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.[3]His work also contributed to the use ofpasteurization, which is still used to this day.[4] By the early 1900s, the use ofmicroorganisms had expanded, and was used to make industrial products.[5] Up to this point, biochemical engineering hadn't developed as a field yet. It wasn't until 1928 whenAlexander Fleming discoveredpenicillin that the field of biochemical engineering was established.[6] 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.
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 organs, biomedical devices, chemical sensors, anddrug delivery systems.[7] 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 includemetabolic,enzyme, andtissue engineering. The study ofcell cultures is widely used in biochemical engineering and biotechnology due to its many applications in developingnatural fuels, improving the efficiency of drug production and pharmaceutical processes, and creating cures for diseases.[8] Other medical applications of biochemical engineering within biotechnology aregenetic testing andpharmacogenomics.
Biochemical engineers primarily focus on designing systems that will improve the production, processing, packaging, storage, and distribution of food.[1] Some commonly processed foods includewheat,fruits, andmilk, which undergo processes such asmilling,dehydration, andpasteurization in order to become products that can be sold.
There are three levels offood 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 ofready-to eat or heat-and-serve foods.Drying,pickling,salting, andfermenting 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 asyeasts,molds, andbacteria.[9] 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 thenutritional value of food products, such as ingolden rice, which was developed to preventvitamin A deficiency in certain locations where this was an issue. Efforts to advance food preserving technologies can also ensure lasting retention ofnutrients as foods are stored.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.[9] 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.[9]
In thepharmaceutical industry, bioprocess engineering plays a crucial role in the large-scale production ofbiopharmaceuticals, such asmonoclonal antibodies,vaccines, and therapeutic proteins. The development and optimization ofbioreactors and fermentation systems are essential for themass production of these products, ensuring consistent quality and high yields. For example,recombinant proteins likeinsulin anderythropoietin are produced through cell culture systems using genetically modified (orgenetically 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 ofgene therapy also relies on bioprocessing techniques to produceviral 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.[10] As the demand for biopharmaceutical products increases, advancements in bioprocess engineering continue to enable moresustainable and cost-effective manufacturing methods.
National Institute of Applied Science and Technology Tunis (Industrial Biology Engineering Program)
Technical University Hamburg (TUHH)
Mapua University
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:
^abcDriver, Kelly; Health, JH Bloomberg School of Public."Food Processing".Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Archived fromthe original on 2021-04-27. Retrieved2019-03-18.
^Shukla, A. A.; Thömmes, J.; Hackl, M. (2012). "Recent advances in downstream processing of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies".Biotechnology Advances.30 (3):1548–1557.doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2012.04.003.
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.
