What is it?

Transport (e.g., flow, diffusion) of energy and matter and mechanical behavior of solid and fluid materials are critical to most biological processes. Animals run, fly and swim, transporting momentum to surrounding solid and fluid materials. In a plant leaf, solar energy triggers flow of water and ions in guard cells, making them deform mechanically that opens the stomata causing carbon dioxide to diffuse inside the stomata to take part in photosynthesis. In our body, heart mechanically deforms to pump, overcoming the resistance of the blood vessels. Then the blood flows through the lung where oxygen diffuses into the blood and carbon dioxide diffuses out. In bioprocessing, such as a fermentation process, oxygen diffuses from the fermentation medium to the cells, mediated by the flow. Food safety and preservation can require heating/cooling or it may require drying that mechanically shrinks the food. Pollution and waste treatment, with great implications to our environment and agriculture, has transport at its core. See also focus area on Biomaterials Engineering.

How do we use it?

Understanding energy transport, as in conduction, convection, and radiation, allows us to design the optimal environment for plant, animal, or humans for increased productivity, reduced energy use or greater comfort. Knowing how water transports during food processing, we can find improved processing methods for minimum energy consumption and maximum quality. We can improve drug delivery or bioprocessing systems to generate pharmaceuticals more efficiently. Understanding momentum transport can lead to designing a bio-inspired propulsion system that is more efficient, maneuverable and miniaturized.

Career possibilities

Industrial careers in biotech, food, and pharmaceutical industries can be in product, process, and equipment development. These positions can be in bioprocess and food process engineering, drug discovery and drug delivery. They can also be in consumer products industries (like P&G), biomedical industries, and environmental engineering firms. Research and development in nearly all bio-related disciplines require knowledge of biomechanics and biotransport, thus higher studies (MS/PhD) would almost always relate to some aspects of them.

Core courses to help you prepare

• BEE 3310 – Bio-Fluid Mechanics
• BEE 3500 – Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Engineering

Focus Area courses to help you prepare (Fall 2025 or later)