PhD in Chemical Engineering - Biological and Medical Systems in Rochester United States | University of Rochester

The PhD degree in chemical engineering is a research-based doctoral degree program. The program requirements are designed to provide candidates with fundamental understanding of core chemical engineering principles and intensive original research experience. Research opportunities are available in advanced materials, catalysis and electrocatalysis, batteries, biological and medical systems, computational fluid dynamics, functional interfaces, optical materials and theory, simulations and artificial intelligence in well-funded, department-affiliated research groups.
The Department of Chemical Engineering offers graduate programs leading to PhD and MS degrees in chemical engineering. Students in our department participate in groundbreaking, multidisciplinary research and education in an innovative environment. Students can join one of our distinguished and well-funded research groups and benefit from close interactions with our faculty, through carefully designed courses and cutting-edge research projects.
Our faculty value interdisciplinary research, giving students the opportunity to collaborate with other departments like chemistry, optics, biomedical engineering, and materials science. The department and the university offer state-of-the-art research equipment and computer facilities to perform high-impact research.
Professor White uses deep learning as a tool for understanding complex biochemical systems that govern the design of drugs. Deep learning can provide accurate data-driven predictions for the design of new drugs and is especially important in complex biologic therapeutics like peptide drugs or delivered drugs.
Professor Foster has active projects with three different departments at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Neurosurgery, Eastman Dental and Urology, to simulateflow dynamics relevant to medical systems. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the application of numerical methods to create simulations of systems of interest in many areas of engineering. The general mathematical approach is to discretize the governing equations of fluid flow using finite volume methods to solve the equations of motion numerically via iterative procedures. We use CFD in various medical related projects to assist physicians at URMC in patient care and treatment.
The Yates group synthesizes coatings designed to interact with biochemical species. Electrochemical synthesis has been used to apply coatings on titanium that have been designed promote bone growth and prevent bacterial infection in orthopedic implant applications. Polymer coatings have been designed to enhance the performance of photonic biosensors by promoting strong interaction of the analyte with the surface of the sensing element.