Course: Advances in biotechnology

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Course title Advances in biotechnology
Course code KECHT/1ADBI
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Doctoral
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 20
Language of instruction English
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Opitz Jörg, Dr. rer. nat.
Course content
This course focuses on the application of biomimetic principles to the synthesis of nanostructures and nanopatterns primarily on surfaces. The course is based on illustrating genomic and proteomic processes and structures in nature, such as DNA structure and enzyme activities, motor protein structures such as kinesin and how molecular motors work, the structure of parts of the cytoskeleton such as microtubules and their formation, and protein structures on bacteria such as S-layers. The course provides a basic understanding of the underlying biology. The biological knowledge will be applied to engineering tasks such as the formation of a type of molecular electronic structure on surfaces, regular nanoparticle patterns and nanostructures on surfaces, functionalization and modification of biosensor surfaces, and the creation and use of nanomotors for transport on surfaces. The course will also provide the fundamental knowledge to characterize and measure these processes and structures. Students will understand the underlying biological principles and learn to apply them in solving engineering problems. They will have a good insight into recent developments in the field of biomimetics and the subsequent fabrication of nanostructures and patterns for applied engineering tasks. They will be able to critically evaluate current research and literature in the field and contribute to the use of bionanotechnology in their own research. The main topics of the course are: 1. Cellular machines (structures, functioning in cells and in-vitro assembly). 2. Microtubules (structure, in-vitro growth). 3. Construction and use of microtubules and kinesin motors for surface transport. 4. DNA (structure, enzymes, PCR). 5. DNA-based nanotechnology (DNA origami, DNA aptamers, DNA modification and functionalization). 6. BioNEMS and BioMEMS. 7. Interaction of biomolecules and solid surfaces (chemical and biological surface modification and functionalization). 8. Biotemplating: synthesis of nanomaterials based on proteins (S-layers, microtubule) and DNA, metallization. 9. Antibodies and aptamers - smart nanodevices for biosensors. 10. Underlying physical principles. 11. Characterization and measurement techniques for biomimetic nanomaterials. 12. Biomolecular sensing, sensor principles, and sensor engineering and development. Literature: 1. L. Fruk, A. Kerbs, Bionanotechnology - Concepts and Applications, Cambridge University Press, (2021). 2. J. Chen, Y. Feng, S. MacKay, Bionanotechnology: Engineering Concepts and Applications, 1st Ed., McGraw-Hill, (2022). 3. K. Urmann, J. G. Walter, Aptamers in Biotechnology, Springer Cham, (2020). 4. Y. Song, D. Cheng, L. Zhao, Microfluidics: Fundamental, Devices and Applications: Fundamentals and Applications, WileyVCH Verlag, (2018). 5. M. Sheetz, H. Yu, The Cell as a Machine (Cambridge Texts in Biomedical Engineering), Cambridge University Press, (2018).

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified
Recommended literature


Study plans that include the course