{{Short description|Manufacturing by chemical reactions of biological organisms}} [[File:USP DSP Plant.jpg|thumb|[[Bioreactor]] and [[Tangential flow filtration]] system]] '''Biochemical engineering''', also known as '''bioprocess engineering''', is a field of study with roots stemming from [[chemical engineering]] and [[biological engineering]]. It mainly deals with the design, construction, and advancement of [[unit process]]es that involve biological [[organisms]] (such as [[fermentation]]) or [[Organic compound|organic molecules]] (often [[enzyme]]s) and has various applications in areas of interest such as [[Petrochemical industry|biofuels]], food, [[Medication|pharmaceuticals]], [[biotechnology]], and water treatment processes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gradireland.com/careers-advice/job-descriptions/biochemical-engineer|title=Biochemical engineer|last=Ruairi.Kavanagh|date=2014-12-18|website=gradireland|language=en|access-date=2019-02-13}}</ref> The role of a biochemical engineer is to take findings developed by [[biologists]] and [[chemists]] in a laboratory and translate that to a large-scale manufacturing process.
== History == {{unreferenced section|date=July 2020}} For hundreds of years, humans have made use of the chemical reactions of biological organisms in order to create goods. In the mid-1800s, [[Louis Pasteur]] was one of the first people to look into the role of these organisms when he researched fermentation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-24 |title=Louis Pasteur {{!}} Biography, Inventions, Achievements, Germ Theory, & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-Pasteur |access-date=2025-10-10 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>His work also contributed to the use of [[pasteurization]], which is still used to this day.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cavaillon |first1=Jean-Marc |last2=Legout |first2=Sandra |date=2022-04-18 |title=Louis Pasteur: Between Myth and Reality |journal=Biomolecules |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=596 |doi=10.3390/biom12040596 |doi-access=free |issn=2218-273X |pmc=9027159 |pmid=35454184}}</ref> By the early 1900s, the use of [[microorganisms]] had expanded and was used to make industrial products.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Buchholz |first1=Klaus |last2=Collins |first2=John |date=2013-05-01 |title=The roots—a short history of industrial microbiology and biotechnology |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-4768-2 |journal=Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology |language=en |volume=97 |issue=9 |pages=3747–3762 |doi=10.1007/s00253-013-4768-2 |issn=1432-0614|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Up to this point, biochemical engineering hadn't developed as a field yet. It wasn't until 1928, when [[Alexander Fleming]] discovered [[penicillin]], that the field of biochemical engineering was established.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Tan |first1=Siang Yong |last2=Tatsumura |first2=Yvonne |date=July 2015 |title=Alexander Fleming (1881-1955): Discoverer of penicillin |journal=Singapore Medical Journal |volume=56 |issue=7 |pages=366–367 |doi=10.11622/smedj.2015105 |issn=2737-5935 |pmc=4520913 |pmid=26243971}}</ref> After this discovery, samples were gathered from around the world in order to continue research into the characteristics of microbes from places such as soils, gardens, forests, rivers, and streams. Today, biochemical engineers can be found working in a variety of industries, from food to pharmaceuticals. This is due to the increasing need for efficiency and production which requires knowledge of how biological systems and chemical reactions interact with each other and how they can be used to meet these needs.
== Applications == [[File:Applications of combinatorial gene circuit optimization strategies.svg|thumb|Applications biochemical engineering]]
=== Biotechnology === {{main|Biotechnology}} Biotechnology and biochemical engineering are closely related to each other as biochemical engineering can be considered a sub-branch of biotechnology. One of the primary focuses of biotechnology is in the medical field, where biochemical engineers work to design pharmaceuticals, [[Artificial organ|artificial organs]], biomedical devices, chemical sensors, and [[drug delivery systems]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brown.edu/academics/engineering/undergraduate-study/concentrations/chemical-and-biochemical-engineering|title=Chemical and Biochemical Engineering {{!}} School of Engineering|website=www.brown.edu|access-date=2019-03-18|archive-date=2019-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212025428/https://www.brown.edu/academics/engineering/undergraduate-study/concentrations/chemical-and-biochemical-engineering|url-status=dead}}</ref> Biochemical engineers use their knowledge of chemical processes in biological systems in order to create tangible products that improve people's health. Specific areas of studies include [[Metabolic engineering|metabolic]], [[Protein engineering|enzyme]], and [[tissue engineering]]. The study of [[Cell culture|cell cultures]] is widely used in biochemical engineering and biotechnology due to its many applications in developing [[Biofuel|natural fuels]], improving the efficiency of drug production and pharmaceutical processes, and creating cures for diseases.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-engineering-careers/engineering/biochemical-engineer|title=Biochemical Engineer {{!}} Science & Engineering Career|website=Science Buddies|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-18}}</ref> Other medical applications of biochemical engineering within biotechnology are [[genetic testing]] and [[pharmacogenomics]].
