Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology

Bioengineering and Environmental Systems Division

Directorate for Engineering
Janie Fouke, Ph.D.
Division Director
jfouke@nsf.gov

Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology Program

This program supports research that links the expertise of engineering with the life sciences in order to provide a fundamental basis for the economical manufacturing of substances of biological origin. Projects are supported that utilize microorganisms for the transformation of organic raw materials (biomass) into useful products. Fermentation and recombinant DNA processes are important technologies to this program. Research on metabolic engineering, tissue engineering, and separation and purification processes, are major areas of activity. Food processing research, especially related to the safety of the nation's food supply, is also an emerging area. Engineers, or small groups of engineers and life scientists, are encouraged to apply. Synergy between the scientific disciplines is a very important criterion in evaluating multi-disciplinary proposals. Other active research areas include, but are not limited to: cell culture systems; biosensor development; bioreactor design; monitoring, optimization, and control methods; and process integration and design.

Areas of Research

• Upstream processing research includes the testing, modeling, optimization, and control of novel or improved cell cultures, new biochemical reactors, and new biological processes to produce useful chemicals. Collaborative programs might incorporate basic metabolism or cellular mechanism studies to elicit paths for improved process design and performance. Sensing techniques to monitor and control the metabolic state of cells in a culture, as well as the status of conditions within a fermentation or purification process are sought. Research efforts directed toward increasing our fundamental engineering knowledge of cellular processes in cell culture systems needed for making substances of biological origin fall within the purview of this program.

• Tissue Engineering is the application of the principles and methods of engineering and life sciences toward the fundamental understanding of structure-function relationships in normal and pathological mammalian tissues, and the development of biological substitutes to restore tissues. Recent advances in the study of growth, both at the macroscopic tissue level and at the microscopic cellular level, have set the stage for the development of practical applications of tissue engineering. Controlled synthesis of living tissue, therefore, appears to be a promising endeavor where engineering approaches provide possible short and long term applications involving a wide spectrum of tissues, including, but not limited to, skin, bone, blood vessels, liver cells, pancreatic islet cells, cartilage, nerve cells, bone marrow, and blood components.

• The capability to purify bioproducts (downstream processing ) in a cost-effective manner on a commercial scale is an important technical goal of this program. New processes, and major enhancements of existing processes, are needed to attain that goal. Downstream processing includes such areas as protein separations techniques, membrane technology, various types of chromatography and affinity systems, and filtration methods.

• Metabolic engineering is a very important emerging area in this program. It has been defined as the targeted and purposeful alteration of metabolic pathways in living organisms in order to better understand and utilize these pathways for chemical transformation, energy transduction, and supramolecular assembly. Measurement and control of in-vivo metabolic fluxes is one key component of metabolic engineering. Metabolic control analysis of pathway groups or networks is another. Development of in-vivo techniques to accomplish this measurement and control is critical.

• Process monitoring, design, optimization, and control involves knowing the current state of every step in a bioprocess, and then to optimally control that process. The most effective upstream and downstream processing is dependent on knowledge of the state of the bioprocess, and on design and control algorithms that can optimize and maintain the process at optimal conditions. Optimization and control methods should be robust, adaptive, and suited to non-linear processes. In addition to studies on the individual units that constitute upstream and downstream processing, the optimal design and control of the system of several integrated units which make up a production plant is important for the most efficient manufacture of biotechnology products. A highly integrated manufacturing process can be subject to complex interactions between the individual units that make control difficult.

• The security and quality of the United States food supply is a high national priority. This program supports engineering proposals that increase the safety or utility of our food supply. Sensors that rapidly detect food borne pathogens and engineering studies that lead to food products with enhanced nutritional value are examples of proposals being sought.

Bioengineering and Environmental Systems Division

The Bioengineering and Environmental Systems (BES) Division supports research that:

a) expands the knowledge base of bioengineering at scales ranging from proteins and cells to organ systems, including mathematical models, devices and instrumentation systems. Current interest areas include tissue engineering and the development of biological substitutes; biosensors, i.e., devices that use a biological component; food processing, especially with respect to food safety; and metabolic engineering, including the application of systems analysis tools to understand metabolic transport.

b) applies engineering principles to the understanding of living systems, development of new and improved devices, and products for human health care. Emphasis is placed on engineering research that contributes to better and more efficient health care delivery and aid to people with disabilities.

c) improves our ability to apply engineering principles to avoid and/or correct problems that impair the usefulness of land, air and water. Current interest areas include environmental remediation, especially with respect to understanding the fate and transport of surface and groundwater pollutants; novel processes for waste treatment; industrial ecology; technologies for the avoidance of pollution; technology to limit fouling of the ocean.

d) advances fundamental engineering knowledge of the ocean environment and develops technological innovation related to conservation, development, and use of the oceans and their resources.

Three program areas comprise the BES Division:

• Biochemical Engineering /Biotechnology

• Biomedical Engineering/Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities

• Environmental/Ocean Systems

Biochemical Engineering/ Biotechnology

The Foundation welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists and engineers and strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in any of the research and education related programs described here. In accordance with federal statutes, regulations, and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the National Science Foundation. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on NSF projects. See the program announcement or contact the program coordinator at (703) 306-1636. The National Science Foundation has TDD (Telephonic Device for the Deaf) capability, which enables individuals with hearing impairment to communicate with the Foundation about NSF program employment, or general information. To access NSF TDD dial (703) 306-0090, for FIRS, 1-800-877-8339.

NSF 97-114