Yusuf Chisti is Professor of Biochemical Engineering in the School of Engineering, Massey University, New Zealand. Professor Chisti holds a MSc (Biochemical Engineering) degree from University of London, England, and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from University of Waterloo, Canada. He is a Chartered Engineer, CEng, and Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE), UK. His previous appointments were with the University of Almería, Spain; Chembiomed Ltd, Edmonton, Canada; University of Waterloo, Canada; and The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Professor Chisti has produced nearly 300 publications including a highly cited book (Airlift Bioreactors, Elsevier, 1989). He has lectured at nearly 200 conferences and other events worldwide. His research focuses on sustainable production of chemicals, materials and fuels through biotechnology. His research areas include bioreactor design, downstream bioseparations, microbial fermentations, enzyme technology, animal cell culture, bioremediation and bioconversion of wastes, and transport phenomena.
He sits on Editorial Boards of the following publications: Biotechnology Advances; Journal of Biotechnology; Advanced Natural Products; Journal of Applied Phycology; Encyclopedia of Bioprocess Technology: Fermentation, Biocatalysis, and Bioseparation (Wiley, New York, 1999); Encyclopedia of Industrial Biotechnology, Bioprocess, Bioseparation, and Cell Technology (Wiley, New York, 2010); Biofuels; Environmental Engineering and Management; and Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefining. 

In 2006, Professor Chisti received a Doctor Honoris Causa degree from Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Romania, in recognition of his many contributions to chemical and biological engineering. In 2014, Canada’s University of Waterloo awarded him its Engineering Alumni Achievement medal in the Academic Excellence category.

Professor Chisti’s expertise as a consultant is highly sought. He has assisted organizations and governments in nearly a dozen countries.