Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering Society MeetingSeptember 4, 2008

Jennifer Barton. Ph.D.Chair, Biomedical Engineering Interdisciplinary Program

barton@u.arizona.edu621-4116

Outline

• Biomedical Engineering• University of Arizona Academic Programs• Example research in Barton lab• How can I get involved?

Biomedical Engineering Definitions

• “A Biomedical Engineer uses traditional engineering expertise to analyze and solve problems in biology and medicine, providing an overall enhancement of health care.”

Biomedical Engineering Society

• “Biomedical engineering improves the quality of the nation's health by increasing biological knowledge and facilitating development of novel devices and drugs through the use of engineering principles and techniques”

National Institutes of Health

BMES-defined areas of BME

• Bioinstrumentation is the application of electronics and measurement techniques to develop devices used in diagnosis and treatment of disease.

• Biomaterials include both living tissue and artificial materials used for implantation.

• Biomechanics applies classical mechanics to biological or medical problems. • Cellular, Tissue and Genetic Engineering utilize the anatomy, biochemistry

and mechanics of cellular and sub-cellular structures in order to understand disease processes.

• Clinical Engineering is the application of technology to health care in hospitals.

• Medical Imaging combines knowledge of a unique physical phenomenon (sound, radiation, magnetism, etc.) with high speed electronic data processing, analysis and display to generate an image.

• Rehabilitation Engineering enhances the capabilities and improves the quality of life for individuals with physical and cognitive impairments.

• Systems Physiology uses engineering strategies, techniques and tools to gain a comprehensive and integrated understanding of the function of living organisms.

Why chose Biomedical Engineering?

• Directly positively affect human health• Learn a diverse set of skills and acquire a broad

knowledge base• Job growth

What Does a Biomedical Engineer Do?

• Biomedical engineers usually work in multidisciplinary teams.

• About equal numbers of PhD graduates work in industry and in academia. Some work in national labs or for national institutes.

• Masters students typically work in industry.• Some specific possibilities:

– design medical monitoring, diagnostic and therapeutic equipment and procedures

– design new prosthetics and implants– design imaging systems– measure and monitor physiological parameters– develop artificial intelligence and knowledge-based systems – design and deliver technology to assist people with disabilities

Education and Skill Set

• Education requirements depend on the chosen specialty and work setting. (can do biomedical engineering with a BS in engineering)

• Biomedical Engineers must develop:– effective communication skills – precise observation and measurement skills – patience and imagination – design skills – analytical and problem solving skills

• Combine the best of engineering, sciences, and medicine!

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UA Academic Program- Graduate

• The BME Interdisciplinary Program awards M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

• BME students have bachelors degrees in engineering, physical or life sciences, and mathematics.

• Application deadline is February 1, 2009. Contact Debbi Howard 626-9134 or check the Web site www.bme.arizona.edu.

• A BME minor is available for interested graduate students in other disciplines.

BME Curriculum

• There are four core lecture courses in BME– Biology for Biomedical Engineering– Physiology for BME– Measurement and Data Analysis in BME– Two out of three of the following:

• Biomaterials• Bioimaging• Biomechanics

• In addition, students perform lab rotations, ethics and BME seminars, and perform an internship.

• Other lecture courses are taken in the student’s field of interest.

Academic Program- Undergraduate

• UA does not offer an undergraduate degree in BME.• Employers and some graduate schools tend to prefer

students with UG degree in “traditional” engineering disciplines.

• UG students can take BME and BME-related courses as technical electives

– BME 417– Others, including: AME 466 Biomechanics; MSE 461 Biological and

Synthetic Materials; PHYS 440 Medical Physics

• A formal specialization in BME is coordinated in all CoEM departments and most majors.

Research- Main Topics at UA

• Bioimaging• Cardiovascular Engineering• Bioprocesses• Computational Biology• Bio-nanotechnology

Barton Lab, Example of Optical Coherence Tomography System

• Over 12 graduate students, 4 undergraduates, and 1 high-school intern have contributed to the system, in development for 8 years– Electrical, systems, mechanical, biosystems engineering; optical and

computer sciences, physiology and biology• Our applications collaborators include faculty from the

Arizona Cancer Center, Bio5 Institute, Cell Biology, Physiology, Medicine

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Imaging Disease Progression

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histology

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Imaging in the OR

Imaging in the OR

Top Ten ways you can be involved in BME at UA

10. Attend a BME seminar (Mondays 2:00, Keating).9. Perform your senior project in a BME area. 8. Take a BME class (400 or 500 level).7. Choose a graduate minor in BME.6. Visit one of the BME labs (www.bme.arizona.edu).5. Apply for one of the many UA and national fellowships

related to BME.4. Pick a specialization in BME.3. Volunteer in a BME faculty member’s lab.2. Apply to the graduate program in BME.1. Become a member of the UA chapter of the Biomedical

Engineering society.