Biomolecular Engineering and Biotechnology

CBE@UCI’s research in biomolecular engineering and biotechnology examines processes that span molecular, cellular, tissue and organism scales, and develops novel bioreactor systems for biochemical processes. We have active research projects in the areas of synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, protein engineering, biomaterials, drug delivery, biophotonics, cellular analytics and imaging, bioreaction and bioreactor engineering, biological systems modeling and simulation, and cell and tissue engineering.  We utilize our multi-scale understanding of biomolecular processes to develop novel technologies for molecular and materials synthesis, therapies to support human health, and devices to perform cellular analysis and functional imaging across spatial scales.

Moreover, in partnership with the UCI’s Stem Cell Research Center, we have a cross-cutting initiative in the area of stem cell tissue engineering that involves active collaboration among chemical engineers with cellular and molecular biologists, biophysicists, neuroscientists, physicians, materials scientists and biomedical engineers.  In this effort, CBE leads the development of novel multifunctional biomaterials, conducts fundamental research to investigate the interactions between cells/tissues and biomaterials in vitro, develops device platforms to assess cell differentiation, study disease mechanisms, and prepare tissue constructs for in vivo implantation, and develops nanomaterials for applications in drug delivery and vaccines.