Professor
David Kaplan, Chair; Biopolymer engineering, biomaterials, tissue
engineering, regenerative medicine
Associate
Professor Mark Cronin-Golomb, Optical instrumentation, laser tweezers,
atomic force microscopy, nonlinear optics
Associate Professor Sergio Fantini, Biomedical instrumentation,
medical optics, near-infrared imaging of the brain, optical mammography, muscle
hemodynamics, diffuse optical tomography
Associate Professor
Fiorenzo Omenetto,
Ultrafast nonlinear
optics
Associate
Professor Vo Van Toi, Biomedical instrumentation, vision and
ophthalmology, telemedicine
Assistant Professor Irene Georgakoudi, Biomedical
spectroscopic imaging and characterization, in vivo flow cytometry, biomedical
instrumentation
Research Associate Professor Vladimir Volloch,
Mammalian gene expression, regulation of cellular and organismic aging,
anticancer drug delivery
Research Assistant Professor Greg Altman, Collagen-based matrices, ligament formation, impact of mechanical forces on human adult stem cell differentiation, bioreactor system, in vitro
tissue formation and development
Adjunct Professor Christoph Börgers
(Department
of Mathematics) Effects of noise on rhythms in networks of excitatory and
inhibitory neurons
Adjunct
Professor
Edward Goldberg (Department of Molecular Biology), Genetic design of
proteins for biometric, functional, self-assembly nanomaterials
Adjunct Professor Martha Gray
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Physiology of cartilage; biological
factors on cartilage growth, development, and metabolism; MRI-based techniques
to measure cartilage composition and properties
Adjunct
Professor John Kauer (Tufts
New England Medical Center), Process and
integration in brain circuits
Adjunct
Professor John Richmond,
(New
England Baptist Hospital, Tufts
New England Medical Center),
Ligament formation,
treatment of injuries of the anterior cruciate ligament, regulation
and proliferation of growth factor expression in arthrofibrosis
Adjunct
Professor Barry Trimmer (Department
of Biology), Central processing of sensory
information by receptors, second messengers and synaptic networks in an insect
model system, neural control of soft-bodied locomotion
Adjunct
Professor Gordana Vunjack-Novakovic (Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Columbia University), Transport phenomena, tissue engineering and bioreactors
Adjunct
Professor David Walt (Department
of Chemistry), Surface,
polymer and materials chemistry, fluorescence resonance energy transfer,
immunosensors, corrosion sensing, neurotransmitter sensing, combinatorial polymer synthesis, high-density arrays,
genosensing, micro-and nano-sensors, cell-based biosensors, and sensors based on
principles of the olfactory system
Adjunct
Associate Professor Peter Bergethon
(Boston University School of Medicine/Tufts-New England
Medical Center), Computational neurology
Adjunct Associate Professor Aurelie Edwards (Department of Chemical and Biological
Engineering), Biological transport phenomena involving fluid and solute transport in
living tissues, disease
origin, and drug delivery
Adjunct
Associate Professor Bruce Ehrenberg,
Clinical neurophysiology (EEG), sleep disorders, restless leg
syndrome
Adjunct
Associate Professor Andrew Hoffman (Tufts University School of
Veterinary Medicine), Non-invasive pulmonary function testing in animals,
pathogenesis of airway reactivity, interventions for emphysema, and new
paradigms for mechanical ventilation
Adjunct
Associate Professor Carl Kirker-Head (Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine), Bone growth and remodeling, bone repair in response to injury, bone
grafting, surgical and other orthopaedic disease models, musculo-skeletal
vascular disease, bone and soft tissue biomechanics, skeletal tissue
engineering, orthopedic device development
Adjunct Associate Professor Jerry Meldon
(Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering),
Membrane science and technology, mass transfer with chemical reaction,
mathematical modeling of transport phenomena
Adjunct
Associate Professor Jing Zhao (Agiltron, Inc.), Advanced
complex-oxide optoelectronic material growth and novel photonic device
fabrications, development of a
variety of world-class photonic materials via a novel chemical film process and
bulk ceramics hot-press
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Frederick Blaise (McLean Hospital), Magnetic resonance equipment and
techniques for the study of psychiatric illness in Alzheimer’s disease and
substance abuse
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Giorgio Bonmassar (Massachusetts General Hospital), Multimodal functional imaging of the brain, electroencephalography
(EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI),
diffuse optical tomography (DOT)
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Caroline Cao (Department of Mechanical Engineering), Endoscopy
and surgery, human factors, remote instrumentation, human-machine interface,
robotic surgery, surgical training, virtual reality
