Fall 2003

Course 10.28 was offered for the first time in Fall 2003 and was broken into two modules. In the first module, students created a recombinant strain of E. coli which could be induced to lyse (break apart). A bacteriophage lysis gene (from an E. coli-infecting virus) was amplified by PCR, ligated into a vector plasmid, and the plasmid was used to transform the host bacteria. The module was finished by studying the efficacy of the newly inserted gene.

The second module focused on collagen production using recombinant E. coli in stirred-tank bioreactors. Students followed the course of the production process including bireactor setup, fermentation process design, and the purification and assay of the collagen that was produced.

Here you can see pictures taken during the Fall 2003 course and the feedback we received from the students at the end of the semester. Many of the 10.28 graduates also continued to be involved in areas covered by 10.28 including industrial internships and teaching assistant positions.