Applied biocatalysis
A.A. 2024/2025
Obiettivi formativi
The course aims to provide students with theoretical knowledge and applicative skills about biocatalytic processes. Biocatalysis is the use of natural catalysts (enzymes) to perform reactions of interest in all fields of green chemistry. To understand and develop a biocatalytic process is thus necessary to gather tools across different biotechnological techniques.
Knowledge and understanding:
· Knowing the methodologies (protein engineering, metabolic engineering, immobilization, continuous processes) useful for making a biocatalytic process of industrial interest;
· Understanding the advantages of biocatalysis in the context of the bioeconomy and chemical transformation;
· Understanding why biocatalysis is strategic in a bio-based industry context;
· Knowing and understanding consolidated and/or recent successful examples (especially in the agri-food and energy fields) of applied biocatalysis
· Knowing the techniques involved in the immobilization of biocatalysts;
· Knowing and understanding the importance of process intensification in applied biocatalysis.
Applying knowledge and understanding
· Applying biotechnological techniques (mostly learned in other courses) for the evolution of enzymes or microbial cells into efficient biocatalysts;
· Assessing the most suited technologies for intensifying a biocatalytic process;
· Applying the knowledge about consolidated and/or recent successful examples of applied biocatalysis to critically design and optimize biocatalytic processes;
· Assessing the most useful techniques for intensifying a biocatalytic process.
Making judgements
· Applying the knowledge about biocatalyst immobilization for making proper judgements when and how immobilization techniques should be used in biocatalytic processes;
· Making judgements about the best way to discover and optimize a biocatalyst;
· Making judgements about the best bioreactors to be used in biocatalysis
Knowledge and understanding:
· Knowing the methodologies (protein engineering, metabolic engineering, immobilization, continuous processes) useful for making a biocatalytic process of industrial interest;
· Understanding the advantages of biocatalysis in the context of the bioeconomy and chemical transformation;
· Understanding why biocatalysis is strategic in a bio-based industry context;
· Knowing and understanding consolidated and/or recent successful examples (especially in the agri-food and energy fields) of applied biocatalysis
· Knowing the techniques involved in the immobilization of biocatalysts;
· Knowing and understanding the importance of process intensification in applied biocatalysis.
Applying knowledge and understanding
· Applying biotechnological techniques (mostly learned in other courses) for the evolution of enzymes or microbial cells into efficient biocatalysts;
· Assessing the most suited technologies for intensifying a biocatalytic process;
· Applying the knowledge about consolidated and/or recent successful examples of applied biocatalysis to critically design and optimize biocatalytic processes;
· Assessing the most useful techniques for intensifying a biocatalytic process.
Making judgements
· Applying the knowledge about biocatalyst immobilization for making proper judgements when and how immobilization techniques should be used in biocatalytic processes;
· Making judgements about the best way to discover and optimize a biocatalyst;
· Making judgements about the best bioreactors to be used in biocatalysis
Risultati apprendimento attesi
At the end of the course the student will know why biocatalysis is strategic for the bioeconomy in a bio-based industry context. The student will be familiar with the essential steps in the development of biocatalytic processes from concept to completion, by the application of the best suited methodologies (protein engineering, metabolic engineering, immobilization, continuous reactors) to develop a innovative biocatalytic processes of industrial interest. The focus will be on bioprocesses relevant in the agri-food and bioenergy fields.
Periodo: Secondo semestre
Modalità di valutazione: Esame
Giudizio di valutazione: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Corso singolo
Questo insegnamento può essere seguito come corso singolo.
Programma e organizzazione didattica
Edizione unica
Responsabile
Periodo
Secondo semestre
Programma
The course defines the current situation of biocatalysis and its importance within the bioeconomy. Biocatalysts (isolated enzymes or whole microbial cells) are used in different bio-based industrial processes (from the hydrolysis of huge amount of starch to the gram scale synthesis of bioactive ingredients used in the food and pharmaceutical industries). Starting from the basics of biocatalysis (e.g., mechanism of action of enzymes more commonly used in biocatalysis), the student will learn how to turn enzymes into robust and cheap biocatalysts for industrial processes, which work under not-natural conditions; this is achieved by applying different biotechnological techniques, such as protein and metabolic engineering, genome and metagenome mining, high throughput fermentation, enzyme immobilization. Finally, intensification of the bioprocesses through biocatalytic reactor design and operation will be discussed.
- Introduction to biocatalysis: why? how? The myth and the reality (2 hours);
- Hydrolases and transferases: how do they work? why we do use them? (5 hours);
- Enzyme discovery (3 hours);
- Biocatalytic reactor design and operation (4 hours);
- Redox enzymes: importance and application (6 hours)
- Biocatalyst preparation (4 hours):
· whole cells or isolated enzymes?
