MOLECULAR

BIOENGINEERING
BME 401
BY SOJOBI J.W.
 COURSE CONTENT
• Introduction to molecular bioengineering.
• The mechanical properties of cells and biomolecules,
cellular/molecular force generation and adhesion, the response
of cells to their mechanical microenvironment and
mechanotransduction in response to various physical force
such as fluid shear stress.
• DNA-protein/RNA-protein interactions, protein folding and
function, protein-protein and receptor-ligand interactions, lipids,
polysaccharides, molecular motors and the biophysics of
macromolecules that function as therapeutics or engineered
matrices.
 COURSE CONTENT
• The engineering of nanoparticles for advanced drug
delivery and molecular imaging applications with
particular focus on the interaction of such particles with
living cells.
• Application of nanostructured materials to control the
behaviour of cells and biomolecules.
 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
• To introduce the students to molecular bioengineering.
• To introduce the students to biomolecules in cells.
• To introduce the students to important components of the extracellular matrix.
• To introduce the students to the mechanical properties of cells and
biomolecules, cellular/molecular force generation and adhesion, the response
of cells to their mechanical microenvironment and mechanotransduction in
response to various physical force such as fluid shear stress.
• To make the students understand DNA-protein/RNA-protein interactions,
protein folding and function, protein-protein and receptor-ligand interactions,
lipids, polysaccharides, molecular motors and the biophysics of
macromolecules that function as therapeutics or engineered matrices.
 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
• To introduce the students to the engineering of
nanoparticles for advanced drug delivery and molecular
imaging applications with particular focus on the
interaction of such particles with living cells.
 Introduction to molecular engineering
• Molecular bioengineering is an emerging discipline that
draws from advances in science and engineering to seek
molecular-level solutions to complex problems in medicine
and biotechnology.
• Based on tremendous advances in our understanding of
biology and physiology, a number of promising molecular
diagnostics, therapeutics, and biotechnological solutions
are under development, but the properties of the molecules
used in such techniques often require some modifications
to satisfy the constraints of a particular application.
 Introduction to molecular engineering
• It offers investigators a forum for the dissemination of
research that utilizes engineering principles and methods
to advance fundamental knowledge and technological
solutions related to cellular and molecular systems.
• Specific cell processes of interest include cell growth,
differentiation, migration, signal transduction, protein
secretion and transport, gene expression and regulation,
and cell-matrix interactions.
 Introduction to molecular engineering
• By virtue of its broad scope, molecular bioengineering is
interdisciplinary and involves principles of engineering,
biology, chemistry, and physics in its applications.
Biomolecules such as enzymes have been manipulated for
improved performance for many years.
• However, optimization has been hindered by the complex
relationship among molecular properties (e.g., amino acid
sequence and three-dimensional structure), design
principles (e.g., turnover rate vs specificity), and functional
activity (e.g., yield of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction).
 Introduction to molecular engineering
• With developments in technology and informatics, a
rational basis for engineering biologically important
molecules is now becoming feasible, one that envisions a
combination of theoretical (e.g., rational molecular design,
structural modeling, computational genomics) and
experimental (e.g., site-directed mutagenesis,
combinatorial chemistry, molecular evolution) approaches
in alter properties of the molecule that are of interest to
specific application(s).
 Introduction to molecular engineering
• The need for molecular bioengineering approaches is
inherent in the increasing need for improved molecules in
a variety of industrial, research, and medical applications,
which, in turn, are driven by economic as well as social
considerations.
• Advances in a variety of applied chemical and biological
technologies are resulting in increases in the number of
viable drug targets and drug candidates. Often, however,
drug candidates that are favorable based on some criteria
are not acceptable on others.
 Introduction to molecular engineering
• For example, mouse monoclonal antibodies often have
favorable pharmacokinetic profiles and excellent
pharmacological properties (i.e., fairly high-affinity binding
with excellent specificity), but their immunogenicity is
unacceptable for therapeutic purposes.
• In this case, strategic alterations might result in a modified
antibody whose adverse effects are eliminated without its
biological effectiveness being compromised.
• The specific technique used for modification will depend
on both the nature of the desired modification and the
biochemical identity of the original molecule (i.e., gene or
Fig 1: Fields useful in the practice of molecular bioengineering