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Description
This course provides students with a detailed understanding of bioreactor design, scale-up and operation. It considers both whole cell (i.e. fermentation) and enzymatic (i.e. biotransformation) conversion processes for the synthesis of complex materials such as therapeutic proteins, antibiotics, gene therapy vectors and chiral pharmaceuticals. Particular themes of the course include the interaction of biological catalysts and molecules with the engineering environment within a bioreactor, the theoretical basis of process scale-up and scale-down, and the impact of rDNA techniques on bioreactor design and operation. Particular attention is paid to the instrumentation and control of bioreactors and issues underlying biosafety with respect to contained operation.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, a student should be able to:
- Specify bioreactor characteristics and monitoring and control systems
- Understand how bioreactor operation and scaling affects cell growth and productivity
- Perform design calculations with regards to scale-up and scale-down of a fermentation process
- Evaluate how the kinetics of free or immobilised enzyme affects bioreactor selection and operation
- Relate fundamental knowledge of transport processes and bioreactor engineering to current industrial practice
- Appreciate the impact of rDNA techniques on biocatalyst kinetics and process design
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 8th April 2024.
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