· immobilization;
- Techniques in biocatalysis: how biocatalysts can be improved? (4 hours);
· protein engineering, directed evolution
· metabolic engineering
- Biocatalysis at work: biotransformation of feedstocks into added-value molecules (4 hours);
- Examples of industrial biocatalytic processes: isomerases, hydratases and aldolases (4 hours);
- Metabolic engineering and biocatalysis (4 hours)
- Cascade reactions (2 hours)
- Lab practice (8 hours)
- Introduction to biocatalysis: why? how? The myth and the reality (2 hours);
- Hydrolases and transferases: how do they work? why we do use them? (5 hours);
- Enzyme discovery (3 hours);
- Biocatalytic reactor design and operation (4 hours);
- Redox enzymes: importance and application (6 hours)
- Biocatalyst preparation (4 hours):
· whole cells or isolated enzymes?
· immobilization;
- Techniques in biocatalysis: how biocatalysts can be improved? (4 hours);
· protein engineering, directed evolution
· metabolic engineering
- Biocatalysis at work: biotransformation of feedstocks into added-value molecules (4 hours);
- Examples of industrial biocatalytic processes: isomerases, hydratases and aldolases (4 hours);
- Metabolic engineering and biocatalysis (4 hours)
- Cascade reactions (2 hours)
- Lab practice (8 hours)
Prerequisiti
The course should be attended by students after the first semester of the first year, when courses concerning molecular methodologies, fermentation, and structure and function of biomolecules are given. The knowledge and understanding of the contents of these courses are the prerequisite. You can contact the teacher to obtain indications about texts and bibliographic references that can be studied to fill eventual knowledge gaps in the abovementioned areas.
Metodi didattici
The course is divided into interactive lectures with projection of teaching material and discussion of concepts with students and exercises in the classroom to verify the understanding of basic theoretical concepts. The teaching material proposed during the lessons is available on the teacher's MyARIEL website.
Materiale di riferimento
Notes and monographs made available by the teacher through MyAriel
Modalità di verifica dell’apprendimento e criteri di valutazione
At least 7 exam sessions per year will be guaranteed. The date of the exam will be published on SIFA platform.
The exam consists of:
1) Oral exam based on questions about the topics covered during the course. an oral presentation of a case-study chosen and selected with the teacher and after a discussion (10-15 minutes) (0-14 grades);
2) two questions about topics discussed during the course (0-13 grades each question)
The learning verification will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
1. Proof of understanding of the topics covered during lectures and laboratory practices;
2. Ability to expose, in a critical and integrated way: how to apply biotechnological techniques (mostly learned in other courses) for the evolution of enzymes or microbial cells into efficient biocatalysts; how to assess the most suited technologies for intensifying a biocatalytic process; how to apply the knowledge about consolidated and/or recent successful examples of applied biocatalysis to critically design and optimize biocatalytic processes; how to assess the most useful techniques for intensifying a biocatalytic process.
You can get feedback from the teacher on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
Specific procedures for students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities (DSA) will be applied also for telematic exams. Here the complete information:
https://www.unimi.it/en/study/student-services/services-students-disabilities
https://www.unimi.it/en/study/student-services/services-students-specific-learning-disabilities-sld
In case you need specific procedures, please inform the teacher by mail at least 10 days before the exam, including in the addresses [email protected] or [email protected].
The exam consists of:
1) Oral exam based on questions about the topics covered during the course. an oral presentation of a case-study chosen and selected with the teacher and after a discussion (10-15 minutes) (0-14 grades);
2) two questions about topics discussed during the course (0-13 grades each question)
The learning verification will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
1. Proof of understanding of the topics covered during lectures and laboratory practices;
2. Ability to expose, in a critical and integrated way: how to apply biotechnological techniques (mostly learned in other courses) for the evolution of enzymes or microbial cells into efficient biocatalysts; how to assess the most suited technologies for intensifying a biocatalytic process; how to apply the knowledge about consolidated and/or recent successful examples of applied biocatalysis to critically design and optimize biocatalytic processes; how to assess the most useful techniques for intensifying a biocatalytic process.
You can get feedback from the teacher on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
Specific procedures for students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities (DSA) will be applied also for telematic exams. Here the complete information:
https://www.unimi.it/en/study/student-services/services-students-disabilities
https://www.unimi.it/en/study/student-services/services-students-specific-learning-disabilities-sld
In case you need specific procedures, please inform the teacher by mail at least 10 days before the exam, including in the addresses [email protected] or [email protected].
CHIM/11 - CHIMICA E BIOTECNOLOGIA DELLE FERMENTAZIONI - CFU: 6
Laboratori: 16 ore
Lezioni: 40 ore
Lezioni: 40 ore
Docente:
Molinari Francesco Enzo
Turni:
Turno
Docente:
Molinari Francesco EnzoDocente/i
Ricevimento:
previo appuntamento
via Luigi Mangiagalli 25, terzo piano