Biotechnology

3 ECTS credits
75 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1017601BNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester

2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Enrollment Requirements

Registration for “Biotechnology” is allowed for student Bachelor of Science Engineering Sciences if one is registered for or has succesfully accomplished “Information and Communication Technology”, is registered for or has successfully accomplished “Design Project Mechanical and Electromechanical Engineering” or “Structure” or “Environmental Technology and Selection of Materials” and is enrolled in graduation Electronics & Information Techonology, profile Computer Sciences..

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences

Department

Bio-Engineering Sciences

Educational team

Damya Laoui (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

26 contact hours Lecture
12 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals

Course Content

The term ‘Biotechnology’ is explained.

We then review the differences between prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses, followed by an overview of the constituents of living material (DNA; proteins, lipids and membranes, carbohydrates) and the concepts of the central dogma: from genes to proteins (DNA, replication, transcription, translation, proteins).

This basic knowledge will be applied in the following concepts:
Genetic manipulation and recombinant DNA technology
Proteins as products
Medical biotechnology
Microbial biotechnology
Plant biotechnology
Animal biotechnology

Additionally regulatory and ethical questions related to biotechnology will be addressed.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Cursusnota's en alle getoonde powerpointpresentaties
Handbook (Recommended) : Biochemistry, Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko & Lubert Stryer, 9de, WH Freeman abd Co, 9781319114657, 2019
Handbook (Recommended) : Introduction to Biotechnology, William J. Thieman & Michael A Palladino, 4de, Pearson/ Benjamin Cummings, 9781292261775, 2019

Additional info

All powerpoint presentations and/or video recordings are available on the learning platform.

Complementary study material:
Book: 'Introduction to BIOTECHNOLOGY' (4th edition)
William J. Thieman & Michael A Palladino
Pearson/ Benjamin Cummings, 2019

Book: 'BIOCHEMISTRY' (9th edition)
Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko & Lubert Stryer
WH Freeman abd Co., 2019

Learning Outcomes

General competences

The student knows the differences between prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses.

He/She is capable to explain the essential steps in DNA replication as well as those of transcription and translation

The student knows:

the routine methods to clone DNA in bacteria, the concepts in medical biotechnology, animal biotechnology, plant biotechnology, microbiology & food, fermentations, vaccine development.

The student is capable to evaluate critically the ethic aspects of biotechnology

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Mondeling examen with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Note: Mondeling examen met mogelijkheid tot korte voorbereiding (open boek)
De studenten krijgen 3 vragen:
1 vraag handelt over de omzetting van een aminozuursequntie naar nucleotidesequentie en het ontwerpen van bruikbare PCR primers om het gen te amplifiëren en te kloneren.
vraag 2 en 3 peilen naar de kennis van de hoofdstukken gezien tijdens de cursus.

Voorbeelden:
Wat zijn de mogelijkheden, problemen en risico's met gentherapie?
Wat zijn vetzuren, lipieden en membranen; wat zijn carbohydraten en suikers, hun rol, functie en belang?

Additional info regarding evaluation

Oral examination, with possibility for short rehearsal with course notes (open book examination). The genetic code will be provided.
Students will receive 3 questions:

Question 1 assesses the knowledge on the conversion from amino acid sequecne (protein) to nucleic acid seqeunce (DNA) and the design of PCR primers to amplify the gene and to clone the gene
Q2 and Q3 evaluates the knowledge gained from the various chapters seen during the course

Example:
What are the possibilities, problems and riscs with gene therapy?

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context