2023 Faculty Courses School of Life Science and Technology Department of Life Science and Technology Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
Biomolecular Engineering
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
- Instructor(s)
- Toshiaki Fukui / Junji Hirota / Tetsuya Kitaguchi / Jinhua Dong / Hiroyuki Ohta
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LST.A411
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2023
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Genetic manipulation techniques have enabled us to modify two major biomolecules, DNA and proteins, artificially. Nowadays, significant modifications of functions of proteins and cells have been achieved by complicated and large-scale modification of DNA/chromosomes based on advanced genetic manipulation technology, thus we can now apply the well modified functions in several applications such as molecular recognition, production of useful compounds, imaging, and so on.
This course covers the bases of protein engineering, genetic engineering, metabolic engineering, chromosome engineering and bioimaging, as well as advanced knowledge in these topics.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand the outline of genetic engineering and metabolic engineering, and acquire the advanced knowledge about genetic and metabolic manipulation of microbes for production of useful compounds.
2) Understand the outline of protein engineering, and acquire the advanced knowledge about protein thermostabilization, molecular evolutional methods, and antibody engineering.
3) Understand the outline of chromosome engineering, and acquire the advanced knowledge about artificial chromosomes, applications in generation of genetically modified organisms, and bioimaging.
Keywords
Protein engineering, Genetic engineering, Metabolic engineering, Synthetic biology, Chromosome engineering, Bioimaging
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Five instructors provide 2-4 classes with respect to the selected field in biomolecular engineering by using PowerPoint slides. The lectures will be given by on-line live (ZOOM).
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Advanced techniques for genetic engineering | Explain the basis and advanced techniques for genetic engineering. |
| Class 2 | Microbial metabolisms and overview of metabolic engineering | Explain the properties of microbial metabolisms and notion and methodologies for metabolic engineering. |
| Class 3 | Recent metabolic engineering of microbes for production of useful compounds | Understand and explain recent applications of microbial metabolic engineering aiming production of useful compounds. |
| Class 4 | Protein Engineering (1) Overview and thermostabilization | Explain the notion of and methodologies used for protein engineering, and thermostabilization as an important application. |
| Class 5 | Protein Engineering (2) Rational design and molecular evolution | Explain the basis and applications of rational design and molecular evolution, as two important methodologies in protein engineering. |
| Class 6 | Protein Engineering (3) Antibody engineering | Explain the basis and applications of antibody engineering, as an important application of protein engineering. |
| Class 7 | Artificial chromosomes and chromosome engineeri | Understand genetic engineering using artificial chromosomes, and introduce up-to-date technology of chromosome engineering. |
| Class 8 | Genetic/developmental engineering and genome editing to generate genetically modified organisms | Introduce up-to-date technology in genetic and developmental engineering. |
| Class 9 | Bioimaging using genetic engineering techniques | Understand bioimaging techniques using genetically modified proteins, and introduce its applications in recent researches. |
| Class 10 | Engineering of fluorescent protein indicators | Understand and explain the development of genetically-encoded biosensors based on fluorescent proteins. |
| Class 11 | Engineering of bioluminescent indicators | Understand and explain the design and application of biosensors based on luciferases. |
| Class 12 | Controlling cell signaling by engineered proteins | Understand and explain the biological techniques for manipulating cell function. |
| Class 13 | Photosynthesis and carbon metabolism | Explain the relationship of photosynthesis and carbon metabolism in photosynthetic organisms |
| Class 14 | Plant lipid metabolism and lipid metabolic engineering | Explain plant lipid metabolism and lipid metabolic engineering |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Handouts will be distributed at the beginning of class when necessary. The PowerPoint documents that are to be used in the class will be made available in advance via the OCW-i system, as possible.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students will be assessed by reports indicated by each instructor (20% each).
Related courses
- LST.A208 ： Molecular Biology I
- LST.A213 ： Molecular Biology II
- LST.A336 ： Genetic Engineering
- LST.A345 ： Microbiology
- LST.A406 ： Molecular Developmental Biology and Evolution
Prerequisites
Although there is no special requirement, students who take this course are required to have basic knowledge of biochemistry/molecular biology by studying the related subjects.
Other
This lecture is given in English, but some supplementary explanation in Japanese may be introduced in the last part of the classes.