What is Protein Engineering?

In recent years, protein-based therapeutics have revolutionized disease treatment, leading to major advancements in healthcare. In 2023, half of the top ten best-selling drugs were protein-based therapeutics, underscoring the critical role of protein engineering in the pharmaceutical industry.

Protein engineering is the process of designing and modifying proteins to create new, optimized versions for therapeutic and industrial use. While nature has perfected protein structures over billions of years, advances in science now allow scientists to replicate and customize proteins in laboratories within weeks. This field offers enormous potential, particularly in the development of more efficient enzymes and therapeutic proteins that can target diseases more precisely or improve industrial processes.

Proteins are essential components of nearly all biological functions, and by engineering these molecules, scientists can produce new drugs, optimize agricultural practices, and improve industrial processes.

Applications in therapeutic development

In the pharmaceutical sector, protein engineering enables the development of highly specific drugs that can target diseases at the molecular level. This precision results in treatments that are not only more effective but also reduce side effects for patients. One of the most notable examples is monoclonal antibodies, which are engineered proteins designed to recognize and bind to specific targets, such as cancer cells or viruses, offering targeted therapeutic effects.

In our course, ‘Protein Engineering for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology’, you will gain an understanding of the essential topics in protein engineering and a comprehensive overview of the field’s impact on pharmaceutical biotechnology.

Benefits of attending

  • Deepen your understanding of protein engineering concepts, enhancing your expertise in molecular biology, protein chemistry and enzymology
  • Stay updated with the latest advancements in protein engineering, including CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, phage display for protein-protein interactions, and mRNA therapeutics, keeping you at the forefront of the field
  • Explore the development and application of protein-based therapeutics such as bispecific antibodies, antibody fragments, mRNA vaccines, antibody-drug conjugates, and antibody-directed enzyme pro-drug therapy
  • Discover how protein engineering is used in biotechnology, including the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), biopharmaceuticals, directed evolution for enzyme production, and industrial enzymes

Published on Mar 18, 2025 by Sayed Goda