Biomolecular Engineering
BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING
Director: Prajna Dhar, Ph.D.
Biomolecular engineering research integrates the fundamentals of biology, chemistry and mathematics with engineering problem-solving methods to prepare students for careers in industry, academia and public service. Program faculty solve biological problems to increase understanding of a variety of biological systems.
Chemical and biological systems are studied to ultimately provide solutions—in the form of measurement of properties and function, imaging, diagnosis or therapeutics. Research in this area involves collaborations among engineers, biological scientists, chemists, physicians and pharmaceutical scientists in industry, academia, surgery and clinical settings.
Students in this track use a core background of mathematics, basic sciences and therapeutics and engineering courses to conduct interdisciplinary research. Elective courses are selected to prepare each student for their unique problem in such areas as drug design or development, biological materials design, characterization of cellular function or malfunction, transport in biological systems or analysis of complex data.
Track Faculty
Titles
-Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
-Professor, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Bioimaging
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Nanoparticles and Colloids in Pharmaceuticals and Biomedicine
Titles
-Associate Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Computational Bioengineering
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Computational Molecular Design of Pharmaceuticals
-Polymers and Other Biomaterials
-Optimization Algorithms Applied to Engineering Systems
- Track Director, Biomolecular Engineering
- Assistant Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Associated Tracks
Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Molecular Engineering and Interfacial Nanomedicine
Titles
-Associate Professor, Molecular Biosciences
-Co-Leader, Cancer Prevention Program, University of Kansas Cancer
Center
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Regulation of gene expression in colon cancer; Development of biomarker screening devices; Drug design and screening.
Titles
-Professor, Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Single Molecule Spectroscopy
-Model Membranes
-Protein Channel Dynamics
-Optical Microscopy/Spectroscopy
-Fiber Optic Sensors
-Development of Novel Microscopy Techniques
Titles
-Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Kinetics and thermodynamics of protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions; development and implementation of new biophysical methodologies and techniques for the study of these phenomena
Titles
-Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Applying Polymeric Nanomaterials to the Treatment and Diagnosis of Cancer
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Biomimetic Materials
-Hydrogels
-Tissue Engineering
-Drug Delivery
-Bioprocessing
Titles
-Chancellors Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Sciences and Endowed Professor
-Professor and Director of Molecular Oncology, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
-Deputy Director, The University of Kansas Cancer Center
-Director, Biospecimen Shared Resource
-Kansas Bioscience Authority Eminent Scholar
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Molecular Oncology
Titles
-Senior Scientist, University of Kansas Cancer Center
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Development of a three-dimensional breast cancer model to develop a novel anticancer agent that targets BRCA1
Titles
-Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering
Associated Tracks
-BioMolecular Engineering
-Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Research Interests
-Biocatalytics
-Sustainability Analysis
-Quantitative Sustainable Design
Titles
-Director, University of Kansas Cancer Center
-Director, Kansas Masonic Research Institute (KMCRI)
-Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
-William R. Jewell, MD Distinguished Kansas Masonic Professorship in
Cancer Research
-Chief Executive Offier, Midwest Cancer Alliance
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Expression and function of BRCA1 in breast tumorigenesis
Titles
-Distinguished Professor, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Physical Biochemistry
-Stabilization of macromolecules
-Vaccines
Titles
-Associate Professor, Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Metal-microbe interactions and effects on antibiotic resistance
-Analysis of environmental contaminants
Titles
-Professor, Physics & Astronomy
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-High Energy Theory
-Single Molecule Methods
-Pharmaceutical Data Analysis
Titles
-Assistant Professor, Molecular Biosciences
Associated Tracks
-Computational Bioengineering
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Transitions in single cells verses evolutionary fitness
Titles
-Chair, Molecular Biosciences
-Professor, Molecular Biosciences
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Protein Structure and Function
-F1 ATPase Rotary Motor
-Mechanism of Torque Generation and Nanodevice Fabrication
Titles
-Professor, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Bioimaging
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Utilizing cell adhesion molecules for targeted drug delivery and tissue engineering
Titles
-KU Foundation Distinguished Professor, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
Research Interests
-Nano Devices and Microfluidics
Titles
-Associate Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Design and analysis of chemical transport processes in which bioactive agents are released
Titles
-Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Fabrication of selective oxygen permeable membrane reactors
-Production of biodiesel
-Production of synthesis gas (autothermal reforming)
-Production of hydrogen (CO oxidation/LTWGS)
Titles
-Professor, Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Wastewater Treatment
-Biological Processes
-Algal Growth and Biodiesel Production
-Molecular Methods
Titles
-Distinguished Professor, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Elucidation of protein-drug degradation pathways during storage, shipping and handling
-Development of new analytical approaches to characterize macromolecules and vaccines for use as pharmaceuticals
-Design and evaluation of formulations to improve stability of biopharmaceutical drugs and vaccines
Titles
-Chair, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
-Albert P Learned Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Liquid-liquid Systems and Intensification
-Enzymatic Catalysis
-Ion-exchange and Adsorption
Titles
-Professor and Chair, Cancer Biology
-Associate Director for Basic Sciences
-Associate Director for Education
Associated Tracks
-Bioimaging
-Computational Bioengineering
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Tumor progression, invasion, metastasis
Titles
-Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Analytical Chemistry
-Micro/Nanofluidics
-Single Cell Analysis
-Genetic Analysis
-Proteomics
-Cancer Biology and Diagnostics
-Systems Biology
-Nanobiotechnology
Research Interests
Quantitative analysis of dynamic and heterogeneous biological processes is key to deciphering complex biological systems, such as cancer. Drawing on microfluidics, analytical chemistry, molecular/cell biology, bioengineering, and material science, our research is dedicated to advancing quantitative biology and personalized medicine through technology innovation and translational research. We currently focus on three main areas: