In this blog post, we’ll explore what chemical and biological engineering—a field that bridges various disciplines such as process engineering, applied chemistry, biotechnology, materials science, energy, and the environment, all based on chemistry and biology—studies and how it is applied in our daily lives.
My major is Chemical and Biological Engineering. Most people who encounter the name of my major for the first time find it difficult to understand right away. I think this is because the major doesn’t focus on a single discipline but rather integrates several closely related fields, so the name doesn’t immediately resonate. So, let’s approach the topic through “petroleum”—something we commonly encounter in the news, on the street, or at gas stations. When people hear the word “petroleum,” they usually think of gasoline and diesel used in cars. However, petroleum—or crude oil—is not used solely as fuel. Substances produced through petrochemicals are used in the plastics and other materials that make up the casings of the smartphones we use today, as well as in the various materials that make up their screens and exterior components. Furthermore, the plastics used in eyeglasses and various synthetic resins are also related to the petrochemical industry. Substances produced through the petrochemical industry are used in products and materials found throughout our daily lives—from the synthetic fibers in the clothes we wear, to sneakers, bags, pencil cases, and ballpoint pens, as well as computers and screens in classrooms, and even paint. Chemical engineering is not limited to the petrochemical industry; it has expanded to cover products and processes in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, electronic materials, polymers, food, the environment, biotechnology, and energy.
Engineering is the discipline of applying the principles of nature to real-life situations to develop technologies that benefit humanity; similarly, chemical and biological engineering is the discipline of developing and researching new technologies using the principles of chemistry and biology. If we simplify the curriculum of this major, it can be described as consisting of approximately 50% chemistry, 40% physics, and 10% biology. However, the actual composition and proportions of the curriculum may vary depending on the university and the specific major. In chemical and biological engineering, engineering principles such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, reaction engineering, separation processes, and mass transfer are also covered in depth, in addition to chemistry and biology. The fields covered by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering include process development, nano- and inorganic materials and catalytic processes, semiconductors and electrochemistry, biology and the environment, and organic and polymer materials. To simplify this further, these can be divided into three main areas: process engineering, applied chemistry, and biology. The process engineering field focuses on the design and planning of processes, while the applied chemistry field involves researching chemical technologies applicable to everyday life to develop products. These research areas continue to expand today into fields such as energy and sustainability, bioengineering, materials and nanotechnology, and complex systems and systems engineering.
Crude oil, as mentioned above, is a vital resource indispensable to our daily lives. However, without processing crude oil using various technologies, it is difficult to utilize it as a raw material for the fuels or chemical products we need, and handling it in its raw state can place a burden on the environment. It is easy to understand if you think of the field of process engineering as researching methods to efficiently separate crude oil into its various components and convert them into the necessary substances, while the field of applied chemistry involves synthesizing new substances based on these separated and refined materials, studying their properties, and developing them into products. Our department does not limit its research to petroleum, as mentioned in the example; rather, we study how to chemically synthesize and separate various substances found on Earth and apply them to everyday life. In the field of biological sciences, we conduct research on defining, analyzing, and solving problems within the human body using natural science and engineering methods; designing bioreactors and developing bioprocesses; producing useful substances through the cultivation of microbial, animal, and plant cells; developing energy-related materials and alternatives to environmental pollutants using biological systems; biological environmental conservation technologies; biosensor and biomaterial engineering technologies; the development and application of biocatalysts; and technologies for the separation and purification of biological substances.
Simply put, this field explores how to engineer and utilize the various reactions that occur within living organisms. Currently, the biological sector of chemical and biological engineering is expanding into areas such as biopharmaceuticals, cell culture, fermentation, metabolic engineering, and bioprocessing, and its role in translating biological knowledge into actual products and processes is becoming increasingly important.
With the recent surge in interest in bioengineering, the emphasis on research in the biological aspects of chemical and biological engineering is growing to keep pace with these contemporary demands. Furthermore, while the field is expanding into research on environmental and energy issues, the role of chemical and biological engineering is also expanding to address challenges such as sustainable production, energy storage, resource recycling, and the reduction of environmental pollution. As we have seen, chemical and biological engineering covers a very broad range of fields and is therefore rich in diversity; integrating knowledge and technologies from different disciplines is a key challenge for this field. While the petrochemical industry remains a vital industrial foundation, interest in biotechnology and sustainable energy and environmental technologies is also growing. In this context, chemical and biological engineering plays a crucial role as a field that bridges science and engineering. In particular, as various fields—such as biotechnology, advanced materials, electronics and semiconductors, energy, and the environment—become increasingly interconnected, the scope of research in chemical and biological engineering continues to expand. Therefore, chemical and biological engineering is not merely a discipline confined to the traditional chemical industry but rather a field of convergent engineering dedicated to developing new technologies and applying them to real-world industries and daily life.
