| 13:15 | Special presentation: Delft Historical Perspective | |||
| 13:15 | Keynote | Lesley Robertson | Delft University of Technology | NL |
| Delft Historical Microbiology - Is it of use for 21st century biotechnologists? | ||||
Awareness of the history underlying modern biotechnology adds background and interest to a project, and can sometimes shed a different light on how or even why something worked in the past, and how it might be improved. As I found with my own research into nitrogen cycling and wastewater, when people try and claim that your results are impossible, support from the past can be very satisfying!
Of course, historical microbiology can also simply be very interesting.
We are lucky in Delft that some founding fathers of modern biotechnology also founded our (bio) Departments. This lecture will illustrate some of the beginnings of environmental and industrial biotechnology, using examples from the work of Professors Beijerinck, Kluyver and Van Iterson of the Delft School of Microbiology. As well as their own projects, they undertook research for and with local industry, beginning with the Delft Yeast and Alcohol Factory (DelftG&SF, then Gist brocades and now DSM). This relationship began in the 19th century and continues today.
Education is also important. Repeating and extending historical experiments provides a way to let students devise their own "learning research" practica while remaining within the national biosafety safety laws for those with little or no practical experience. It also provides a more interesting way than "cookbook" experiments to learn the skills necessary for work in containment labs before they need them. This talk will conclude with successful historical experiments that also emphasise the fun of scientific research.
13:15Special presentation: Delft Historical Perspective13:15KeynoteLesley RobertsonDelft University of TechnologyNLDelft Historical Microbiology - Is it of use for 21st century biotechnologists?
Awareness of the history underlying modern biotechnology adds background and interest to a project, and can sometimes shed a different light on how or even why something worked in the past, and how it might be improved. As I found with my own research into nitrogen cycling and wastewater, when people try and claim that your results are impossible, support from the past can be very satisfying!
Of course, historical microbiology can also simply be very interesting.
We are lucky in Delft that some founding fathers of modern biotechnology also founded our (bio) Departments. This lecture will illustrate some of the beginnings of environmental and industrial biotechnology, using examples from the work of Professors Beijerinck, Kluyver and Van Iterson of the Delft School of Microbiology. As well as their own projects, they undertook research for and with local industry, beginning with the Delft Yeast and Alcohol Factory (DelftG&SF, then Gist brocades and now DSM). This relationship began in the 19th century and continues today.
Education is also important. Repeating and extending historical experiments provides a way to let students devise their own "learning research" practica while remaining within the national biosafety safety laws for those with little or no practical experience. It also provides a more interesting way than "cookbook" experiments to learn the skills necessary for work in containment labs before they need them. This talk will conclude with successful historical experiments that also emphasise the fun of scientific research.
Virtual Room MEWE2021 n.fontein@tudelft.nlTechnical Issues?
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