A microcalorimetric technique based on the metabolic heat production from cultured cells was used to investigate the effect of kanamycin on the growth and metabolism of recombinant Escherichia coli. Power-time curves of growing recombinant Escherichia coli cell suspensions treated with different kanamycin doses were recorded and were described very accurately by the generalized logistic equation. The rate constant (k) is kanamycin concentration-dependent and the relationship between k and C ( kanamycin dose) is nearly linear. The 50% inhibitory concentration IC50 was 88.49 mu g/mL. The experimental results revealed that high doses of kanamycin inhibited the growth of recombinant E. coli during the log phase and promoted growth during the stationary phase. These results are important for deciding the optimum kanamycin dose for the maximal synthesis of human-like collagen.