Life Science & Technology (Biotechnology) – (M.Sc.)

Contents

Track Biocatalysis

Without biocatalysis - the use of natural catalysts to effect chemical processes and transformations - beer and cheese would not exist. But biocatalysis is also vitally important for the production of chemicals and pharmaceutical products, and biocatalysts are integral to many biotechnological applications.

An ancient science with a firm place in the future

TU Delft maintains a world class programme in biocatalysis. The multidisciplinary programme draws on knowledge across a range of emerging life science technologies to gain deeper understanding of biocatalytic processes, to use that knowledge to improve the efficiency of existing biocatalytic processes, and to explore new applications based on biocatalysis.

What you will learn

The Biocatalysis track integrates enzymological, bio-organic, bio-inorganic and protein-analytical knowledge, with the aim of imparting an understanding of the principles of biocatalysis. The track covers theoretical aspects of biocatalysis and practical knowledge - both of which are essential to the process of determining the structure and function of single or multiple enzymes.

In particular, the students will learn about modern kinetic, analytical and computer graphical methods used in present day protein/peptide/enzyme research. As catalysts, enzymes are essential proteins in all living organisms. They are also used in numerous industrial conversions. The track gives students insight and understanding into:

• dealing with enzymes in practice,
• studying enzyme properties, structures, functions and possible links to disease, and
• selecting the most suitable enzymes for specific industrial applications.

Track Biochemical Engineering

In a world where we are challenged to develop sustainable industrial processes, biochemical engineering offers great promise. Biochemical engineering is essential, for example, to develop and manage the processes by which micro-organisms such as yeasts and bacteria are used to make products that could only be fabricated until recently with classical industrial chemistry.

Biochemical engineers are deeply involved in research and the development of green alternatives to many processes that simply cannot otherwise be continued over the longer term. In fact, biochemical engineers are playing a crucial role in many fields, including the development, design and production of vitamins, hormones, drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, bioplastics, and biofuels; the processing of food and drink; the cleaning of wastewater and the recycling of waste streams.

Engineering breakthroughs in human health, agriculture, industry and environmental science

The Biochemical Engineering track is concerned with new processes that involve cells or constituent parts of cells such as enzymes, and which are based on sustainable feedstocks. Bioprocess engineers are essential for a wide range of applications including the production of vitamins, drugs, vaccines, diagnostics , bioplastics, and biofuels; the manufacture of foods and drinks; the cleaning of wastewater; and the recycling of waste streams.

What you will learn

Students learn how to design bioprocesses and gain an awareness of the importance of a solid understanding of the underlying cellular, molecular and physical principles for the engineering aspects of bioprocesses. The teaching of the basics of biochemical engineering is integrated into (and often supplemented by) individual research projects in engineering and biotechnology. A quantitative approach is used, involving mathematical modelling and computer tools.

Graduates of the programme will have knowledge of applications involving microbial organisms, systems and processes and the skills to move into a wide range of positions in this exciting and increasingly important field.

Track Cell Factory

Although humans have long exploited living cells to produce useful products - alcohol, cheese, and bread are examples from the dawn of civilisation - it has only been in the last half century or so that the technologies have existed to control those processes in such a way as to really be able to speak of a 'cell factory'. It is now possible to control and manipulate living cells to harvest a wide variety of substances produced in these 'factories'.

Those substance range from proteins and amino acids to solvents and plastics, with applications of great value not only in commercial and industrial sectors, but also in health care and food production. Cell factories may also present opportunities for sustainable production systems and for the development of new, biodegradable chemical products.

Using cells as production systems

The Cell Factory track focuses on the design, understanding and optimisation of living cells as environmentally and economically sustainable production systems. The track offers courses which provide students with the fundamental knowledge needed to use (microbial) cells and communities for the production of valuable substances ranging from food ingredients to fuels. The embedding of this track in TU Delft's MSc Programme in Life Science and Technology ensures that students joining the Cell Factory track will learn how to integrate and communicate knowledge drawn from fast-changing fields such as systems biology, synthetic biology and community engineering of industrial micro-organisms with the specialist knowledge inherent to bioprocess engineering and biocatalysis.

What you will learn

The programme provides its graduates with both the theoretical underpinnings of cell factories and an understanding of the engineering and industrial requirements for exploiting the enormous potential of the cell as a production system. Graduates will, accordingly, find excellent career opportunities in academia and in industry.

Accreditation

NVAO independently assesses the quality of higher education in Flanders and the Netherlands. All of TU Delft’s educational programmes are accredited by NVAO and therefore meet the European quality standards. Alongside the national accreditation system, many of TU Delft’s education programmes are recognized as substantially equivalent to the best programmes in the USA by the American Board of Engineering & Technology (ABET).

Funding details

TU Delft offers an array of scholarships, ranging from (partial) tuition waivers to full scholarships covering tuition and living expenses. Some MSc programme-specific scholarships may only be announced on their respective websites.

TU Delft Excellences Scholarships are awarded to admitted students with exceptional promise and outstanding academic achievement. There is typically no separate application procedure. Selected scholarship recipients will be notified directly by the university.