This area of research involves developing fundamental physicochemical understanding of biological processes and translating the knowledge into efficient design of therapeutically and industrial important products and processes.

Research in this area has been concentrated on developing a fundamental understanding of catalysts, biocatalysts and processes relevant for production of fuels and chemicals from renewable feedstocks (e.g., cellulosic biomass).

Soft matter applications range from energy to materials to bio-therapeutics. Our research focuses on modeling the motion and interaction of atoms and molecules to predict the macroscopic properties of soft matter. We also work to develop novel computational models to understand the behavior of these systems.

At the forefront of the pharmaceutical engineering field for three decades, we are developing and applying cutting-edge engineering methodologies for the design and optimization of pharmaceutical products and processes. Our work spans from fundamental understanding of new materials, formulations, and technologies for drug delivery to pilot scale design, control, and automation of continuous manufacturing processes for pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals.

Research is undertaken to advance teaching knowledge and principles in engineering practice. We aspire to prepare engineering students with the core skills needed in an increasingly complex and technologically driven society.