Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals: Stoichiometry and Bioreactor Basics

To design and optimize modern biochemical systems, you must first master the quantitative principles that govern microbial life and chemical conversions. This course bridges the gap between biology and engineering, providing a clear pathway to understanding how cells process nutrients and generate products. You will learn to analyze complex biological systems by breaking them down into fundamental thermodynamic and stoichiometric components. By completing this text-only course, you will gain the confidence to model microbial growth, balance biochemical equations, and perform mass balances for diverse engineering applications. You will move from basic chemical concepts to analyzing real-world biological systems, including specialized organisms like methanogens and aerobic bacteria. What you'll learn: - Understand the core terminology and foundational principles of biochemical engineering - Balance complex stoichiometric equations for microbial growth and product formation - Analyze yield coefficients and energy conservation in biological reactions - Calculate mass balances for aerobic and anaerobic bioprocesses - Apply kinetic models to predict microbial behavior in controlled environments - Evaluate metabolic pathways using quantitative engineering frameworks We begin with essential biological concepts and chemical definitions before guiding you step-by-step through the mathematical models used to design bioreactors and predict cell behavior. Every module focuses on clear explanations of the underlying math, supported by practical text-based exercises to reinforce your learning. This course is designed for beginners, engineering students, and science professionals looking for a structured introduction to bioprocess calculations. No prior background in biochemical engineering is required, though a basic understanding of general chemistry is helpful. Start building your quantitative biochemical engineering skills today.