Unit 1 : Introduction to Microbiology, Microbial
diversity with representative examples, structure and organization of microbial
cells, Microbiology in the environment : water and sewage, air,
environmental pollution and biodegradation.
Unit 2 : Microbial physiology and biochemistry,
Aerobic and anaerobic growth, microbial nutrition, growth kinetics,
microbiological methodology with reference to special metabolic pathways and
emphasis on industrial applications.
Unit 3 : Medical microbiology and immunology,
Microbiology in human disease, introduction to immunology, basic immunological
techniques, immunodiagnostic methods with examples of applications, monoclonal
antibodies.
Paper II : Principles of
Genetic Engineering
Unit 1 : Structure and properties of DNA/RNA,
Hybridization techniques, introduction to molecular biology : basics of gene
organization, transcription, translation and replication.
Unit 2 : Basics of bacterial and fungal genetics,
methods in microbial genetics : mutagenesis and screening, strain improvement,
transgenic plants and animals.
Unit 3 : Principles of cloning, introduction to
cloning vectors, construction of genomic and cDNA libraries, PCR and DNA-based
diagnostic techniques. DNA sequencing, Site directed mutagenesis, protein
structure - function, relationship.
Paper III : Bioprocess
Technology
Unit 1 : Raw materials for bioprocessing, comparison
of chemical and biochemical processing based on energetics and environmental
issues. Development of inocula, kinetics of enzymatic and microbial processes,
optimisation studies, sterilization of media, air and equipment, modes of cell
cultivation, general principles of bioreactor design and their operation.
Unit 2 : Downstream processing, separation and
purification techniques, quality assurance testing, representative examples of
microbial products, vaccines and vaccine development, immobilization of cells
and enzymes : principles, methodology and applications, disintegration of cells,
separation of solid and liquid phases, isolation and purification techniques for
proteins and other products based on different physico-chemical properties, eg.,
precipitation, adsorption, chromatographic separations, bio-affinity based
methods.
Unit 3 : Principles of bioprocess control,
bioprocess automation and application of computers in bioprocessing, recombinant
products with representative examples, biosafety and environmental monitoring of
GEMs, Introduction to patents, Intellectual Property Rights in Biotechnology.