Purpose and Program Characteristics The purpose of this training program is to provide a curriculum and research environment that will prepare trainees in chemical engineering, chemistry and cell and molecular biology at the predoctoral level for careers in biotechnology. Specifically, this program focuses on research training in areas relevant to the needs of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemical companies currently involved in the manufacture of products using biological routes and includes areas such as molecular genetics, fermentation, mammalian cell culture, enzyme technology, bioproduct recovery, combinatorial biocatalysis, combinatorial chemistry. The graduate program includes laboratory and classroom instruction in cell culture techniques (mammalian and bacteria cell culture), protein and enzyme isolation, purification and immobilization, mutagenesis and gene expression, protein and nucleic acid chemistry and biochemistry, and separation and purification methods. This will be supplemented with seminar courses on current topics in industrial and scientific areas, including fermentations involving recombinant organisms, bioproduct recovery (including macromolecular separations), site-directed mutagenesis techniques, metabolic regulation, enzyme inhibitor design and the application of enzymes and antibodies as catalysts in organic syntheses. Lectures from internationally known guests in a variety of related disciplines will further enrich the training program. Research will be conducted in the various area described above under the supervision of the faculty mentors. Trainees Predoctoral students will enter the program with varying backgrounds, all holding Baccalaureate degrees in engineering or science (some with Masters degrees). They will be selected on the basis of undergraduate scholastic performance, scores on GRE tests and recommendations from faculty at their undergraduate institutions. Support for 12 trainees is requested. The average duration of the doctoral program in the participating departments is 5.5 years.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 20 publications
