Undergraduate Program > Biomolecular Engineering

Biomolecular Engineering: Opportunities for Chemical Engineers

In 2002 the Department of Chemical Engineering officially changed its name to the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Since the name change, many undergraduates have asked what is biomolecular engineering; how is it connected to chemical engineering; and how does it differ from biomedical engineering? The answers to these questions are relatively simple once one recognizes that biological systems are inherently chemical in nature. Since chemical engineers are taught how to link chemistry and engineering, chemical engineers with a knowledge of biology and biochemistry are well suited to engineer biological processes that involve chemical changes and chemical signals. This special role for chemical engineers has even been recognized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In a meeting in 1992 they defined the term, "Biomolecular Engineering," as "Research and development at the interface of chemical engineering and biology with an emphasis at the molecular level."

Chemical engineers are taught formally to think across length scales that span from the molecular to the macroscopic, particularly for systems that involve chemical change. For example, chemical engineers study chemical changes at the molecular level in order to elucidate the mechanisms of chemical reactions and to develop reaction rate expressions. They then use these rate expressions while designing chemical reactors. No other discipline provides such emphasis on an integrated systems perspective across a wide range of length scales. This unique educational component of chemical engineering provides chemical engineers a perspective that is well suited to attack problems of great interest in modern biology. Currently one of the primary questions in biology is how to relate genomic and proteomic information (i.e. the structure of genes and complex proteins) to biological function. Chemical engineers have an excellent background to help answer these questions and to use structure-activity relationships for biological systems in the design and production of new pharmaceutics and biomaterials.

Although there is much overlap between biomolecular engineering and the more traditional field of biomedical engineering, there are also some distinct differences. As the name implies biomolecular engineers focus on biological processes that occur at the molecular or cellular level. They use their knowledge of theses processes in the design and synthesis of complex biomolecules including pharmaceuticals. Biomedical engineers are also interested in these processes but they tend to have much more of a focus on clinical technologies used in hospitals such as medical imaging devices, tissue engineering, and bone biomechanics.

Examples of areas in which chemical and biomolecular engineers play or will play important roles:

• Biopharmaceutical and Biological Processes Bioprocesses are used for the production of many biopharmaceuticals such as insulin and vaccines. They are also used for the production of specialty chemicals and some food products such as high-fructose corn syrup. Bioprocesses are also integral to the treatment of organic wastes.
   
• Bioseparations The separation of cells, DNA, proteins, and other complex biomolecules are important in pharmaceutical manufacturing, DNA sequencing and proteomics (e.g., total analysis of protein content in a cell).
   
• Protein Engineering and Biocatalysis The protein catalysts of living systems (enzymes) can now be redesigned to meet the needs of specific industrial applications. Enzymes with novel or enhanced activities can be engineered, often enabling catalytic function in harsh, non-natural environments. Likewise, biomolecules derived from the immune system can be designed and optimized for biotherapeutic, diagnostic, and environmental applications.
   
• Metabolic Engineering Metabolic engineering is the analysis and redirection or enhancement of the metabolic activities of a cell and is an area in which chemical engineers are currently playing a leading role. Metabolic engineering is often used in the development of more efficient bioprocesses for the production of pharmaceuticals or chemicals.
   
• Gene Therapy Gene Therapy is really metabolic engineering combined with drug delivery. It is a quantitative problem requiring a systems analysis. The right genes need to be delivered to the desired tissues, and proteins from that gene need to be made at the right time in the right amount. The lack of success with gene therapy is, at least in part, due to the inability of medical scientists to deal with these issues of well-controlled gene delivery and gene expression.
   
• Biomaterials This is a broad area that includes materials that are produced using biological processes and biologically compatible materials that are used for drug delivery and other medical applications.
   
• Cell and Tissue Engineering Cell and tissue engineering combines biomaterials and concepts from metabolic engineering and analysis of chemical signaling. The manufacturing issues for tissues (e.g., artificial skin) are similar to those for other bioprocesses.
   
• Drug Delivery Drug delivery is an area in which chemical engineers have had a major impact, particularly for controlled delivery of pharmaceuticals to specific target sites such as tumors.
   
• Modeling of Pharmaceutical Activity The activity and function of pharmaceuticals can in some cases be predicted using physiologically based pharmacokinetic models (developed by chemical engineers) as well as cell culture-based systems for in vitro studies. These efforts link chemical engineers to the toxicology/pharmacology communities.
   
• Drug Design and Discovery Computational tools developed by chemical engineers for understanding protein-ligand interactions and chemical signaling in cells are being used in the development of new pharmaceutical agents. While many disciplines play important roles in drug discovery, chemical engineering contributions are of increasing importance.
   
• Functional Genomics Functional genomics or relating molecular or genomic information to cell function is an important challenge. Chemical engineers have the intellectual basis to make major contributions to this issue through computer models of biological systems and development of tools to rapidly measure proteins and other cellular constituents.
   
• Nano-Biotechnology The study and manipulation of biologically inspired nanostructures forms one of the most promising areas of nanotechnology. In nature complex biomolecules self assemble into useful structures such as a cell membrane. Understanding how this assembly process occurs may allow one to use a similar approach to create novel nano-devices. Chemical engineers are currently making important contributions to this exciting new field.