Practical Course Directed Evolution

What it is about

In this internship you will learn essential molecular biology and synthetic biology techniques for manipulating genes in microbes and for protein development via continuous directed evolution. In the end you will be able to practically apply standard procedures such as PCR, modern cloning methods, DNA isolation, transformation of E. coli and yeast, as well as evaluation of DNA analyses and Sanger sequences, and present results in writing.

What you will be able to do

• Understanding of possibilities of protein engineering
• Proficiency in important molecular biology and SynBio protocols
• Knowledge of the concept and function of continuous directed evolution (e.g., OrthoRep)
• Application of fundamental techniques for genetic manipulation in microbes
• Interpretation and evaluation of experimental results
• Production of a scientific final report

What the module consists of

• PraktikumMain component; weekly lab days with several experiments per day, collection and analysis of results
• GruppenarbeitWorking in small teams to carry out the experiments and to jointly evaluate
• Theorieeinheit/EinführungBrief theoretical introduction and safety instructions before the planned experiments

Teaching method

• Praktische LaborarbeitConveying and practicing molecular biology and SynBio techniques through hands-on experiments
• Diskussionen und EinführungsvorträgeConveying the theoretical background before the experiments
• Betreute AuswertungAnalysis of collected data under guidance as well as comparison with data from other groups
• Schreiben eines AbschlussberichtsTraining scientific presentation and interpretation of the results