Department of Biomedical Engineering (GRAD)

How diffusion, entropy, electrostatics, and hydrophobicity generate order and force in biology. Topics include DNA manipulation, intracellular transport, cell division, molecular motors, single molecule biophysics techniques, nerve impulses, neuroscience.

Equilibrium statistical mechanics; the laws of thermodynamics, internal energy, enthalpy, entropy, thermodynamic potentials, Maxwell's relations.

This class covers the underlying concepts and instrumentation of modern medical imaging modalities. Review of applicable linear systems theory and relevant principles of physics. Modalities covered include X-ray radiography (conventional film-screen imaging and modern electronic imaging), computerized tomography (including the theory of reconstruction), magnetic resonance imaging, SPECT/PET, and ultrasound imaging.

Students will build upon skills learned in BMME 386 and assume project leadership roles as well as team management roles for more complex projects involving design, fabrication, assembly, testing, deployment, and incorporation of user feedback in the design and fabrication of components and systems for research and technology development in biomedical engineering. Students will interact with highly experienced faculty to develop and deploy design solutions for BME laboratories and technology spin-outs.

Opportunity for hands-on faculty mentored research project in biomedical engineering. Approved plan of work required with significant independent research culminating in a final paper and presentation at an appropriate venue. Departmental approval required. Course may not be repeated. Permission of department.

A firm understanding of the principles of mechanics is an important foundation to biomechanics. In this course, students will study the mechanics of materials with applications to the strength of bone, implant analysis, and testing of biological materials. A goal of this course is for students to understand how the interface of biology, mechanics, and therapies affect skeletal pathological conditions.

The course introduces the engineering principles used to modify cells in a variety of biomedical applications. The format includes lectures, discussion of primary research literature, and application of engineering design principles through student projects. The goals are to 1) discuss genome editing technologies, 2) evaluate strategies for cellular reprogramming and directed differentiation of stem cells, and 3) illustrate how genetic modification can be harnessed for cellular therapy and research applications such as animal models.

This course provides an introduction to the ideas and methodologies in the field of synthetic biology. Lectures focus on fundamental concepts in molecular biology and engineering as applied to biological system design. The laboratory portion of the course provides hands-on application of fundamental techniques in synthetic biology research. Previously offered as BMME 420. Majors only.

This course introduces the use and creation of biomolecules for biomedical applications to foster the development of a mission oriented research plan to create engineered biomolecules for biomedical applications. Students will search, prepare, evaluate, design, and simulate biomolecules through lectures on the basic chemical and structural properties of biomolecules, exploiting varieties of biomolecules, practical methods to engineer biomolecules, and development of a student research plan. BME students only.

This course introduces the science and technology of biomolecular sensing technologies, the essence of biosensors, and biochemical and immunological in vitro/in vivo diagnostic devices. The focus of the class is biomolecules (enzymes, antibodies, binding proteins, receptors, aptamers, molecularly imprinted polymers, etc.), bioelectronics and biochemical principles employed in biosensor development. Majors only.

This course will introduce students to fundamental concepts and engineering approaches in targeted photomedicine, particularly for the treatment of cancer. Students will review and present research articles on emerging applications of photomedicine. The major deliverable will be an NIH-style research proposal, based on lecture material and a literature review, to help students gain an understanding of advancements in targeted photomedicine.

This course provides an overview of musculoskeletal anatomy, and of the mechanical behavior of biological tissues and biological systems. Students learn to apply fundamental principles of mechanics to analyze movement in humans and other animals. Applications in rehabilitation and orthopedics are emphasized. Previously offered as BMME 405 and BMME 503.

Introduction to methodologies used to characterize a) the aggregate behavior of living neural networks and b) the changes in that behavior that occur as a function of stimulus properties, pharmacological manipulations, and other factors that dynamically modify the functional status of the network. Previously offered as BMME 445.

The course will 1) introduce basic neuroscience topics underlying sensorimotor control, and 2) introduce different types of childhood and adult neuromuscular disorders with both central and peripheral origins. The main focus of the class will be on the different techniques used for diagnosis, assessment, and rehabilitation interventions. Previously offered at BMME 447.

Physical and mathematical foundations of ultrasonic, optical, and magnetic resonance imaging systems in application to medical diagnostics. Each imaging modality is examined, highlighting critical system characteristics: underlying physics of the imaging system, including mechanisms of data generation and acquisition; image creation; and relevant image processing methods, such as noise reduction.

Student multidisciplinary teams work with local medical professionals to define specific medical device concepts for implementation.

Device prototypes designed in the first course in series. Good manufacturing practices; process validation; FDA quality system regulations; design verification and validation; regulatory approval planning; and intellectual property protection.

This course introduces students to basics of fluid mechanics (steady and pulsatile flows, laminar and turbulent flows, and Newtonian and non-Newtonian flows). Students learn the fundamental relationships and governing equations describing these types of flows and the basic physiology of certain systems that are highly associated with fluid flows. Previously offered as BMME 455.