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Michael Henry (McLean Hospital), Brain imaging
studies to define the effects of electroconvulsive therapy on regional brain
hexose metabolism, changes in regional cerebral blood volume occurring with
abrupt discontinuation of short-acting selective serotonin reuptake
antidepressant, and pharmacokinetics of psychotropics
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Steve Jiang (Massachusetts General Hospital),
Development of precision radiotherapy treatment technique for moving tumor
using dynamic MLC, application of molecular imaging in IMRT, study of organ
motion effect using Monte Carlo simulation
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Krishna Kumar (Department of Chemistry), Novel methods for the rational design and construction of
artificial proteins, molecular enzymes and self-assembling biomaterials
Adjunct
Assistant Professor David Lee
(Department of Chemistry),
Hierarchical self-assembly of intermediate filaments, role in
biomaterials to protein hormone assemblies that regulate fatty acid metabolism, relevance to obesity
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Charles Lin (Massachusetts General Hospital), Confocal,
two-photon, and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy,
selective targeting of cells and subcellular organelles by light-absorbing
nanoparticles
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Lorenz Meinel
(ETH Zurich),
Drug delivery interfaces
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Jill Platko
(Massachusetts
General Hospital), DNA sequencing and genotyping for psychiatric disorders
Adjunct
Assistant Professor Douglas Vetter (Tufts New England Medical Center), Molecular,
biochemical, and physiological aspects of brain-inner ear interactions
The biomedical engineer is responsible for design and development of the
technology and devices that are at the heart of the far-reaching improvements in
human health that have been occurring over the last few decades. These advances
include better tools for understanding disease and health, as well as better
ways to both treat disease and maintain health. The rapid expansion of the field
of biomedical engineering is due to many factors, including 1) scientific and
technological advances in the life sciences, materials science, and the
engineering disciplines; 2) the increasing recognition
of the role of interdisciplinary strategies to solve complex biomedical
problems; and 3) the aging of the population leading to increasing healthcare
needs and the associated demands and costs.
The vision of the Biomedical Engineering Department is to promote integrative research, education, and entrepreneurship at the forefront of biomedical science and engineering. The mission of the Biomedical Engineering Department is to prepare students to: 1) identify, formulate, and solve open-ended biomedical engineering problems by integrating and applying basic principles of biology and engineering/physical sciences; 2) be creative, entrepreneurial, self-learning, and innovative; 3) be qualified to perform, manage, or lead original research at the highest levels in private industry, research laboratories, and academia, and to teach in the field.
Undergraduate
Programs
Biomedical engineering involves
a synergistic combination of the techniques and practices of a number of
disciplines (including biology, chemistry, physics, chemical engineering,
mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science), brought
together and focused toward the goal of creating more effective tools,
applications, and treatments in areas such as regenerative medicine, tissue
engineering, medical instrumentation and devices, patient aids, and robustly
engineered medical practices. The department offers instruction leading to a
bachelor of science in biomedical engineering (BSBME) for students in the
School of Engineering.
Furthermore, the department offers second majors for engineering and liberal
arts students that, combined with a traditional major in engineering or liberal
arts, prepare students to apply their chosen disciplines in the area of
biomedical devices and systems. By careful selection of course work, students
who follow these curricula can satisfy admission requirements for professional
schools of medicine, dentistry, business, or law. The biomedical engineering
program is not accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET).
Bachelor of
Science in Biomedical Engineering
The bachelor
of science in biomedical
engineering is a research-oriented
degree program that combines intensive training in research methods, techniques,
and practical skills with a solid science and engineering curriculum that
provides breadth and depth in the field. A key aspect of biomedical
engineering is its interdisciplinary nature;
introductory courses in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics, and
foundation/concentration courses build the basis for creating the synergy among
these disciplines that is required in the practice of biomedical engineering.
