Biomedical Engineering B.Bm.E.

In bioelectricity/instrumentation (BEI), we seek to record, process, image, and control biomedical signals and develop instrumentation for biological research and medical applications. Specific examples of bioelectricity and instrumentation include cardiac pacemakers for restoring heart rhythm, braincomputer interfaces to link the brain and environment, and anatomical and functional imaging systems (optical, ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging) to assess tissue conditions at various scales and resolution.

Students in the sub-plan of biomaterials are expected to become acquainted with the general principles of designing, synthesizing, processing, and characterizing biomaterials and learn to use biomaterials to solve problems in biology and medicine. Courses on life science, fundamentals of materials science and engineering, and interactions between materials and living elements are relevant.

Biomechanics is the study of motion and the forces that produce motion in biological systems. The biomechanics sub-plan includes mechanics of tissues and biomaterials, whole body kinematics, and biomechanical design. This sub-plan prepares students to work on tissue mechanics problems, mechanical aspects of biomaterials selection, design of mechanical systems for biomedical use and to understand the dynamics of large scale motions.

Biomedical Transport Process involves three fundamental processes: momentum transfer, mass transfer, and heat transfer. They share similar biophysical and mathematical descriptions. Momentum transfer underlies flow fluid in the subject known as fluid mechanics. Applications of fluid mechanics in BME range from predicting blood flow in vessels, to flow of samples in "lab on chip" microfluidic systems, to flow of cell culture medium through tissue engineered cartilage in bioreactors. Mass and heat transfer refer to the ability to deliver molecules and energy, respectively, from a source to a target. Applications of mass and heat transfer range from predicting blood oxygenation rates in capillaries from oxygen in lung alveoli and in hollow fibers from pure oxygen gas in "heart lung machines," to movement of mRNA generated in the cell nucleus to cytoplasmic ribosomes. BTP is highly mathematical and computational in nature, since the basis of making such predictions is formulating and solving the equations that govern momentum, mass, and energy balances. As suggested in the above applications, BTP is relevant in almost every physiological / cellular process and almost all medical devices.

In cell and molecular bioengineering, we take advantage of natural biological processes for the advancement of industrial biotechnologies. For example, by harnessing the power of genetic manipulation, we can control cellular production of small molecules, enzymes (catalysts) and other biomolecules that can be used in the treatment of disease and / or in the development of nanoscale medical devices. Additionally, one desperate need is to improve approaches to discovering new drugs, and students in this sub-plan will be well positioned to pursue graduate work and ultimately a career in the pharmaceutical industry.

In cell and tissue engineering (CTE), we seek to control biological function at the cell and tissue level. Tissue engineering could include bioreactors for controlled physical/chemical stimuli, drug, and nutrient transport through tissue, and tissue mechanical properties. Specific examples of cell engineering include control of cell migration, division, growth, and death through therapeutic drugs or other molecular agents, such as those released from drug eluting stents. Students should be aware that there are relatively few bachelors degree level positions that directly relate to CTE. Rather, most of the positions in CTE tend to be filled by PhD level engineers, and so further study is usually required such as graduate or medical school. This sub-plan is useful preparation for that path.

The Digital Health sub-plan aims to prepare BME students to manage and analyze big data problems that face the medical industry. As medical health records are becoming digitized it provides the opportunity to use machine learning tools for medical discovery. Students will learn how to identifying disease biomarkers and traits that identify patients that are at risk for diseases and assess the best therapies suited to the patients needs. Students in this sub-plan will take machine learning and data management classes.

The medical device sub-plan covers an extreme range from implantable coronary artery stents to refrigerator sized blood testers. Some courses, such as Advanced Biomaterials, Computer Aided Product Realization, Quality Engineering, Design and Manufacturing, and Designing Experiments could be helpful for any career in devices. Students interested in electronic devices (which can range from pacemakers to giant blood testers) might consider the EE courses covering Fundamentals, Microsystems, Microcontrollers, Communications, and Analog/Digital Design. Students considering work in the broad area of stimulation and monitoring (pacemakers to nerve stimulators to EKGs) should take Advanced Bioelectricity. For a career in external medical devices (such as cardiac assist, dialysis, or blood testers), the courses on Advanced Biomedical Transport, Electric Drives, Motion Control, Advanced Mechanisms Design, Stress Analysis/Sensing/Transducers, and Robotics are helpful.

