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MICR30090

Academic Year 2026/2027

Microbial Cell Factory for Chemists (MICR30090)

Subject:
Microbiology
College:
Science
School:
Biomolecular & Biomed Science
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Cormac Murphy
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module is aimed at BSc Chemistry/Med Chem students. The module will provide students with a comprehensive overview of the applications and strategies that underpin the use of microorganisms in industry to produce fine chemicals and useful enzymes. The lectures will describe the process of discovery of potentially useful microorganisms (screening), manipulating strains for industrial production (process design and genetic engineering), utilizing microorganisms as biocatalysts and downstream processing of microbial products.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

- Describe how useful microorganisms are selected- Identify the principles behind strain improvement- Recognise the potential of microorganisms as biocatalysts (whole cell and enzymes)- Discuss the process of moving from small-scale research to industrial-scale production- Determine a strategy for protein purification

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Tutorial

12
Practical

15
Autonomous Student Learning

64
Total

115

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures and laboratory work.

Generative AI: You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your engagement with AI stops when you begin to create your submission. Your submissions should therefore be authored entirely by yourself and should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. You should keep a comprehensive record of all outputs generated by AI, and may be required to document these as part of the activities, or present them on demand. An appropriate AI tool may be used to correct grammatical errors and improve the language of text you alone have authored. You must not allow the AI tool to alter the sense of any text, offer a critique of or modify any arguments.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Microb. Cell Factory/Chemists (INDM30090)


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): Final exam based on the module content End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
70
 No
Exam (In-person): Practical test Week 8 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
10
 No
Report(s): Practical reports Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
20
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Regular feedback on lab reports; provisional grades posted on Brightspace (practical exam)

Papers will be available on Brightspace

Name Role
Assoc Professor Tanja Narancic Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Trupti Gouda Tutor
Carina Hof Tutor
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