BioC 4351/5351

Bioc 4351/5351 Protein Engineering

What does the course cover?

Nature evolves proteins that are just good enough for their function, so applications of proteins usually requires that they be improved by engineering. Protein engineering creates more stable biopharmaceuticals & optimizes biocatalysts to manufacture of drugs, fine chemicals & biofuels. This course covers:

how to improve proteins & create new ones
basis of enzyme reactivity, selectivity, stability, and molecular evolution

The course consists of lectures, discussions of research papers and student presentations. The students use web tools for protein design and plan a protein engineering project. Download Fall 2019 syllabus and course schedule. Download interactive graphs used in this course.

When and where does the course meet?

Fall term only, 3 cr Mon, Wed 11:15 am -12:30 pm in MCB 2-122

Instructors: Romas Kazlauskas, e-mail: rjk@umn.edu & Mikael Elias, e-mail: mhelias@umn.edu

Why do I need a permission number to register?

If you completed BioC 4331 (Biochemistry I: Structure, Catalysis, and Metabolism in Biological Systems), then you can just register for the course. If you completed the equivalent at another school, you will need a permission number to register. Tell me which equivalent course you have taken by e-mail (rjk@umn.edu) and I will ask the right person to send you a permission number. If you have not completed BioC 4331 or an equivalent, then you must complete it before registering for this course.

What is the difference between BioC 4351 and BioC 5351?

BioC 4351 is intended for undergraduates while BioC 5351 in intended for graduate students. Undergraduates may sign up for either one, but graduate students should sign up for BioC 5351. BioC 5351 requires some extra work (a video presentation of a protein engineering concept), but otherwise they are the same course.