Program Overview

Program Overview

The MSc Programme in Biosolutions offers a course titled Fermentation at Scale, which aims to familiarize students with the general concepts, different types of fermentation, and challenges of fermentation at industrial production scale.

Course Description

The course is based on industrial case studies and covers key contents such as:

• Principles of the different types of fermentation
• Organism growth requirements/conditions
• Growth and stress physiology and conditions
• Fermentation process monitoring
• Operational hygiene and cycling
• Quality and regulatory compliance specific to fermentation
• By-products and waste streams: opportunities for valorization in industrial symbiosis

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will have demonstrated the following knowledge, skills, and competences:

Knowledge:

• Know the principles for the different types of fermentation
• Knowledge of growth and stress physiology of production organisms and the fermentation conditions needed in each case
• Able to understand the different parameters for growth requirements and conditions
• Understand the parameters behind upscaling

Skills:

• Be able to design an optimal setup for fermentation including specifications for monitoring systems in biological production systems
• Ability to design a fermentation strategy for a given product
• Be able to use data to evaluate and optimize production e.g. calculation of mass balance, etc
• Must be able to communicate the set up and design and discuss this with peers

Competences:

• Cultivate strong collaboration abilities
• Be able to recognize the needed data to analyze for optimization of production and upscaling

Literature

The course literature, including scientific articles, can be found on Absalon.

Recommended Academic Qualifications

An academic qualification equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended. It is also recommended to have knowledge of production organisms and their use in industry corresponding to the qualifications from the course “Biological Production Hosts: Bench to Pilot Scale”. Insights into bioprocessing are also recommended.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course encompasses a variety of teaching and learning methods, including:

• Lectures: Theoretical concepts, theories, and methods for biological processes
• Industry Visits: Excursions (on site) + visits to see fermentation processes and the equipment
• Laboratory Work: Students are introduced to fermentation and the parameters needed to design and monitor for growth and upscaling

Workload

The workload for the course is as follows:

• Lectures: 16 hours
• Preparation: 104 hours
• Exercises: 12 hours
• Excursions: 8 hours
• Laboratory: 45 hours
• Project work: 20 hours
• Exam: 1 hour
• Total: 206 hours

Assessment

The course is assessed through an oral examination, 20 minutes (no preparation time). The individual oral examination consists of examination in the laboratory work and in the curriculum. Approval of 2 laboratory reports, connected to the fermentation exercises, is a prerequisite for the exam.

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: NPLK24002U
• Credit: 7.5 ECTS
• Level: Full Degree Master
• Duration: 1 block
• Placement: Block 3
• Schedule: A
• The course is taught in Kalundborg
• Course capacity: 50

Study Board and Contracting Departments

• Study Board for the Biological Area
• Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
• Department of Food Science
• Faculty of Science

Course Coordinators

• Bodil Jørgensen

Additional Information

The course is also available as continuing and professional education. The number of places might be reduced if you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student.