The curriculum leading to the bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering is intended to prepare students to continue with graduate study either in biomedical engineering or medicine, or to enter professional practice as an engineer or designer of biomedical systems. The curriculum includes intensive instruction in the sciences and engineering disciplines, as well as a unique integrated research experience covering sophomore to senior years, in which each student participates in an interdisciplinary research team to learn about research techniques, study research problems in biomedical engineering, and propose, implement, and evaluate solutions to these problems.
All freshmen in the School of Engineering will declare their first major (which cannot be BME) during the second semester of their first year. Those students who are interested in applying for the BME first major must take and complete for a grade at Tufts at least three courses out of the following set of four courses (Chemistry 1 with lab, Chemistry 2 with lab, Physics 11 with lab, Physics 12 with lab) by May of their freshman year, and submit an application (available at the department) before May 1st of their freshman year. The remaining one course of the above Chemistry and Physics sequence can be fulfilled with the appropriate AP credit. Of the students that will apply to the department, the 15 students obtaining the top cumulative grade-point averages during freshman year will be admitted into the program. The department will notify students of their acceptance into the program during the summer between freshman and sophomore year, after grades are posted for the spring term.
A sample course schedule for the BSBME program (38 credits) is listed below.
First Year
FALL TERM
Mathematics 11
Chemistry 1 or Physics 11
English 1
Engineering 1 (half-credit)
Engineering Elective (half-credit)
SPRING TERM
Mathematics 12
Chemistry 2 or Physics 12
Physics 11 or Chemistry 1
Engineering 2 (half credit)
Engineering Elective (half-credit)
Sophomore
Year
FALL TERM
Mathematics 13
Biology 13
Engineering Science 3
Engineering Science 5
Biomedical Engineering 62
Sophomore Research Project I (half
credit)
SPRING TERM
Mathematics 38
Biology 14
Physics 12 or Chemistry 2
Biomedical Engineering 50
Humanities or social sciences elective
Sophomore Research Project II
(half credit)
Junior Year
FALL TERM
Biology 115 or Concentration elective
Biology 41
Engineering Science 8 or Chemical Engineering 10 (both ChE10 and ES7 may not
be taken)
Foundation Elective
Humanities or social sciences elective
Junior Research Project I
(half credit)
SPRING TERM
Biology 116 or Concentration elective
Engineering Science 7 or Chemical Engineering 22 (both ChE10 and ES7 may
not be taken)
Philosophy 124
Biomedical Engineering 164
Humanities or social sciences elective
Junior Research Project II
(half credit)
Senior Year
FALL TERM
Biomedical Engineering 100
Concentration
Elective
Humanities or social sciences elective
Senior Research I
SPRING TERM
Biomedical Engineering 131
Foundation Elective
Concentration Elective
Senior Research II
The selection of elective courses described above may be altered for program flexibility. The assignments here reflect one possible way of meeting the requirements for the degree. A list of appropriate foundation and concentration electives is available from the department.
Second Major
in Biomedical Engineering
The second major in biomedical
engineering is offered to liberal arts students and to engineering students.
Students must enroll in conjunction with another undergraduate departmental
major. For the second major in biomedical engineering, students are required to
complete ten courses. No more than five of these courses may be used to fulfill
the concentration requirement of the first major. All ten courses must be taken
for a letter grade.
For
liberal arts students (systems track)
Ten credits are required for the second major in
biomedical engineering as follows:
1. Biomedical Engineering 50
2. Biomedical Engineering 62
3. Eight elective courses from a list available from the department
For
engineering students (design track)
Ten credits are required for the second major in
biomedical engineering as follows:
1. Biology 13 or one course from the list of foundation
courses for the BSBME
2. All eight non-research credits from the list of concentration
courses for the BSBME
3. Any biomedical engineering
course
Minor in Biomedical
Engineering
The department also offers a minor in biomedical engineering. The
requirements are five courses that must all be taken for a
letter grade.
