BPE-32306 Advanced Marine Biotechnology

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

BPE-32803 Microalgae Biotechnology; AFI-31806 Aquaculture Production Systems.

Contents:

Marine biotechnology aims to develop methods to produce novel products originating from marine organisms; these are products that could contribute to a better health, such as bioactive compounds that can be used for new medicines, new food and feed ingredients, such as antioxidants and as new biofuels. The course consists out the following parts:
1. Product discovery and identification;
Identification of structures of biological components. LogP, UV/VIS, LC-MS/GC-MS characteristics and NMR data will be discussed and applied to unknown molecules. The students will work on examples during a practical computer course.
2. Marine metagenomics
The largest fraction of the microbial world around us can not be studied by cultivation. Modern molecular ecological techniques are taught, and especially metagenome sequence analysis, that provide a comprehensive catalogue of the metabolic potential of the uncultured microbial world.
3. Cell and tissue culture of marine sponge
Sponges produce bioactive compounds that are interesting to develop medicines from. In this part of the course we will focus on how to produce these products commercially. This will be done via 2 cases: design of a sponge aquaculture and design a research strategy for development of a sponge cell culture technique.
4. Microalgae growth in photobioreactors.
Design of outdoor productions systems (photobioreactors) for the mass production of phototrophic microalgae depends on efficient light utilization and and gas transfer of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Microalgae growth in photobioreactors will be described as a function of the input of sunlight as well as the gas transfer capacity. These relations will be used to model the productivity of photobioreactors and design the algal production process.
5. Capita selecta
New developments in the field of marine biotechnology will be presented via guest lectures.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- perform identification of biomarker components;
- understand how metagenomic sequence analysis can provide novel leads for biotechnological exploitation;
- design production and research strategies for production of bioactive compounds from sponges
- model and quantify the productivity of microalgae based bioprocesses;
- systematically work on a process design for microalgae-based bioprocesses;
- evaluate new developments in the field of marine biotechnology and come with suggestions for required further research and development.

Activities:

A combination of practical computer courses (for product discovery identification and for modelling microalgal growth and photobioreactor design), classes and work assignments (for marine metagenomics, cell and tissue culture of marine sponges) and guest lectures on new developments in the field of marine biotechnology.

Examination:

Examination via presentation of cases and written exam.

Literature:

Not available.