Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering applies engineering expertise to analyze and solve problems in biology and medicine in order to enhance health care. Students involved in biomedical engineering learn to work with living systems and to apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care. Biomedical engineers work with other health care professionals including physicians, nurses, therapists and technicians toward improvements in diagnostic, therapeutic and health delivery systems. Biomedical engineers may be involved with designing medical instruments and devices, developing medical software, tissue and cellular engineering, developing new procedures or conducting state-of-the-art research needed to solve clinical problems. There are numerous areas of specialization and course work within biomedical engineering. These include: Bioinstrumentation: the application of electronics and measurement techniques to develop devices used in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, including heart monitors, intensive care equipment, cardiac pacemakers and many other electronic devices. Biomaterials: the development of artificial and living materials used for implantation in the human body, including those used for artificial heart valves, kidney dialysis cartridges, and artificial arteries, hips and knees. Biomechanics: the study of motion, forces and deformations in the human body, including the study of blood flow and arterial disease, forces associated with broken bones and their associated repair mechanisms, mechanisms of blunt trauma including head injuries, orthopedic systems, and the forces and movement associated with human joints such as the knee and hip. Tissue and cellular engineering: the application of biochemistry, biophysics and biotechnology toward the development of new cellular and tissue systems and an understanding of disease processes, including development of artificial skin and organs, cell adherence to artificial materials to prevent rejection by the body, and the development of new genetic cellular systems to treat diseases. Medical imaging: the development of devices and systems to image the human body to diagnose diseases, including the development and data processing of the CAT scan, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), medical ultrasound, X-ray and PET (positron emission tomography). Rehabilitation and human factors engineering: the development of devices and prosthetics to enhance the capabilities of disabled individuals, including design of wheelchairs, walkers, artificial legs and arms, enhanced communication aids, and educational tools for the handicapped. Learning outcomes Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following: Identify and apply recent knowledge, and analyze and solve problems in the foundation areas of mathematics, the sciences and statistics. Identify and apply recent knowledge, and analyze and solve problems in the foundation engineering areas of electrical circuits, mechanics, biomedical engineering, and engineering systems and design. Identify and apply recent knowledge, and analyze and solve problems in the life sciences, including biology, physiology and anatomy, and understand the relationship between the life sciences, mathematics and engineering. Design and conduct lab experiments, collect, analyze and interpret data from physical and simulated systems to solve technical problems, and analyze physiology and life science laboratory experiments to integrate engineering and physiology/biology.