Bioprocess Engineering

This course will begin with a brief overview of the origins of bacterial and photosynthetic life, energy flow and form, self-organization, followed by enzyme activities covering thermodynamics, Michaelis-Menten kinetics, inhibition, etc. Various enzyme immobilization approaches, adsorption isotherms, biological growth models (microbial and fungal), biological reactions of various types, and receptor-ligand binding will also be covered. The course includes a chapter on bioreactor design and stability. The theoretical aspects will subsequently be backed by showcasing the applications of these processes.

Bioprocess Engineering explores how engineering principles are applied to biological systems for the production of food, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and other high-value products. The course introduces enzyme kinetics, microbial growth, reactor design, and downstream processing before examining how these concepts come together in real-world bioprocesses. Through lectures, laboratory sessions, and a design project, students learn to analyse, optimise, and conceptualise biological production systems for industrial and environmental applications.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply reaction kinetics principles to model enzyme-catalysed reactions and microbial cell growth.
• Apply mass transfer concepts to relate product formation, conversion efficiency, and reactor performance.
• Evaluate different bioreactor configurations and operating modes based on process requirements.
• Assess downstream processing techniques for recovering biological products while considering yield, purity, and process efficiency.
• Apply bioprocess engineering principles to analyse and design biological manufacturing processes.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Explain the engineering principles governing enzyme kinetics and microbial growth. | Knowledge Outcome
• Apply mass transfer concepts and reactor design principles to biological production systems. | Apply Outcome
• Evaluate reactor configurations and downstream processing techniques for different biological products. | Evaluate Outcome
• Design an integrated bioprocess for producing and recovering a biological product. | Create/Synthesize Outcome

• Bioprocess Engineering: Basic Concepts – Michael L. Shuler and Fikret Kargi.
• Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering – H. Scott Fogler.
• Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals – James Bailey and David Ollis.
• Chemistry: The Central Science – Brown et al.
• Biological Wastewater Treatment: Principles, Modelling and Design – Chen, Ekama, van Loosdrecht and Brdjanovic.

Additional reference material, journal articles, and case studies related to bioprocess engineering applications will be shared throughout the course to complement classroom discussions and laboratory sessions.