Overview of medical imaging systems using ionizing radiation. Interaction of radiation with matter. Radiation production and detection. Radiography systems and applications. Tomography. PET and SPECT systems and applications.

Graduate students or permission of the instructor. Topics include basic electronic circuit design, analysis of medical instrumentation circuits, physiologic transducers (pressure, flow, bioelectric, temperate, and displacement). This course includes a laboratory where the student builds biomedical devices.

All imaging systems have limitations due to hardware specifications or fundamental physical principles. This course will focus on ways to surpass these limits through experimental design, new physical principles, and deep learning/computational processing. Toward this end, we will cover the fundamental mechanisms of image formation in the most common biomedical imaging modalities and describe recent approaches to extend resolution beyond conventional limits.

Lectures in this course address how to quantitatively evaluate functional engineered tissues. The course provides an overview of the field, with emphasis on detailed evaluation of scientific and commercial progress over time, and design principles that must be met to develop a process or fabricate a functional tissue-engineered part. Previously offered as BMME 470 and BMME 570.

This graduate level course will introduce practical machine learning concepts and tools, and will exemplify their application to the analysis of biological signals and images, including brain imaging, electrophysiology, and image recognition. MATH 347 recommended.

Mathematics relevant to image processing and analysis using real image computing objectives and provided by computer implementations.

Advanced topics in microcontroller systems used for biomedical instruments. Problems of interfacing computers with biomedical systems are studied. Students collaborate to develop a new biomedical instrument. Platforms could include the use of digital signal processing (DSP) microcontrollers or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and topics could include applications such as digital signal processing and high speed data acquisition to computers.

This course is designed to prepare a biomedical engineering student with the survey tools to understand key components in modern biotechnologies. Fundamental concepts, theory, design, operation, and analysis of the most common biotechnologies in bioengineering will be presented. Previously offered as BMME 485.

A study in the special fields under the direction of the faculty. Offered as needed for presenting material not normally available in regular BMME courses. Previously offered as BMME 490. Majors only.

This course teaches human factors engineering, risk assessment, and quality management systems. At the end of the course, students will be able to apply their knowledge to their senior design project and test for a six sigma green belt certification.

Research honors course. Prior approval needed from the chair or associate chair of the program for topic selection and faculty research mentor. Minimum GPA requirement, written report, and abstract requirements as set forth by the honors program.

Research honors thesis continuation with required GPA, research topic selection with approved faculty mentor. Written abstract and report per honors program guidelines submitted by specific deadlines.

This course is part of a three year sequence and it expands on the skills and knowledge gained in BM(M)E 398. Students continue to learn the process of engineering design and learn new skills to produce solutions for unmet medical needs. Majors only.

This course is part of a three-year sequence and it expands on the skills and knowledge gained in prior design courses. Students continue to learn the process of engineering design and learn new skills to produce solutions for unmet medical needs. Implementation phase of the senior design experience.

Medical or dental implants or explants are highlighted from textbooks, scientific literature, and personal accounts.

Lectures in physiology systems and lab techniques covering various functional genomic methods including DNA sequencing, gene arrays, proteomics, confocal microscopy, and imaging modalities.

Approaches to analysis of digital images. Scale geometry, statistical pattern recognition, optimization. Segmentation, registration, shape analysis. Applications, software tools.

This course covers the physical fundamentals of material science with an in-depth discussion of structure formation in soft and hard materials and how structure determines material mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical properties. Topics include amorphous and crystal structures, defects, dislocation theory, thermodynamics and phase diagrams, diffusion, interfaces and microstructures, solidification, and theory of phase transformation. Special emphasis will be on the structure-property relationships of (bio)polymers, (nano)composites, and their structure property relationships.

This is the second semester of the two-semester series intended to provide graduate students with an introduction to systems and organ physiology.

Introduction to methodologies used to characterize a) the aggregate behavior of living neural networks and b) the changes in that behavior that occurs as a function of stimulus properties, pharmacological manipulations, and other factors that dynamically modify the functional status of the network.

This course serves as a gateway course to the Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Imaging Science. This course offers an introduction to the most common imaging modalities, including MR, CT, PET, SPECT, ultrasound, and optical imaging. Lectures include discussions of hardware, physics, as well as pre-clinical and clinical applications.

Advanced topics of physics and instrumentation in nuclear imaging and magnetic resonance techniques.

Students will design an assistive technology device to help individuals with disabilities to become more independent. The project will be used in the community when it is completed.

Permission of the instructor. Special library and/or laboratory work on an individual basis on specific problems in biomedical engineering and biomedical mathematics. Direction of students is on a tutorial basis and subject matter is selected on the basis of individual needs and interests.

Permission of the instructor.