Glycan Biotechnology
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| BIOS4005 | Biosciences | 4 | 10 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- BIOS4005
- School
- Biosciences
- Level
- 4
- Credits
- 10
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
Polysaccharides and their potential for biotechnology; structural polysaccharides; storage polysaccharides: starch and fructans; marine polysaccharides; some bacterial and synthetic polysaccharides. Polysaccharides and other macromolecular drug delivery systems. "Smart" hydrogel and encapsulation and controlled release technologies. Therapeutic Polysaccharides
Target Students
MRes Biomolecular TechnologyOR Industrial Physical Biochemistry OR Applied Biopharmaceutical Biotechnology Entrepreneurship students
Classes
- Two 7-hour lectures each week for 2 weeks
- Two 4-hour lectures each week for 2 weeks
Wednesdays (weeks 26-29). Two half-day morning sessions (9-1pm) weeks 26 & 27 & two full day sessions (weeks 28, 29) from 9am to 4pm)
Assessment
- 65% Coursework 1: Coursework Questions and Viscosity Practical
- 35% Coursework 2: Group mini-project
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
The module will be directed at providing the students with an understanding of how enzyme and polysaccharide biotechnology can be applied in an industrial and biomedical context.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding of:
- The fundamental, cross - disciplinary principles and practises that underpin biomolecular technology and its multi-various biotechnological applications.
- A range of key, specialist information primarily focussed on Industrial Enzyme, Polysaccharide and Drug delivery Biotechnology.
- An appreciation of how the Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, Biomedical and Food industries are using Industrial Enzyme, Polysaccharide and Drug delivery Biotechnology
- A range of relevant practical techniques and methodologies and their uses, together with appropriate procedures for analysis and presentation of data.
Intellectual skills - the ability to:
- Evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the fields of Industrial Enzyme, Polysaccharide and Drug delivery Biotechnology.
- Acquire substantial quantities of information systematically and process it selectively and effectively.
- Develop ideas and opinions through the use of information from a wide variety of sources.
- Plan and implement experimental work.
Professional/practical skills - the ability to:
- Search for and retrieve information from a wide range of sources including electronic and print systems.
- Present in a range of formats (written and numerical work assignments, scientific data to a standard and format consistent with that as accepted by the professional scientific community.
- Work safely in the laboratory and respond appropriately to relevant safety issues.
Transferable/key skills - the ability to:
- Communicate effectively in written forms.
- Critically appraise and present information from a wide range of sources
- Use general IT tools, Internet, and other learning resources to generate concise scientific overviews and to advance their own knowledge base.
- Act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks
- Participate effectively in team working activities.