Bioseparations engineering refers to the systematic study of the
scientific and engineering principles utilized for large-scale purification
of biological products: biopharmaceuticals, biochemicals, foods,
nutraceuticals and diagnostic reagents. Bioseparations engineering, both
as an academic topic as well as an industrial practice has undergone
significant growth and increase in importance in the past decade. Its
entry into academia as a taught course took place as usually happens with
any new topic: at the postgraduate level. It is now taught as a regular
course in many undergraduate chemical and biomolecular engineering
programs. It is also taught either as a separate course or indeed as a
component of bioprocess engineering in almost all undergraduate and
postgraduate programs in biotechnology.