Training Chemical Engineers In Bioprocessing

Over the past several years, the Department of Chemical Engineering at Michigan State University (MSU) has been developing a comprehensive set of courses in biochemical engineering and biotechnology for both undergraduate and graduate students. Beginning with a fairly standard biochemical engineering reactor design course that has been taught over the past sixteen years, the course offerings have expanded to include undergraduate research opportunities, a state-of-the-art teaching laboratory, two higher level bioprocessing courses, a seminar course, and a multidisciplinary graduate training program. An undergraduate-run student chapter of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE) was also initiated and has provided extracurricular benefits for the students. The department has obtained both equipment donations and federal grants for these efforts. One of the authors (CP) is currently a graduate student who was involved as an undergraduate in almost all phases of this program and will provide his perspectives on the program effectiveness and its benefits to a student. The other two authors are faculty members who have been involved in the development of the courses and coordination of the program.