Three women in chemical engineering laboratory.

Research

From biomedical breakthroughs to clean technologies and renewable energy, our researchers lead innovative, multidisciplinary work that addresses global challenges in health, environment and sustainable manufacturing. With over 60 graduate students and a collaborative ecosystem, our department is committed to pushing the boundaries of chemical and biological engineering.

Principal research areas

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Ottawa is advancing research at the intersection of engineering, life sciences and chemistry to address some of society’s most pressing challenges. Our researchers are developing innovative solutions in areas such as biomedical engineering, clean technologies, process engineering, materials development engineering and renewable energy.

Professors and graduate students work together in state-of-the-art labs to develop solutions that support sustainable development, improve industrial processes and advance emerging technologies.

Professors listed on this page may be contacted for thesis supervision.

Biomedical engineering
Clean Technologies
Materials development
Process engineering
Renewable energy

Biomedical engineering

Overview

Biomedical engineering is a rapidly growing area of research in chemical engineering. Chemical engineers have traditionally played a significant role in medical research and practice. Research in biomedical engineering involving chemical engineers includes tissue engineering, drug delivery, biomanufacturing and, design of clinical therapies, as well as materials synthesis, modification and fabrication, to name but a few.

Clean technologies

Overview

Clean technologies are defined as technologies developed by scientists and engineers that enable a more efficient use of natural resources and greatly reduce the specific technology’s ecological impact. The concept of clean technologies embraces a broad range of products, services and processes that provide superior performance at lower costs and significantly reduce or eliminate negative effects on the environment.

Clean technologies span many industries, from alternative forms of energy generation to water purification to materials-efficient production techniques.

Materials development

Overview

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering has a long history of developing  materials for a broad range of industrial applications. Researchers within the department offer expertise in the design and production of membranes, adsorbents, adsorbent membranes, polymers, biomedical materials, catalysts and nanoparticles.

Building on this expertise, researchers develop innovative manufacturing processes and circular technologies that improve resource efficiency and product sustainability. Our areas of research include advanced manufacturing, recycling and upcycling, resource recovery, process optimization, life-cycle analysis, degradation and technologies that enable the reuse and recovery of critical materials in a circular economy.

Process engineering

Overview

Process engineering is synonymous with traditional chemical engineering. It focuses on the design, operation and maintenance of chemical, biological and material manufacturing processes and involves the specification, optimization, realization and scale-up of the processes used in manufacturing products. Process engineering and process engineers are found in a broad range of sectors, including petrochemical, power plant, mineral processing, material, food, pharmaceutical, biomanufacturing and biotechnological industries.

Renewable energy

Overview

Renewable energy is defined as energy derived from resources that can be regenerated or cannot be depleted. Approximately 25% of human energy use worldwide comes from renewable energy sources. The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering has become a leader in renewable energy research, having embarked on projects related to bioethanol and biodiesel production more than ten years ago, and we continue to expand in this research field through our new industrial partnerships.