MSc Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology
The master’s programme in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology provides a deep understanding of how to design and operate state-of-the-art life science-based production processes, with respect to product quality, sustainability and finance. Graduates have the competencies and skills to use cells, cell components and biomolecules to produce commodities such as chemicals, food, biofuel and biomaterials, for the development of a sustainable society.
Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology at KTH
The two-year programme comprises advanced courses regarding biotechnological tools used for the development of industrial processes, sustainable production of commodities and the impact of such processes on the environment and the society. The education provided is comprehensive and prepares students for future careers in Sweden or internationally in a private and public sector.
Three tracks are offered within the program syllabus: cell-based process biotechnology, enzyme technology and environmental biotechnology. The tracks are designed to provide specialization within the particular industrial biotechnology field. Students have the opportunity to tailor their education by choosing one track and complement with courses from other tracks, or other biotechnology courses. It is also possible to cherry-pick courses from any track to create one’s unique professional profile.
Courses comprise both theoretical knowledge and practical application from fundamental science via experimental design, to production, analysis of the output, and performing life cycle analyses of the produced entity. The curriculum provides a cross-platform approach to enable students to acquire a unique and individualised expertise that appeal to a wide span of employers. Students train problem-solving skills, project management as well as professional communication. During the last term of the programme, students work with a master degree project in a research setting at KTH, in industry or in a university or research institute anywhere in the world to acquire specialisation within a relevant topic.
The programme curriculum is designed, taught and continuously updated by a team of internationally recognised professors and researchers within the different subject areas, in collaboration with representatives from the private sector. The programme is given by the School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health in Stockholm with access to facilities, infrastructure and instrument park available at the KTH Campus in Stockholm at AlbaNova University Center.
Students
Find out what students from the programme think about their time at KTH.
Career
Graduates of the programme will acquire the skills necessary either for a professional career in the biotechnology industry or for further academic studies. The Industrial Biotechnology sector is expanding worldwide, offering anyone with a master’s degree in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology vast career opportunities within manufacturing of bioproducts or equipment, research and development, biotechnological services, including those found in patent and consultant agencies, research policy, journalism and finances.
Sustainable development
Graduates from KTH have the knowledge and the necessary tools to improve the society in a sustainable way, as sustainable development is an integral part of all programmes. The Industrial Biotechnology sector is considered to be one of the main players in the development of a sustainable society and able to tackle current and future societal challenges. The courses focus on topics related to the majority of the 17 sustainable development goals. The master’s programme in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology prepares students for careers focusing on the development of more effective and environmentally friendly production of commodities. The three key sustainable development goals that are best aligned with the master's programme in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology are:
The programme provides knowledge and understanding about how biological processes and cellular components are used to create new technologies, industrial processes and biotechnological products. Knowledge is acquired on how microorganisms are orchestrated to remove contaminants from water and soil or to produce biomolecules or chemical products that can serve as raw materials. Microorganisms or enzymes are used to design and create effective and sustainable production of products from food ingredients to detergents, paper, drugs and textiles. Sustainability is a key aspect that features in all areas of biotechnology and that continuously combines science and technology to improve, simplify or streamline industrial manufacturing of products or services.
Faculty and research
The School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health conducts research in both fundamental and applied sciences reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of biotechnology. The research activities are focused on protein technology and engineering, therapeutics, industrial process biotechnology, enzymology and enzyme engineering, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, glycoscience, plant biotechnology as well as bioenergy production. Researchers have vast collaborations with leading international research groups as well as companies within the industrial biotechnology private sector, and are internationally well recognised.
- Division of Glycoscience at the Department of Chemistry
- Department of Industrial Biotechnology
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology
