Classical biotechnology has focused mainly on the production process and related questions concerning technical processes (such as fermentation, etc.). In the age of genetic engineering and synthetic biology, however, it has become much simpler to optimize or reprogram the cell itself. Further, we are no longer limited to “overproducing†only those substances that occur naturally. It is now possible to design and efficiently synthesize artificial biomolecules with enhanced or even new functions. As a result, the technical know-how and added value for a commercial enterprise no longer principally relate to the production process but, increasingly, to the structure and function of the biomolecule. Protein design enables the production of novel active ingredients in medicine, for example, or of “molecular tools†for use in research and laboratory work, or in a whole range of technical areas (from environmental analysis to biochips).
The bachelor's degree program in Molecular Biotechnology commences with the production and design of biomolecules. In this context, it combines methods from genetic engineering, protein chemistry and biophysics in an interdisciplinary approach with databases and computer simulations (bioinformatics).
For a comprehensive description of the program, please refer to the degree program documentation:
- Degree program documentation for the bachelor's program in Molecular Biotechnology (PDF, German)