Course manager

Samuel McEwen Walsh

Semester schedule

Autumn (13-week period)

ECTS

5

Language of instruction

English

Course type

Compulsory

Qualifications

Competences corresponding to participation in the course Biochemistry are recommended. 

Objectives

The objective of the course is to provide students with an understanding of enzymes, as they are produced and applied in biotechnological and chemical engineering industries.

Content

• Classification of enzymes
• Enzyme kinetics
• The influence of pH, temperature, ion strength, inhibitors, etc. on the velocity of an enzyme-catalysed reaction
• Enzyme stability
• Enzyme production and purification
• Application of enzymes in solution
• Application of immobilized enzymes 

The purpose of the laboratory element (corresponding to 1.5 ECTS) of the course is to entrench an understanding of enzyme catalysed process stages and reactions in an industrial context.

Learning targets

On completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge

• Describe important technological applications of industrial enzymes
• Describe the principles behind application of solubilized or immobilized enzymes in batch reactions or reactors and assess the advantages and disadvantages of the two techniques

Skills

• Explain the impact of temperature and pH on enzymes' stability and reaction kinetics 
• Apply Michaelis-Menten-based enzyme kinetics in the determination of reaction rates
• Apply statistical calculations and assessments to enzyme kinetic data
• Explain enzyme purification strategies

Competences

• Classify an enzyme in compliance with international standards
• Calculate enzyme kinetic parameters, Vmax and K, on the basis of experimental data
• Calculate and explain the influence of enzyme inhibitors on rate and yield
• Analyse and assess experimental enzyme kinetic data from scientific literature 
• Interpret and explain Python code used to analyse enzyme kinetic data

Teaching method

Seminars and laboratory exercises

Qualifications for examination participation

• Participation in laboratory exercises and acceptance of associated mandatory papers. 

All course work shall be executed and submitted pursuant to guidelines set out by the course manager.

Examination and aids

Written examination. Duration of examination: 4 hours.

Permitted aids: Paper materials including, but not limited to, textbooks, notes and laboratory reports. A scientific calculator.

Language of examination will be English

The form of examination at a 3^rd attempt may vary from the above. 

Marking 

External

Grading

The 7-pont grading scale