FDSC 4270

Biomanufacturing and Precision Fermentation

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2026-2027 Catalog.

In this course, we will examine how engineered microbial cell factories are deployed in large-scale fermentation processes to produce food ingredients, pharmaceuticals, and commodity chemicals. With the aim of providing a holistic understanding of designing a new biomanufacturing process, we will cover the variety of microbes used throughout precision fermentation, their genetic tractability, and suitability for various classes of products. Existing and emerging fermentation feedstocks will be discussed alongside their composition, availability, and processing requirements. Students will gain an understanding of the quantitative metrics describing fermentation processes, including enzyme reaction and microbial growth kinetics. We will also introduce the cutting-edge computational tools driving modern research in this field such as flux balance analysis, genome-scale metabolic modeling, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools for protein structure prediction.

Prerequisites BIOMG 3310 or BIOMG 3350 or NS 3200.

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Design and analyze metabolic pathways for biosynthesis of target compounds.
• Calculate parameters of microbial growth kinetics from experimental data.
• Describe bioreactor configurations and their use cases.
• Develop processing workflows for product recovery and purification.

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