Biotechnology relies on the body's own cellular and molecular
processes to solve difficult medical problems. Molecular biology,
the basic science underlying biotechnology, views humans and
other living organisms as intricate collections of molecules. Its
application to medicine is based on the premise that if we can
better understand the body in molecular terms, we can develop
and produce therapeutics that address diseases at the molecular level. However, molecular biology alone doesn’t provide the complete solution of biotechnology. Chemical engineering principles including chemical kinetics, reactor design, transport phenomena, thermodynamics and unit operations are critical to transform the molecular principles generated from molecular biology to the realization of novel bio-therapeutics. From the emergence of biotechnology, chemical engineers have played key roles in cell culture development, bio-catalysis and downstream unit operations that have been completely integrated into the major R&D and manufacturing operations of biotechnology.

The Centre of Biotechnology will capitalize on chemical engineering sciences to exploit several frontiers of biotechnology including protein therapeutics engineering, biomolecular recognition and system bioengineering. Along the way, the researchers in the centre will apply state-of-the-art methods in protein surface display on genetically engineered organisms, directed evolution of the peptide sequences of proteins and biochemical process simulation to design novel bio-catalysts, biopharmaceuticals, oral vaccines, biosensor, etc. Most importantly, the centre will serve as a focal point of CBE undergraduate students, faculty members and research students for fostering highly interdisciplinary research at the crossroad of chemical engineering sciences, life sciences and nanosciences.