Macromoleucalar Chemistry - Specialization
Macromolecular Chemistry and Materials
Macromolecules are large synthetic and biological molecules formed by chemically bonding numerous smaller units called monomers. Examples include proteins, polysaccharides, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), and synthetic polymers.
The unique properties of macromolecules make them vital in biological systems and industrial applications such as medicine, pharmacy, food science, biotechnology, coatings as well as in advanced materials and products with special functions, including soft materials like plastics, elastomers, and composites.
Students specializing in Macromolecular Chemistry and Materials will explore the preparation, characterization, and functionalization of macromolecules, gaining deep insights into their structure, properties, and molecular interactions. This knowledge is crucial for advancements in materials science, biotechnology, and life sciences, leading to innovative solutions in industry, environmental sustainability, and beyond.
Topics included in the specialization cover broadly the chemistry and engineering of macromolecules with particular focus on polymers and proteins:
- Synthesis of polymers with specific structural and chemical functionality, including their application in soft materials.
- Linking chemical composition or physical structure (macro or nano-scale patterning and functionality) to properties such as, e.g. mechanical, thermal, and surface properties.
- Formulation, compounding, and processing of materials including enzymes, plastics, blends, elastomers, and composites to design their physical and chemical properties as well as lifetime.
- Enzyme kinetics, mechanisms, regulation, inhibition, and applications in industry.
- Principles for separation, purification, and characterization of macromolecules and soft materials such as HPLC, SEC, MS, Rheology, NMR, DSC, and X-ray crystallography.
- Macromolecules’ application in drug delivery system.
- Application of computational techniques to study synthetic and biological macromolecules.
To complete the speicialization, the student must fulfil the following requirements:
- Have passed Polytechnical foundation courses adding up to at least 10 ECTS
- Have passed Programme specific courses adding up to at least 50 ECTS
- Have performed a Master Thesis of at least 30 ECTS within Macromolecular Chemistry and Materials
- Have passed a sufficient number of Elective courses to bring the total number of ECTS of the entire study to 120 ECTS
Mandatory course
All mandatory courses under the polytechnic foundation and programme specific courses in the curriculum must be completed, in addition, the following must be fulfilled:
The following courses are mandatory for the specialization:
| 26317 | Instrumental Chemical Analysis | 5 | point | Spring F2B (Thurs 8-12) |
| 28212 | Polymer Chemistry | 5 | point | Spring F3A (Tues 8-12) |
Choose at least 25 ECTS among the following courses:
| 02452 | Machine Learning | 5 | point | Autumn E4A (Tues 13-17) |
| 22281 | Biomaterials | 5 | point | Spring F3B (Fri 13-17) |
| 22508 | Practical NMR spectroscopy: Making reactions in (bio)chemistry visible | 5 | point | June |
| 26241 | Applied Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics | 5 | point | Autumn E1B (Thurs 13-17) |
| 26325 | Chromatographic (HPLC) Purification of Biological Macromolecules | 5 | point | June |
| 26438 | NMR Spectroscopy | 5 | point | Autumn E4B (Fri 8-12) |
| 27325 | Advanced protein structure engineering and analysis | 5 | point | Spring F2A (Mon 13-17) |
| 27666 | AI-guided Protein Science: From Design to Engineering | 5 | point | June |
| 28213 | Polymer Technology | 5 | point | Autumn E3A (Tues 8-12) |
| 28214 | Polymer synthesis and characterization | 5 | point | June |
| 28316 | Laboratory Course in Colloid and Surface Chemistry | 5 | point | January |
| 28855 | Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and quality in pharmaceutical, biotech and food industry - Theoretical version | 5 | point | Spring F1B (Thurs 13-17) |
| or | ||||
| 28857 | Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and quality in pharmaceutical, biotech and food industry - Practical version | 7.5 | point | Autumn E1B (Thurs 13-17) and Autumn E3B (Fri 13-17) |
Elective Courses
The following courses are proposals for the specialization:
| 02411 | Statistical Design and Analysis of Experiments | 5 | point | Autumn E2A (Mon 13-17), Spring F1A (Mon 8-12) |
| 12772 | Life Cycle Assessment of Products and Systems | 10 | point | Autumn E1 (Mon 8-12, Thurs 13-17) |
| 22117 | Protein structure and computational biology | 5 | point | Spring F5A (Wed 8-12) |
| 22235 | Drug delivery | 5 | point | Spring F5B (Wed 13-17) |
| 22237 | Preclinical drug development | 5 | point | Autumn E5A (Wed 8-12) |
| 22508 | Practical NMR spectroscopy: Making reactions in (bio)chemistry visible | 5 | point | June |
| 23522 | Rheology of food and biological materials | 5 | point | January |
| 27101 | Assay Technology | 5 | point | June |
| 27246 | Applied enzyme technology and kinetics | 5 | point | E7 (Tues 18-22) |
| 27330 | Quantitative analysis and modeling in protein science | 5 | point | Spring F3B (Fri 13-17) |
| 27423 | Metabolomics and proteomics | 5 | point | Autumn E3A (Tues 8-12) |
| 28216 | Organic Coatings Science and Technology | 5 | point | Spring F4A (Tues 13-17) |
| 28434 | Membrane Technology | 5 | point | Spring F1A (Mon 8-12) |
| 28530 | Transport Processes | 10 | point | Autumn E5 (Wed 8-17) |
| 28811 | Polymers in processes and products | 5 | point | August |
| 41737 | Design of plastic products | 5 | point | Spring F1A (Mon 8-12) |
| 41739 | Experimental plastic and metal processing technology | 5 | point | June |
| 46420 | Composite Materials and Fibres | 5 | point | Autumn E2A (Mon 13-17) |
Autumn start - proposed study line with focus on polymers
Master's thesis
Autumn start - proposed study line with focus on proteins
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and... Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and quality in pharmaceutical, biotech and food industry - Theoretical version
Advanced protein structure engineering... Advanced protein structure engineering and analysis
Elective
Chromatographic (HPLC) Purification of... Chromatographic (HPLC) Purification of Biological Macromolecules
Quantitative methods to assess... Quantitative methods to assess sustainability (Polytechnical Foundation)
Elective
Elective
Master's thesis
Spring start - proposed study line with focos on polymers
Elective
Laboratory Course in Colloid and Surface... Laboratory Course in Colloid and Surface Chemistry
Quantitative methods to assess... Quantitative methods to assess sustainability (Polytechnical Foundation)
Electives
Master's thesis
Spring start - proposed study line with focos on proteins
Advanced protein structure engineering... Advanced protein structure engineering and analysis
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and... Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and quality in pharmaceutical, biotech and food industry - Theoretical version
Elective
Elective
Chromatographic (HPLC) Purification of... Chromatographic (HPLC) Purification of Biological Macromolecules
Master's thesis
Specializations are merely recommended ways of choosing the courses in the curriculum. Applicants are not admitted to a specialization but to the programme and it is possible to choose among all the courses in the curriculum following the directions given. However, if a specialization has been fulfilled the title of the specialization may be added to the diploma.