Commercializing Products with Molecular Engineering

Undergraduate / Graduate

Many technologies and products that have been successfully commercialized benefit from engineering at the molecular scale. This course will present case studies of such technologies and products, including those drawn from the fields of pharmaceuticals (e.g., biologics, nanoparticle-based drugs, and excipients for enhanced drug solubility), food products (e.g., Cavamax by Wacker Chemie that applies beta-cyclodextrin for molecular encapsulation to improve flavor solubility), and industrial products (e.g., Febreze Air freshener, sunscreens with UV protection, photographic films, and slurries for polishing surfaces). Each case study will examine: the unmet market need addressed by the product, the science behind the molecular engineering of the technology, the background/history of the technology, and key attributes/decisions made by inventors along the pathway to commercialization. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to understand the overall process for developing a new technology/product, outline the steps to design the key critical-to-quality (CTQ) attributes, describe how to monetize a technology/product, and recognize the avenues available to protect the technology/product or create barriers to entry to the market.