BME Depth Areas Information

This is an old webpage. Please refer to the updated webpage located here.

Students are required to select a primary pathway and complete the two required courses as part of their BME undergraduate degree requirements. Students are also required to select a secondary pathway and complete one of the two required courses for that pathway.**

There are five pathways:

  • Bioimaging
  • Bioelectronics/Bioinstrumentation
  • Biomechanics/Biomaterials
  • Computational Biomedicine
  • Generalist*

Students will tentatively select their primary and secondary pathway during their sophomore year in BME 29000. Students are allowed to change their selected pathways, but must complete at least one pathway before taking senior design.

Space in at least one pathway course is guaranteed each semester, but the BME advising office cannot guarantee space in a student’s chosen primary pathway.

* The Generalist Pathway is a stand-alone pathway. This pathway cannot be selected as a student’s secondary pathway. Students completing the Generalist Pathway are not required to select a secondary pathway.

** If a student selects Bioimaging and Bioelectronics/Bioinstrumentation as their primary and secondary pathways (or vice versa), they cannot double count ECE 30100 toward both requirements.

BME held a forum explaining the various pathways in greater detail on March 23, 2022. Students can view a recording of the forum with subtitles here: https://youtu.be/fBtBXMHMrvw

Bioimaging

Bioimaging is the study of imaging instrumentation and methodology for the examination of tissue. Bioimaging encompasses both structural and functional techniques, from subcellular to organ scale. Typically reliant on electromagnetic or ultrasonic waves, common bioimaging modalities include optical and photoacoustic microscopy, ultrasound, x-ray, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Image processing and data analysis are important aspects of bioimaging training.

Required Pathway courses – Required for students on this pathway

  • BME 36000: Biomedical Image Processing
    • Pre-Requisites: PHYS 24100 or PHYS 27200 or equivalents
    • Concurrent Pre-requisite: ECE 30100
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Spring
  • ECE 30100: Signals and Systems
    • Typically offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Bioelectronics/Bioinstrumentation

Bioinstrumentation is the study of physiological and imaging instrumentation and measurement techniques for mapping signals and biomarkers of health and disease. Bioinstrumentation courses encompasses both fundamental and applied aspects of instrumentation ranging from bioelectronic device design, application, physiological methods for studying cells and tissue including the nervous system, and wearable electronics. Courses span methodological advances from the traditional use of electrodes for bioelectricity to nanoscale device technologies for point-of-care and implantable systems. Students wishing to pursue a Neuroengineering sub-discipline will/can additionally avail of technical electives in the life-sciences with neuroscience and imaging focus.

Required Pathway courses – Required for students on this pathway

  • BME 30100: Bioelectricity
    • Pre-Requisites: MA 26200 or (MA 26500 & 26600) and BME 20700
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Fall
  • ECE 30100: Signals and Systems
    • Typically offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Biomechanics/Biomaterials Pathway

Biomechanical and Biomaterial engineers apply principles from classical physics and mechanics (conservation of mass, momentum and energy) and use mechanical concepts such as force, stress, deformation, and material properties in solids and fluids) to analyze biological systems. The Biomechanics/Biomaterials Pathway is aimed at providing students with foundational skills to make discoveries and solve problems with clinical applications and relevance.

Biomechanics is the study of the structure, function, and motion of the mechanical aspects of biological systems. Advances of the biomechanics field have helped understand the mechanisms of various phenomena observed in cells, tissues, and organs in health and disease, as well as develop products that address key health issues ranging from traumatic brain injury, orthopedics, drug delivery, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Relevant industries and research areas include sport and fitness, pharmaceutics and drug delivery, orthopedics, and manufacturing and development of biomedical devices and prosthesis.

To succeed in the biomechanics area, proficiency in mathematics, quantitative analysis, physics, and mechanics are crucial for understanding and analyzing biomechanical problems. Computational modeling skills can be also very useful for studying biomechanics.

Biomaterials is the study of naturally occurring or laboratory-designed materials designed to be used in close contact with biological systems, tissues that serve medical purposes; such as replacement of damaged organs or treatment of diseases. Biomaterials are in wide use, including for titanium hip implants, microcapsules for drug delivery, and engineered skin. Relevant industries and research areas include tissue engineering, drug delivery, and implantable devices. Relevant industries include pharmaceutics and drug delivery and companies manufacturing biomedical devices or prosthesis.

