Spring 2022
Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
The course is given online and remotely and provides an overview of the research area Biocatalysis, with special emphasis on the application of enzymes for environmentally sustainable production of chemical products. The course comprises approximately 105 full-time study hours, corresponding to 4,0 ECTS credits.
Relevant enzymes and their reaction mechanisms are discussed. Furthermore, central experimental techniques for the use of enzymes in organic solvents are discussed, as well as methods for optimizing stereochemical yields with industrial processes as examples.
Furthermore, the course provides knowledge about general and current techniques for design and modification of enzymes, for example directed evolution, for application in biocatalysis. The student carries out a project where a theoretical experiment is designed which includes, among other things, to select and justify the choice of methods for the experimental execution and the analysis of the results.
Intended learning outcomes
After completion of the course the student shall be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge and analytical skills in the field of biocatalysis
- demonstrate ability to explain and analyze concepts in biocatalysis based on relevant research literature
- formulate and discuss in writing how biocatalysis can be applied in industry to create more environmentally sustainable processes and, be able to reflect on sustainable societal development
Learning activities
The course contains a lecture series partly arranged jointly with the Masters' course BB2460 Biocatalysis. The lectures are mainly pre-recorded and the videos should be watched on your own. The course contains four scheduled lectures on Zoom, an additional three scheduled workshops on Zoom and three two-hour seminars on Zoom at the end of the course where the master students present their laboratory research projects. Apart from these scheduled activities, the course contains an individual theoretical research project/literature study presented in a report and one short assignment to submit.
Detailed plan
Learning activities | Content | Preparations for workshop |
---|---|---|
On your own: Lecture 1 |
Introduction to Biocatalysis & Course requirements
|
Watch pre-recorded lecture online |
On your own: Lecture 2 |
Fine Chemicals |
Watch Pre-recorded lecture online, read the articles |
22 Jan, 10:15-12:00
Guest Lecture by Christian Schnepel, KTH |
Stereoselectivity & Enzymes in Pharmaceutical Chemistry |
Participate in the live lecture on Zoom |
On your own: Lecture 4 |
Enzyme Mechanisms |
Watch Pre-recorded material, read the articles |
29 Jan, 10:15-12:00 |
Workshop, problem-solving and Q/A session |
Participate in the workshop on Zoom |
On your own: Lecture 5 |
Hydrolases
|
Watch Pre-recorded material, read the articles |
On your own: Lecture 6 |
Oxidoreductases |
Watch Pre-recorded material, read the articles |
5 Feb, 10:15-12:00 |
Workshop, problem-solving and Q/A session |
Participate in the workshop on Zoom |
On your own: Lecture 7 |
Transferases, Lyases, Isomerases & Ligases |
Watch Pre-recorded material, read the articles |
On your own: Lecture 8 |
Organic Solvents & Water Activity |
Watch Pre-recorded material, read the articles |
12 Feb, 10:15-12:00 |
Enzyme Engineering Strategies |
Participate in the live lecture on Zoom |
16 Feb, 08:15-10:00 |
Enzyme Mining |
Participate in the live lecture on Zoom |
19 Feb, 10:15-12:00 |
Immobilisation & Biocatalysis at a company | Participate in the live lecture on Zoom |
On your own: Lecture 12 |
Cascade Biocatalysis |
Watch Pre-recorded material, read the articles |
20 Feb, 10:15-12:00 |
Workshop, problem-solving and Q/A session |
Participate in the workshop on Zoom |
Seminars | The Master students present their Biocatalysis research projects | Be an active participant in the Q&A sessions |
Preparations before course start
Specific preparations
Literature
The compulsory course literature consist of a few scientific review articles selected for each of the lectures in the course. These articles can be found through links provided for each lecture in Canvas. No compulsory text book is used but there are several optional books:
- Kurt Faber. Biotransformations in Organic Chemistry: A Textbook, 7th Edition. Springer-Verlag: Heidelberg. 2018. e-ISBN 978-3-319-61590-5. Available as e-book through the KTH Library.
- Andreas Liese, Karsten Seelbach, Christian Wandrey (Eds.). Industrial Biotransformations. 2nd ed. Wiley-VCH. 2006. e-ISBN: 9783527608188. DOI: 10.1002/3527608184. Available as e-book through the KTH Library.
- Bommarius & Riebel, Biocatalysis - Fundamentals and Applications, Wiley-VCH 2004. e-ISBN: 9783527602360. Available as e-book through the KTH Library.
- Silverman, R. B. The Organic Chemistry of Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions, Academic Press. 2002. ISBN 978-0-08-051336-2. Available as e-book through the KTH Library.
- Peter Grunwald, BIOCATALYSIS - Biochemical Fundamentals and Applications, Imperial College Press 2009. ISBN 978-1-86094-771-1 (used as course text book 2012)
- Adrie J. J. Straathof, Patrick Adlercreutz (Eds.) Applied biocatalysis. 2nd Taylor & Francis 2000
Support for students with disabilities
Students at KTH with a permanent disability can get support during studies from Funka:
Examination and completion
Grading scale
P, F
Examination
- INL1 - Hand in assignments, 1.0 credits, Grading scale: P, F
- PRO1 - Project, 3.0 credits, Grading scale: P, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
The section below is not retrieved from the course syllabus:
Hand in assignments ( INL1 )
This part is assessed through submitted exercise and active participation in the scheduled workshops. Active participation in 80% of the workshops is required.
Project ( PRO1 )
This part is assessed by a written individual project report.
Ethical approach
- All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
- In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
- In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.
Further information
Changes of the course before this course offering
The number of scheduled workshops has been reduced to allow for more flexibility requested by the industrial professionals.
Contacts
Round Facts
Start date
16 Jan 2024
Course offering
- Spring 2024-20066
Language Of Instruction
English