Overview

Students who enjoy math, physics and chemistry, but who also have a keen interest in biology and medicine, should consider a career in Biomedical Engineering (BME). Synthetic heart valves, the fMRI scanner and automatic bio-sensors for rapid gene sequencing are each examples of BiomedE.

With the rapid advances in biomedical research, and the severe economic pressures to reduce the cost of healthcare, BiomedE plays an important role in the medical environment of the 21st century. BiomedE has evolved into a separate discipline bringing the quantitative concepts of design and optimization to problems in biomedicine.

The opportunities for biomedical engineers are wide ranging. The medical device and pharmaceutical industries are increasingly investing in biomedical engineers. As gene therapies become more sophisticated, biomedical engineers will have a key role in bringing these ideas into real clinical practice. Finally, as technology plays an ever-increasing role in medicine, there will be a larger need for physicians with a solid engineering background. From biotechnology to tissue engineering, from medical imaging to microelectronic prosthesis, from biopolymers to rehabilitation engineering, biomedical engineers are in demand.

Department Administration

Department Chair

Mary-Ann Mycek, Professor Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering & the Medical School.

1107 Carl A. Gerstacker Building

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