“A cell of a higher organism contains a thousand different substances, arranged in a complex system. This great organized system was not discovered by chemical or physical methods; they are inadequate to its refinement and delicacy and complexity.” ~Herbert Spencer Jennings A biochemical engineer develops most of the products that people come into contact with on daily basis such as agricultural chemicals, paints, oil, plastic, soaps, paper, cosmetics, medicines etc. Biochemical engineering is a branch of chemical engineering which applies technological advancements to biological materials. Biochemical engineers combine knowledge of biology, chemistry and engineering to create products from raw materials and develop the processes for achieving this. It involves all the designing and engineering aspects related to production of useful products from microorganisms and deal with reactor designing and process designing. Biochemical engineers also deal with biotechnology like genetic engineering for medical, agricultural or industrial purposes.
B.E./B.Tech (Biochemical Engineering/Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology) | |
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Level | Under-Graduate |
Duration | 4 years |
Eligibility | 10+2 with PCM (Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics), Biology as an optional/main subject, Minimum marks required will depend on the college, Class XII candidates with result awaited can also apply |
Entrance Exam | JEE (Joint Entrance Exam) Main, JEE Advanced, UPSEE (Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination), COMEDK (Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka) Undergraduate Entrance Test, WBJEE (West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination), MHTCET (Maharashtra Common Entrance Test), Apart from the above exams, some institutions conduct their own entrance test |
Specialization | -- |
Average Course Fee | INR 2,00,000 to INR 10,00,000 |
Mode | Regular |
Goal | Biochemical Engineer, Chemical Engineer, Biotechnologist |
Like in any other field the remuneration in this field depends on qualification, experience and area in which one works. One could get an initial pay of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 per month.
Ananda Chakrabarty, Ph.D. is a Bengali American microbiologist, scientist, and researcher, most notable for his work in directed evolution and his role in developing a genetically engineered organism using plasmid transfer while working at GE, the patent for which led to landmark Supreme Court case, Diamond v. Chakrabarty.