Global Biomedical Growth Hits Home

When we hear of huge global markets in medical devices, equipment, and treatments, it is easy to think of it as something that does not directly affect us. Lost in all the numbers of global import is the fact that biomedical engineering, the source of those advances, underpins one of the fastest growing sectors of the Indiana economy.

In rankings for 2004, Indiana ranked fourth in the nation for total employees in the medical device field, with more than 16,000 people employed and earning an average salary of almost $59,000.00. In that same year, Indiana exported in excess of $1 billion of biomedical products to world markets.

Yet, these numbers only give a hint to the impact that the biomedical industry has on the state. Indiana's rise from seventh in the nation in total employees for medical devices in 2001 to fourth, as well as rising from seventh to third in the nation for total wages in the same time period, means that many aspects of Indiana life have also benefited. The State of Indiana has made a major commitment to encourage and support biomedical companies through such initiatives as the 21st Century Fund, and the rise of Indiana in national rankings reflects that.

Nor does this increase show any sign of slowing down. InContext, published by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, notes in this month's issue "While biomedical engineering is a fast growing occupation nationally, this occupation is growing even faster in Indiana (44 percent versus the national 31 percent over the next decade)."

The Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue is expanding rapidly to meet this need through dedicated state, company, foundational, and alumni support. Our new world-class, state-of-the-art facility that was dedicated on Friday, September 22, allows us to train the next generation of biomedical engineering and entrepreneurial leaders.

A joint investment between the State of Indiana and private donors such as the Whitaker Foundation, the $25 million building provides 91,000 square feet of space for innovative education and research. The first floor houses undergraduate and graduate educational facilities including hands-on instructional laboratories, advising and counseling offices, classrooms and meeting space for students. The second and third floors and the basement are dedicated to highly interdisciplinary research, focusing in six areas of investigation: biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomedical imaging and optics, bionanotechnology and biosensors, neural engineering, orthopaedic biomechanics and implants, and computational and systems biology. Nearly three-quarters of our industrially-sponsored research is undertaken with Indiana companies, both large and small.

To date, more than 50 U.S. patents based on Purdue biomedical engineering discoveries have been licensed to partner medical device companies, with more than 40 of them going to Indiana firms. The licensing of these patents has not only brought substantial royalties to Purdue, but they have also helped fuel the growth of allied companies. The recent generosity of Cook, Inc. to endow a professorship in biomedical engineering at Purdue to honor long-time faculty member Leslie A. Geddes reflects the potential strength and impact of such university/industry partnerships.

While nearly half of our biomedical engineering students at Purdue are Indiana residents, to date more than two-thirds of our graduates have taken jobs at Indiana medical device and biotechnology companies. Expanding our educational programs in our new facility will produce record numbers of results-oriented, practical engineers who will help existing companies thrive, and new ones emerge, to further expand job and economic growth.

The Weldon School is proud of the role Purdue biomedical engineering has played in developing economic growth in the state. What we look forward to is helping expand that growth into exciting new areas for an even greater global impact and return on the investment by the people of Indiana.