Phytochemistry and Biomolecule Valorisation Course

Lesson 1 • Major Phytochemical Classes

Surveys alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics, and glucosinolates with structural examples. Provides the classification framework applied throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Plant Cell Chemistry Overview

Introduces primary and secondary metabolite categories within plant cells. Establishes the chemical vocabulary needed for all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 3 • Ecological and Physiological Roles

Explains why plants produce secondary metabolites, including defence, signalling, and UV protection. Contextualises valorisation potential within biological function.

Lesson 4 • Chemotaxonomy and Plant Selection

Demonstrates how chemical profiles reflect phylogenetic relationships and guide raw material selection. Enables evidence-based sourcing decisions for valorisation projects.

Lesson 1 • Plant Lipids and Fatty Acids

Describes triacylglycerol structure, phospholipid architecture, and wax composition. Highlights how unsaturation degree and chain length drive functional value.

Lesson 2 • Enzymes as Functional Biomolecules

Introduces plant-derived enzymes relevant to processing, including proteases, lipases, and oxidoreductases. Establishes enzyme kinetics concepts used in later extraction chapters.

Lesson 3 • Plant Proteins and Amino Acids

Covers protein structure levels, essential amino acid profiles, and storage protein types. Connects structural features to nutritional and industrial applications.

Lesson 4 • Polysaccharides and Dietary Fibre

Examines cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and starch architecture and linkage chemistry. Relates structural differences to rheological and bioactive properties.

Lesson 1 • Conventional Extraction Techniques

Covers maceration, Soxhlet, percolation, and steam distillation with operational parameters. Provides baseline methods against which advanced techniques are benchmarked.

Lesson 2 • Supercritical Fluid Extraction

Details CO2 supercritical fluid extraction principles, modifier use, and pressure-temperature optimisation. Positions SFE as a premium green extraction option for lipophilic targets.

Lesson 3 • Solvent Selection and Polarity

Explains like-dissolves-like principles, solvent polarity scales, and safety considerations. Guides rational solvent choice for diverse compound classes.

Lesson 4 • Sample Preparation and Matrix Effects

Addresses drying, particle size reduction, and matrix interference management before extraction. Ensures reproducible extract quality for downstream analysis and processing.

Lesson 1 • Mass Spectrometry for Phytochemicals

Explains ionisation modes, fragmentation patterns, and hyphenated LC-MS and GC-MS workflows. Enables confident structural identification of unknown plant metabolites.

Lesson 2 • Metabolomics and Profiling Approaches

Introduces untargeted and targeted metabolomics workflows using NMR and MS platforms. Enables comprehensive chemical fingerprinting of plant extracts for valorisation screening.

Lesson 3 • Quantification and Method Validation

Covers calibration curve construction, internal standards, and validation parameters including linearity and precision. Ensures analytical data meets quality standards for regulatory submissions.

Lesson 4 • Chromatographic Separation Methods

Covers TLC, HPLC, GC, and UHPLC principles and stationary phase selection. Builds the separation skills required for compound isolation and purity assessment.

Lesson 1 • Column Chromatography Techniques

Details open-column, flash, and vacuum liquid chromatography with stationary phase selection. Bridges bench-scale isolation to preparative-scale purification.

Lesson 2 • Membrane and Adsorption Techniques

Covers ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and macroporous resin adsorption for selective enrichment. Provides scalable alternatives to chromatographic purification for industrial contexts.

Lesson 3 • Liquid-Liquid Partitioning

Covers partition coefficients, solvent system design, and sequential partitioning logic. Provides the first-stage fractionation tool for reducing extract complexity.

Lesson 4 • Crystallisation and Precipitation

Explains solubility-driven crystallisation, anti-solvent precipitation, and isoelectric precipitation for proteins. Delivers final polishing steps for high-purity compound production.

Lesson 1 • Cytotoxicity and Cell-Based Assays

Explains MTT, SRB, and flow cytometry-based assays for evaluating cytotoxic and cytoprotective activities. Provides the cellular evidence base for pharmaceutical valorisation claims.

Lesson 2 • Structure-Activity Relationship Analysis

Applies SAR principles to correlate structural features with measured bioactivities across compound series. Guides rational selection of lead compounds for further valorisation.

Lesson 3 • Antioxidant and Radical Scavenging Assays

Covers DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and ORAC assays with their mechanistic bases and limitations. Establishes antioxidant profiling as a primary valorisation screening tool.

Lesson 4 • Anti-inflammatory and Enzyme Inhibition

Covers COX, LOX, and hyaluronidase inhibition assays alongside cytokine modulation models. Links inhibitory potency data to nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications.

Lesson 1 • Cosmeceutical and Personal Care Products

Addresses active ingredient selection, skin penetration, and formulation stability for cosmetic applications. Links phytochemical bioactivity data to cosmeceutical product claims.

Lesson 2 • Valorisation Concept and Value Chains

Defines valorisation tiers from crude extract to purified ingredient and maps value chain actors. Frames the economic logic driving phytochemical product development decisions.

Lesson 3 • Food and Nutraceutical Applications

Covers functional food ingredient design, biofortification, and nutraceutical formulation principles. Connects phytochemical profiles to health claim substantiation requirements.

Lesson 4 • Pharmaceutical and Botanical Drug Development

Outlines the botanical drug development pathway from standardised extract to clinical evidence. Introduces regulatory frameworks for botanical medicines and phytopharmaceuticals.

Lesson 1 • Scale-Up Strategies and Challenges

Addresses geometric scaling rules, mixing efficiency, heat transfer, and solvent recovery at pilot scale. Prepares students to anticipate and resolve common scale-up failures.

Lesson 2 • Fermentation and Biotransformation

Introduces microbial and enzymatic biotransformation to enhance or diversify phytochemical profiles. Adds biological processing as a valorisation tool complementing chemical extraction.

Lesson 3 • Good Manufacturing Practice Principles

Covers GMP documentation, personnel hygiene, equipment qualification, and batch record systems. Establishes the quality culture required for commercial phytochemical production.

Lesson 4 • Sustainability and Green Chemistry Metrics

Applies green chemistry principles, E-factor, and life cycle assessment to phytochemical processes. Integrates environmental performance into process design and product positioning.