The fundamental principles used to design and control complex chemical processes can also be applied to the complex biochemical processes of the cell.
Biochemical engineering generates useful products and applications.
Biomedical engineering, within the discipline of chemical engineering, promotes health by understanding and manipulating our body s natural processes at the molecular and cellular level. The recent rapid growth in our understanding of biological processes at the molecular level now gives chemical engineers a unique opportunity to create novel products, processes, and applications that will develop new markets and lead to better health. Due to the expansion into new biotechnologies, the department has developed a research effort that applies chemical engineering principles to understanding and utilizing biological systems. Current research in cellular and molecular biomedical engineering includes living neural network engineering, understanding the cytoskeletal basis of cellular function and disease, and biomaterial fabrication for wound healing and cellular device construction. Current biochemical engineering research includes mass transport in biological systems, fundamental bioreactor studies, and bioremediation.