=== Food industry === {{See also|Food chemistry|Food engineering}} Biochemical engineers primarily focus on designing systems that will improve the production, processing, packaging, storage, and distribution of food.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucdavis.edu/majors/biochemical-engineering|title=Biochemical Engineering|date=2015-11-27|website=UC Davis|language=EN|access-date=2019-02-13}}</ref> Some commonly processed foods include [[wheat]], [[Fruit|fruits]], and [[milk]], which undergo processes such as [[Mill (grinding)|milling]], [[Food drying|dehydration]], and [[pasteurization]] in order to become products that can be sold.
There are three levels of [[food processing]]: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary food processing involves turning agricultural products into other products that can be turned into food. Secondary food processing is the making of food from readily available ingredients. Tertiary food processing is commercial production of [[Ready-to-eat food|ready-to eat]] or heat-and-serve foods. [[Food drying|Drying]], [[pickling]], [[Salting (food)|salting]], and [[Fermentation in food processing|fermenting]] foods were some of the oldest food processing techniques used to preserve food by preventing the growth of entities which cause food to spoil, such as [[Yeast|yeasts]], [[Mold|molds]], and [[bacteria]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.foodsystemprimer.org/food-processing/index.html|title=Food Processing|last1=Driver|first1=Kelly|last2=Health|first2=JH Bloomberg School of Public|website=Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health|language=en|access-date=2019-03-18|archive-date=2021-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427012601/http://www.foodsystemprimer.org/food-processing/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Methods for preserving food have evolved to meet modern food safety standards, but many methods still involve the same processes as were used in the past.
Biochemical engineers also work to improve the [[nutritional value]] of food products, such as in [[golden rice]], which was developed to prevent [[vitamin A deficiency]] in certain locations where this was an issue. Efforts to advance food preserving technologies can also ensure lasting retention of [[nutrients]] as foods are stored. [[Food packaging|Packaging]] plays a key role in preserving as well as ensuring the safety of the food by protecting the product from contamination, physical damage, and tampering.<ref name=":1" /> Packaging can also make it easier to transport and serve food.
A common job for biochemical engineers working in the food industry is to design ways to perform all these processes on a large scale in order to meet the demands of the population. Responsibilities for this career path include designing and performing experiments, optimizing processes, consulting with groups to develop new technologies, and preparing project plans for equipment and facilities.<ref name=":1" />
=== Pharmaceuticals === {{Main|Biotechnology in pharmaceutical manufacturing}}
In the [[pharmaceutical industry]], bioprocess engineering plays a crucial role in the large-scale production of [[Biopharmaceutical|biopharmaceuticals]], such as [[Monoclonal antibody|monoclonal antibodies]], [[vaccines]], and therapeutic proteins. The development and optimization of [[Bioreactor|bioreactors]] and fermentation systems are essential for the [[mass production]] of these products, ensuring consistent quality and high yields. For example, [[recombinant proteins]] like [[insulin]] and [[erythropoietin]] are produced through cell culture systems using genetically modified (or [[genetically engineered]]) cells. The bioprocess engineer’s role is to optimize variables like temperature, [[pH]], nutrient availability, and oxygen levels to maximize the efficiency of these systems. The growing field of [[gene therapy]] also relies on bioprocessing techniques to produce [[viral vectors]], which are used to deliver therapeutic genes to patients. This involves scaling up processes from laboratory to industrial scale while maintaining safety and regulatory compliance.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Shukla, A. A. |author2=Thömmes, J. |author3=Hackl, M. |title=Recent advances in downstream processing of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies |journal=Biotechnology Advances |volume=30 |issue=3 |year=2012 |pages=1548–1557 |doi=10.1016/j.biotechadv.2012.04.003}}</ref> As the demand for biopharmaceutical products increases, advancements in bioprocess engineering continue to enable more [[Sustainability|sustainable]] and cost-effective manufacturing methods.
