Engenharia Biomolecular

Objectives

The main objective of the Biomolecular Engineering course is to learn the fundamental concepts and applications of Biomolecular Engineering, based on Structural and Functional Biology of Proteins and of Nucleic Acids, Biopharmaceutics Delivery and Synthetic Biology. The following objectives should be progressively achieved throughout the course: i) Learning of fundamental concepts of Protein Engineering and Nucleic Acid Engineering, ii) Identification of the main strategies used in Biomolecular Engineering, iii) Ability to illustrate each of the key strategies in Biomedicine, Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology with examples of promising technologies published in international scientific journals. Also, the program is complemented with topic seminars conducted by invited experts and by the students, to achieve the stated objectives.

Syllabus

-Hierarchical structure of proteins. Techniques for protein structure determination. -Protein folding and stability. Classic models and the folding funnel theory. Protein folding in vivo and in vitro. Stability of protein structure and misfolding. -Protein design and re-design. -Protein engineering case studies (e.g enzymes, antibodies, fluorescent proteins, opsins). -Structure of nucleic acids. Non-canonical base pairing. Secondary nucleic acid structures. Functional roles of triplexes and quadruplexes. -DNA-protein and DNA-drug interactions. -Design, synthesis and selection of xenonucleic acids, Aptamers, DNAzymes, DNA machines and nucleic acid nanostructures (DNA origamis and nanoLEGOlogy). -Strategies to improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of biopharmaceuticals. -Theranostics. -Approaches to synthetic biology: i) Engineering of biological systems: Abstraction, Modularity, Standardization; ii) Redesigning life; iii) Creating alternative life.

Prerequisites

Basic concepts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Cross Competence Component

The UC allows the development of transversal competences on Critical Thinking (strategic thinking and problem solving approaches), Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Skills (oral, organizational and teamwork, self-discipline, perseverance, self-motivation skills) and Information and Media Literacy (ability to locate and access information, as well as to analyze and evaluate media content) within the flash and paper presentations and laboratory work and reports. The assessment percentage associated with these competences should be around 10%.

Laboratorial Component

Laboratory works will be performed using techniques to illustrate relationship between structure and function in proteins and in nucleic acids, and the production and characterization of nanoparticles. Those methodologies are the basis for Bionanotechnology applications.

Programming And Computing Component

not applied

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group’s work In any assessment every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be alble to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.