- Metabolic pathways for production of organic acids, amino acids, alcohols, monomers, and polymers.
- The underlying concept behind balancing the above pathways, based on elemental, redox and energy balance.
- Metabolic control analysis.
- Metabolic engineering strategies.
- Metabolic flux analysis (MFA).
- The concepts of genome-scale stoichiometric metabolic models.
- The use of genome-scale models for designing metabolic engineering strategies.
- The inclusion of thermodynamic constraints in genome-scale stoichiometric models.
- State-of-the-art genome-scale modelling, combining stoichiometry, proteomics and metabolomics.
BB2485 Metabolic Engineering 7.5 credits

Information per course offering
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Information for Spring 2026 Start 13 Jan 2026 programme students
- Course location
AlbaNova
- Duration
- 13 Jan 2026 - 13 Mar 2026
- Periods
Spring 2026: P3 (7.5 hp)
- Pace of study
50%
- Application code
60831
- Form of study
Normal Daytime
- Language of instruction
English
- Course memo
- Course memo is not published
- Number of places
Places are not limited
- Target group
- No information inserted
- Planned modular schedule
- [object Object]
- Schedule
- Schedule is not published
- Part of programme
Master's Programme, Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology, year 1, CBPB, Mandatory
Master's Programme, Medical Biotechnology, year 2, MABT
Master's Programme, Medical Biotechnology, year 2, OMIC
Master's Programme, Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology, year 1, ENBT
Master's Programme, Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology, year 1, ENZT
Contact
Course syllabus as PDF
Please note: all information from the Course syllabus is available on this page in an accessible format.
Course syllabus BB2485 (Spring 2025–)Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of the course, the students should be able to:
- Quantitatively describe metabolic pathways for production of industrially relevant fuels and chemicals discussed in the course
- Characterize the above pathways based on elemental, redox, and energy balances, discuss their engineering requirements, and propose relevant metabolic engineering strategies
- Construct and solve mathematical representations of metabolic networks, based on provided external measurements
- Implement genome-scale metabolic modelling for design and evaluation of metabolic engineering strategies
Literature and preparations
Specific prerequisites
Completed degree project 15 credits, 15 credits mathematics, 5 credits numerical methods or data/computer sciences, 30 credits chemistry possibly including courses in Chemical Measuring Techniques and 20 credits of Biotechnology or Molecular Biology. English 6/B.
Literature
Examination and completion
Grading scale
Examination
- PRO1 - Assignment in metabolic modelling, 2.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
- TEN1 - Written exam, 5.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.
Examiner
Ethical approach
- All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
- In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
- In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.