Understanding fundamentals of materials science and advanced biomaterials topics including biocompatibility, toxicity, and cell-material interactions is essential to find jobs in the biomaterials area. Trainings in various fields related to mechanics, electricity, and biochemistry, are typically good qualifications for finding jobs in the biomaterials area.

Required Pathway courses

  • BME 304: Biomedical Transport Fundamentals
    • Pre-Requisites: MA 26200 or (MA 26500 and MA 26600) and ME 20000 or equivalents
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Fall
  • BME 314: Experimental Methods in Biomechanical Engineering
    • Pre-Requisites: BME 21400 or equivalents
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Spring

Computational Biomedicine

Biomedical engineers increasingly need to interpret complex biological datasets to generate insights and develop engineering solutions to healthcare challenges. The Computational Biomedicine undergraduate curriculum pathway is aimed at providing students with foundational skills to model and interpret biological datasets.

Graduates of this pathway will be well equipped for advanced study in quantitative systems biology and data-science intensive biomedical engineering careers.

Sub-Pathway 1:  Biomedical Data Processing

The Biomedical Data Processing sub-pathway allows specialization in processing data from biosensors, implanted devices, wearables, biomedical images and other large complex datasets collected from biomedical devices, samples or patients. Skills gained in this pathway include: biosignal analysis, model-aided decision making or model-aided modulation of biological systems (e.g., through molecular/pharmaceutical or bioelectronic approaches). 

Sub-Pathway 2: Healthcare Data and Systems

The Healthcare data and systems sub-pathway allows specialization in using quantitative and data-driven engineering approaches to analyze healthcare data and optimize healthcare systems. Skills gained in this pathway include: an understanding of healthcare systems and public health infrastructure, analysis of healthcare data (e.g. electronic health records, hospital records), optimization methods to address unique challenges and opportunities associated with health care. 

Sub-Pathway 3: Cellular and Physiological Dynamical Systems

The Cellular and Physiological Dynamic Systems sub-pathway allows specialization in using quantitative and computational engineering approaches to design, characterize and manipulate complex biological and biomedical systems spanning the molecular to population scales. Skills gained in this pathway include: quantifying dynamics in complex biological systems and networks, building and analyzing computational and mathematical models of these systems, combining experimental and computational approaches to design or manipulate biomedical or disease systems. 

Required Pathway Courses for Computational Biomedicine:

  • BME 35600: Mathematical Models and Methods in Physiology
    • Pre-Requisites: BME 25600
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Fall
  • BME 36600: Foundations of Data Science in Biomedicine
    • Concurrent Pre-Requisites: STAT 35000 or STAT 51100 or equivalents
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Spring

Generalist

For students who are unsure of their interests or wish to gain knowledge in multiple pathways, the Generalist Pathway will allow them to build their own pathway in a sense. Students should not take two of the below required pathway courses that come from the same pathway.

Required Pathway courses – must take 3 of the following:

  • BME 36000: Biomedical Image Processing
    • Pre-Requisites: PHYS 24100 or PHYS 27200 or equivalents
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Spring
  • ECE 30100: Signals and Systems
    • Typically offered Fall, Spring, Summer
  • BME 30100: Bioelectricity
    • Pre-Requisites: MA 26200 or (MA 26500 & 26600) and BME 20700
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Fall
  • BME 304: Biomedical Transport Fundamentals
    • Pre-Requisites: MA 26200 or (MA 26500 and MA 26600) and ME 20000 or equivalents
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Fall
  • BME 314: Experimental Methods in Biomechanical Engineering
    • Pre-Requisites: BME 21400 or equivalents
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Spring
  • BME 35600: Mathematical Models and Methods in Physiology
    • Pre-Requisites: BME 25600
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Fall
  • BME 36600: Foundations of Data Science in Biomedicine
    • Concurrent Pre-Requisites: STAT 35000 or STAT 51100 or equivalents
    • BME Majors Only
    • Typically offered Spring