== Education == *[[Auburn University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bulletin.auburn.edu/undergraduate/samuelginncollegeofengineering/departmentofbiosystemsengineering/biosystemsengineeringbioprocessengr_obtion/|title = Biosystems Engineering (Bioprocess Engineering Option) – BBSE < Auburn University}}</ref> {{div col |colwidth=22em}} *[[University of Georgia]] (Biochemical Engineering)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.engineering.uga.edu/schools/cmbe/undergraduate|title=Undergraduate Programs in the School of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering|publisher=}}</ref> *[[Michigan Technological University]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtu.edu/chemical/undergraduate/minors/|title=Minors – Chemical Engineering – Michigan Tech|publisher=}}</ref> *[[McMaster University]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://learningin3d.ca/biotechnology.html|title=McMaster University, Faculty of Engineering: Biotechnology|access-date=2016-09-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920032906/http://learningin3d.ca/biotechnology.html|archive-date=2016-09-20|url-status=dead}}</ref> *[[Technical University of Munich]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://portal.mytum.de/studium/studiengaenge/bioprozesstechnik_bachelor/index_html?|title = Degree Programs}}</ref> *[[Karlsruhe Institute of Technology]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sle.kit.edu/vorstudium/bachelor-bioingenieurwesen.php?|title = Degree Programs | date=10 August 2025 }}</ref> *[[University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna]]<ref>http://www.boku.ac.at/lehre/studabt/studien/master/h066418/?selectedTypes=&selectedTGs=&selectedOEs={{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> *[[Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences]] (KGI Amgen Bioprocessing Center)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kgi.edu/faculty-and-research/kgi-centers/amgen-bioprocessing-center.html|title=Amgen Bioprocessing Center (ABC)|access-date=2014-06-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704035758/http://www.kgi.edu/faculty-and-research/kgi-centers/amgen-bioprocessing-center.html|archive-date=2014-07-04|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kgi.edu/academic-programs/master-of-bioscience-(mbs)/career-majors/bioprocessing.html|title=Bioprocessing|access-date=2016-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323045145/http://www.kgi.edu/academic-programs/master-of-bioscience-(mbs)/career-majors/bioprocessing.html|archive-date=2015-03-23|url-status=dead}}</ref> *[[Kungliga Tekniska högskolan]]- KTH – Royal Institute of Technology (Dept. of Industrial Biotechnology) *[[Queensland University of Technology]] (QUT) *[[University of Cape Town]] (Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ceber.uct.ac.za/|title=Welcome|publisher=}}</ref> *[[SUNY-ESF]] (Bioprocess Engineering Program) *[[Université de Sherbrooke]] *[[University of British Columbia]] *[[UC Berkeley]] *[[UC Davis]] *[[Savannah Technical College]] *[[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]] (Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abe.illinois.edu/research/research-areas|title=College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering Research Areas|access-date=2018-04-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ibrl.aces.illinois.edu/|title=Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) – University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign|access-date=2018-04-19}}</ref> *[[University of Iowa]] (Chemical and Biochemical Engineering) *[[University of Minnesota]] (Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering) *[[East Carolina University]] *[[Jacob School of Biotechnology and Bioengineering]], Allahabad, India *[[Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi|Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi]] * [[Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur]] *[[Institute of Chemical Technology|Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai]] *[[Jadavpur University]] * [[Universidade Federal de Itajubá]] (UNIFEI) * [[Universiti Malaysia Kelantan]] (UMK) *[[Federal University of São João del-Rei|Universidade Federal de São João del Rei-UFSJ]] *[[Federal University of Technology – Paraná]] *[[Federal University of Paraná|Universidade Federal do Paraná-UFPR]] *[[São Paulo State University]] *[[Federal University of Pará|Universidade Federal do Pará-UFPA]] *[[Université catholique de Louvain|University of Louvain]] (UCLouvain)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uclouvain.be/en-cours-2013-LBIRC2108.html|title=UCL – COURSES DESCRIPTION FOR 2013–2014|first=Bernard|last=Paris|date=15 September 2013 |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uclouvain.be/en-agro.html|title=Faculty of Bioscience Engineering|first=Réginald|last=Evrard|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517102717/http://www.uclouvain.be/en-agro.html|archivedate=2013-05-17}}</ref> *[[University of Stellenbosch]] *[[North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University]] *[[North Carolina State University]] *[[Virginia Tech]] *[[Ege University]]/Turkey (Department of Bioengineering)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://muhfak.ege.edu.tr/tr/biyomuhendislik/ | title=Ege-404 }}</ref> *[[National