Molecular Engineering

Molecular and cellular systems seeks to understand, and ultimately control, the cellular processes. Three interrelated subtopics focus on the cell—processes inside the cell, interactions among cells, and cellular response to the environment. Such understanding allows us to detect, quantify, analyze, simulate, redirect, and redesign biological entities.

We can apply the knowledge to study live animal bioreactors, design biosensors or lab-on-a-chip systems with applications to detection of pathogenic microorganisms, allergens, or carcinogens; to develop antimicrobial surfaces for plastics, textiles, food packaging and processing equipment; to produce and refine natural and recombinant products such as pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and industrial enzymes.

Sample Curricula

Past M.Eng. Project Titles

• Development of a Liposome Aggregation Biosensor for the Detection of Sryptosporidium Parvum
• Rapid and efficient mixing in low Reynolds number microfluidic systems via short-distance flow through an electrospun nanofiber mat: A computational analysis
• Oxidative Deamination of Dipeptides By Synthetic Manganese Oxide Characterized By High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
• Modeling of Tangitial Flow Microfiltration with Backpulsing in Protein Polysaccharide Separation of a Biological Vaccine
• First Steps to Parameter Optimization of Bioelectrochemical Systems Using a Microsystems Engineering Approach
• Laser Induced Lysis of Escherichia coli Cells and Bacillus subtilis Spores