In neural engineering, we use engineering principles to understand how the brain works and develop new technology to interact and treat the brain. The curriculum for this sub-plan is designed to teach students the basics of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology and the fundamentals of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, tinnitus, and epilepsy. Students will also develop engineering skills such as signal processing, image processing, instrumentation and computational modeling as well as electrode design, amplifier and filter design, brain machine interfaces, cochlear implants, and deep brain stimulation.

Biomedical engineering (BME) encompasses a broad range of approaches to improving health through technology. To function as a biomedical engineer, it is important to go beyond a broad training in the core principles of BME to also gain a depth of expertise in one or more specialized areas of BME. To facilitate this, the department requires that 27 credits of advanced engineering and science coursework be completed beyond that in the core curriculum. These advanced courses have a coherent theme and meet the requirements specified in the "degree requirements" section. Because BME is a rapidly evolving field, it is important that the areas of emphasis not be rigidly codified, but rather that students be allowed to customize their advanced studies to suit their own particular interests. Thus, if students do not choose one of our predefined emphasis areas, they are able to work with the Director of Undergraduate Studies to create a customized course list for their area of interest. It is necessary that the engineering and science elective (ESE) courses be technically coherent and that the courses be mainly in engineering and at an advanced level.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers an Integrated Bachelors and Masters Degree program. Students accepted to the integrated program will be guaranteed admission to the Biomedical Engineering MS upon completed of the undergraduate degree.

Eligible applicants to the BME Integrated Degree Program (IDP) must have completed all required sophomore-level coursework (BMEn 2101, 2401, 2501) as well as four of the five junior-level lecture courses 3011, 3111, 3211, 3311, and 3411) and four of the five junior-level lab courses (BMEn 3015, 3115, 3215, 3315, and 3415). Students who have not yet completed these courses or their approved equivalents cannot be considered for this program.

Admission to the BME IDP is based primarily on the technical GPA. Applicants with a technical GPA of 3.2 or higher are guaranteed admission. Applicants with a lower GPA will be considered on a space-available basis. Full application instructions and deadlines can be found at https://cse.umn.edu/bme/how-apply-integrated-bachelors-masters.

The BME IDP requires completion of 125 credits to fulfill the undergraduate B.Bm.E. requirements, plus an additional 30 credits for the graduate M.S. degree. Credits cannot be double counted between the two degrees or counted simultaneously toward both the B.Bm.E. and the M.S. This includes credits used for other undergraduate degrees, majors, or minors. Credits used for undergraduate degrees, majors, or minors cannot be split between the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Students take additional coursework during the integrated senior year - on top of their required B.Bm.E. courses - which will be applied toward the M.S. degree. Up to 16 credits completed during the undergraduate program may be transferred to the graduate program. See https://cse.umn.edu/bme/courses for course lists that satisfy the M.S. degree requirements.

Courses that will be used to fulfill Masters degree requirements must appear in this sub-plan on the student APAS by the tenth day of the semester in which the student is enrolled in the courses. Any final edits or updates to these courses must be reflected on the APAS no later than the last day of instruction in the semester in which the undergraduate degree will be awarded. Courses not in the appropriate section of the APAS by that time cannot be updated at a later time and therefore will not be eligible for use towards the Master's degree.

Students admitted to this integrated degree program will complete and be awarded the undergraduate degree within 4 years (8 semesters) for NHS and 3 years (6 semesters) for NAS students. Admission will be revoked if the awarding of the undergraduate degree exceeds 8 semesters for NHS students and 6 semesters for NAS students.

The bachelor’s and master’s degrees cannot be awarded simultaneously.