University of Costa Rica]] *[[University of Brawijaya]] (Department of Agricultural Engineering)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ub.ac.id/|title=Brawijaya University|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tbp.tp.ub.ac.id/|title=Bioprocess Technology Study Program – Department of Agricultural Engineering – Faculty of Agricultural Technology|publisher=}}</ref> *[[University of Indonesia]] *[[University College London]] (Department of Biochemical Engineering)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/biochemeng/|title=Biochemical Engineering|date=13 July 2018 |publisher=}}</ref> *[[Universiti Teknologi Malaysia]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cheme.utm.my/cheme/index.php/undegraduatepprograms/bachelor-of-engineering-chemical-biprocess |title=Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical-Bioprocess) |accessdate=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010100014/http://www.cheme.utm.my/cheme/index.php/undegraduatepprograms/bachelor-of-engineering-chemical-biprocess |archivedate=2013-10-10 }}</ref> *[[University of Kuala Lumpur|Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering Technology]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.micet.unikl.edu.my/|title=UniKL MICET|publisher=}}</ref> *[[University of Zagreb]], Faculty of food technology and biotechnology, Croatia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pbf.unizg.hr/en/studies/graduate_study_bologna_process/bioprocess_engineering/|title=Bioprocess Engineering – PBF|first=Faculty of Food Technology and|last=Biotechnology|publisher=}}</ref> *[[Villanova University]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/engineering/grad/masters/biochemical.html|title=Biochemical Engineering Overview|access-date=2015-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630174612/http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/engineering/grad/masters/biochemical.html|archive-date=2015-06-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> *[[Wageningen University]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wur.nl/|title=Wageningen UR|publisher=}}</ref> *[[University College Dublin]] *[[Obafemi Awolowo University]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oauife.edu.ng/|title=Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife|publisher=}}</ref> *[[University of Birmingham]] *[[Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila]] (Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas) *[[Silpakorn University|Silpakorn University Thailand]] *[[Universiti Malaysia Perlis]] (UniMAP), School of Bioprocess Engineering (SBE) *[[Technische Universität Berlin]], Chair of Bioprocess Engineering *[[University of Queensland]] *[[Technical University of Denmark]], Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, BioEng Research Centre<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kt.dtu.dk/english/research/bioeng|title=DTU Chemical Engineering, BIOENG Research Centre|access-date=2018-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420073756/http://www.kt.dtu.dk/english/research/bioeng|archive-date=2018-04-20|url-status=dead}}</ref> *[[South Dakota School of Mines and Technology]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sdsmt.edu/cbe/research/|title=SDSMT Chemical and Biological Engineering, Research}}</ref> *National Institute of Applied Science and Technology Tunis (Industrial Biology Engineering Program) *Technical University Hamburg (TUHH) *Mapua University {{div col end}}
Biochemical engineering is not a major offered by many universities and is instead an area of interest under the chemical engineering. The following universities are known to offer degrees in biochemical engineering: * [[Brown University]] – Providence, RI * [[Christian Brothers University]] – Memphis, TN * [[Colorado School of Mines]] – Golden, CO * [[Rowan University]] – Glassboro, NJ * [[University of Colorado Boulder]] – Boulder, CO * [[University of Georgia]] – Athens, GA * [[University of California, Davis]] – Davis, CA * [[University College London]] – London, United Kingdom * [[University of Southern California]] – Los Angeles, CA * [[University of Western Ontario]] – Ontario, Canada * [[Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi]] – Varanasi, UP * [[Indian Institute of Technology Delhi]] – Delhi * [[Institute of Technology Tijuana]] – México * University of Baghdad, College of Engineering, Al-Khwarizmi Biochemical * [https://www.unrn.edu.ar/carreras/Ingenieria-en-Biotecnologia-2 Universidad Nacional de Río Negro] - Río Negro, Argentina
==See also== {{Portal|Biology|Technology}} *[[Biofuel from algae]] *[[Biological hydrogen production (algae)]] *[[Bioprocess]] *[[Bioproducts engineering]] *[[Bioproducts]] *[[Bioreactor landfill]] *[[Biosystems engineering]] *[[Cell therapy]] *[[Downstream (bioprocess)]] *[[Electrochemical energy conversion]] *[[Industrial biotechnology]] *[[Microbiology]] *[[Moss bioreactor]] *[[Photobioreactor]] *[[Physical chemistry]] *[[Unit operation]]s *[[Upstream (bioprocess)]]
== References == {{reflist}}
Shukla, A. A., Thömmes, J., & Hackl, M. (2012). Recent advances in downstream processing of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Biotechnology Advances, 30(3), 1548-1557. Walsh, G. (2018). Biopharmaceuticals: Biochemistry and Biotechnology (3rd ed.). Wiley.
[[Category:Biochemical engineering| ]]