School of Biotechnology · Protein & immunotechniques
Protein Expression, Purification & Western Blotting
Producing a pure, characterised protein is central to biochemistry and biotechnology. This course follows a recombinant protein from induction to a purified, quantified and immunodetected product.
Course overview
Protein Expression, Purification & Western Blotting covers expression in E. coli with inducible systems, optimisation of induction, cell lysis and clarification, and affinity purification of a His-tagged protein by immobilised-metal chromatography.
You analyse every fraction by SDS-PAGE, confirm identity by Western blotting, quantify the yield and learn to diagnose common problems such as insoluble protein, low yield and non-specific bands.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course you will be able to:
- Induce recombinant protein expression and compare conditions
- Lyse cells and separate soluble and insoluble fractions
- Purify a His-tagged protein by affinity chromatography
- Run SDS-PAGE and Western blots and interpret them
- Quantify protein yield and purity and troubleshoot problems
Skills you will practise
Eligibility and prerequisites
Who can apply
- Students and graduates of B.Sc., M.Sc., B.Tech., M.Tech., B.Pharm., M.Pharm. or a PhD programme in biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, life sciences, pharmacy or allied health sciences
- Laboratory staff, research assistants and faculty who want structured bench training
- Participants must be 18 or older and follow the laboratory safety induction on day one
Prerequisites
- Undergraduate biochemistry
- Essential Laboratory Skills or equivalent bench experience
Best suited to
- Postgraduate students in biochemistry, biotechnology and structural biology
- Researchers who need purified protein for assays
- Graduates of the Gene Cloning course
Module-wise syllabus
5 modules, each with a bench practical performed by every participant.
Topics
- Expression vectors and hosts
- Induction and temperature
- Small-scale expression trials
Topics
- Lysis methods
- Soluble versus inclusion-body protein
- Protease inhibition
Topics
- Immobilised-metal affinity chromatography
- Binding, washing and elution
- Buffer exchange
Topics
- Gel casting and percentages
- Sample preparation
- Coomassie staining
Topics
- Transfer and blocking
- Antibody detection
- Bradford and BCA assays
Practical sessions and projects
Practical assessment
Practical assessment
Present a purification table with gels, blot and yield for your protein, and diagnose one problem you encountered.
Assessed on technique, accuracy, safety and the laboratory record. A pass is required for the certificate.
- Expression
Induce expression under two conditions and sample a time course.
- Lysis and solubility
Lyse cells and compare soluble and insoluble fractions.
- Affinity purification
Purify the His-tagged protein and collect fractions.
- SDS-PAGE
Analyse all fractions by SDS-PAGE and estimate purity.
- Western blotting and quantification
Confirm identity by Western blot and calculate the final yield.
Instruments, techniques and materials
Instruments and equipment
Techniques you will perform
- IPTG induction
- Sonication
- IMAC purification
- SDS-PAGE
- Coomassie staining
- Western blotting
- Bradford and BCA assays
Materials
- Non-pathogenic E. coli expression strain with a fluorescent-protein construct
- Ni-NTA resin
- Primary and secondary antibodies
Core reading
- Laemmli UK (1970). Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 227:680–685.
- Towbin H, Staehelin T, Gordon J (1979). Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets. PNAS 76:4350–4354.
Duration, format and fees
- Next cohort
- Dates are sent with your admission offer
- Timetable
- Weekdays, 9:30 to 16:30, at our laboratory
- Payment
- Secure online payment link with your admission offer (UPI, cards, net banking). Instalments on request for fees above ₹15,000.
- Refunds
- See the refund and cancellation policy.
Instructor
The instructor for each cohort is named in your admission offer and on this page when the cohort is announced. Vedicgen instructors are selected for hands-on laboratory experience in the subject they teach, and every course is reviewed by a second subject expert.
Questions about who teaches a cohort? [email protected]
Certificate
Learners who complete the course and pass its practical assessment receive a Vedicgen certificate of completion for Protein Expression, Purification & Western Blotting, issued by Vivofold, stating the bench hours and techniques performed. Each certificate has a unique ID and QR code that anyone can check.
Apply for Protein Expression, Purification & Western Blotting
Apply
Send the form below. It takes about five minutes.
Review
An adviser confirms your fit and format within two working days.
Offer
You receive dates, timetable and a secure payment link.
Onboard
Safety briefing, lab address and joining instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Day one starts with a safety induction covering personal protective equipment, safe handling of reagents and biological material, spill response and waste segregation. All practicals use non-pathogenic material (Risk Group 1 organisms, established cell lines or synthetic templates) and are supervised throughout.
All reagents, kits, consumables, personal protective equipment, the lab manual and the certificate. Travel, accommodation and meals are not included. The laboratory address and joining instructions are sent with your admission letter.
Bench courses run in small groups so that every participant performs every practical personally, with an instructor-to-participant ratio that allows close supervision at the bench.
Yes. Learners who complete the course and pass its assessment receive a Vedicgen certificate of completion, issued by Vivofold. Every certificate carries a unique ID and a QR code that anyone, including an employer or admissions office, can check on the certificate verification page.
Apply with the form on this page. Live and in-person cohorts run through the year; the dates, timetable and joining details of the next cohort are sent with your admission offer and listed on this page once announced. Self-paced enrolment opens as soon as your application is accepted.
Yes. No course runs longer than four weeks, and the length is customisable: choose the standard schedule, an intensive one- to two-week schedule, weekends only, or a custom timetable. Pick your preference on the application form; colleges and teams can book their own dates.
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