ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bioprocess engineering

Bioprocess engineering is like baking a cake.

First, you need to gather all the ingredients. In bioprocess engineering, these ingredients can be living cells, proteins, or other biological molecules.

Once you have your ingredients, you need to mix them together in the right way. In bioprocess engineering, you use various techniques to mix the ingredients together, such as stirring or shaking. This step is crucial because it ensures that all the ingredients are evenly distributed and can react with each other.

After mixing, you need to let the mixture sit and do its thing. In baking, this is when you put the cake in the oven and let it bake. In bioprocess engineering, this is called "culturing." You need to create an environment that's just right for the ingredients to grow and react with each other. This can involve adjusting the temperature, pH, oxygen levels, and other factors.

As the mixture sits and reacts, you need to keep an eye on it and make sure everything is going as planned. In baking, you might check the cake by sticking a toothpick in it. In bioprocess engineering, you might use sensors to measure the production of specific molecules.

Finally, when everything is ready, you need to extract your final product. In baking, this is when you take the cake out of the oven and let it cool. In bioprocess engineering, you might use centrifugation or filtration to separate the desired molecules from the rest of the mixture.

Overall, bioprocess engineering is about using techniques and tools to control and optimize biological reactions, much like how you can bake a cake by following a recipe and using the right tools and techniques.