Three of the five courses are
designated:
Biomedical Engineering 50 (Introduction
to Biomedical Engineering)
Biomedical Engineering 62 (Molecular
Biotechnology)
Biomedical Engineering 101 (Introduction to
Biomedical Optics)
The remaining two courses may be selected
among the following:
Biomedical Engineering 100 (Biomedical
Instrumentation)
Biomedical Engineering 121 (Engineering
Challenges in Physiology)
Biomedical Engineering 131 (Principles of
Medical Imaging)
Biomedical Engineering 156 (Biomedical
Optics Laboratory)
Biomedical Engineering 164 (Biomaterials and
Tissue Engineering)
Biomedical Engineering 175 (Tissue
Engineering Research
Laboratory)
Biomedical Engineering 193-AT (Analytical
Tools for Biomedical
Engineering)
Biomedical Engineering 193-04 (Principles of
Controlled Release and
Drug Delivery)
Graduate
Programs
The Department of Biomedical
Engineering offers programs leading to the degrees of Master of Engineering (M.E.)
for students seeking an education at an advanced level in biomedical
engineering, and Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) for
students preparing for careers in which research is a central activity.
Students can be accepted into either the M.E. program, the M.S. program, or
directly into the Ph.D. program. A
M.E. or M.S. degree is not required for students to apply to the Ph.D program.
Ph.D candidates may obtain a M.E. or M.S. degree during their study
if the requirements for the degree are fulfilled. Students
who receive the
M.E. or M.S. degree and wish to continue their studies toward the Ph.D. need
to be formally accepted into the Ph.D. program at that time.
The M.S. and Ph.D. programs in the Department of Biomedical Engineering are strongly research-oriented, with emphasis on independent research work reflected in the candidate’s thesis or dissertation. Because biomedical engineering is a multidisciplinary field, students are expected to work in collaboration with scientists in diverse fields including engineering, health, and life sciences. The required courses consist of foundation courses and elective courses. The purpose of the foundation courses is to provide a broad background in biomedical engineering, and to introduce the research activities in the department. The purpose of the elective courses is to provide in-depth knowledge in specific areas of biomedical engineering as a solid basis for students to excel in their research work. It is advisable that M.S. and Ph.D. students first identify a field of interest and a research adviser, and then select elective courses around the research topic of choice. At the discretion of the research adviser, students who lack suitable preparation may be required to take additional undergraduate-level courses, and students who are already qualified may be exempt from some courses. Transfer of graduate course credits is also possible.
GRE and TOEFL (if applicable)
are required for admission into the programs. Prospective students can obtain
more admission information, financial-aid information and application forms at http://ase.tufts.edu/gradstudy.
Master
of Engineering
The department offers a program leading to the master of
engineering (M.E.) degree in biomedical engineering. The M.E. program is aimed at students who desire to acquire
broad knowledge in biomedical engineering.
The emphasis is on multi-disciplinary interfaces in the areas covered by
biomedical engineering.
Ten credits are
required for the M.E. degree: two foundation courses (2 credits), seven graduate courses (7 credits),
research seminars for at least two semesters (no credit), and a project (1 credit).
Master
of Science
The department offers a program leading to the master of science
(M.S.) degree in biomedical engineering.
Ten credits are required for the M.S. degree: two foundation courses (2 credits), three or more graduate courses--can include special topics courses (3 to 4 credits), research seminars for at least two semesters (1 to 2 credits), and a thesis (3 credits).
Doctor
of Philosophy
The
department offers a program leading to the Ph.D. degree in biomedical
engineering.
Thirty credits are required for a Ph.D. with prior B.S. degree: three foundation courses (3 credits), graduate elective courses–may be special topics courses (at least 5 credits), research seminars for at least four semesters (2 or more credits), and a thesis (up to 20 credits).
Twenty credits are required for a Ph.D. with prior M.E. or M.S. degree: three foundation courses (3 credits), graduate elective courses (at least 1 credit), research seminars for at least four semesters ( 2 or more credits), and a thesis (up to 14 credits).
For more detailed information on the programs of study in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, please visit the Web site http://ase.tufts.edu/biomedical/programs/main.asp.
Undergraduate
Courses
50 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering 50 and Engineering Science 50.) An introduction to the interdisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering. The biological, chemical, electrical, and mechanical principles involved in the design and operation of medical devices. Biopotentials, electrodes, transducers, biocompatibility of materials, and patient safety. Prerequisite: consent. Spring. Vo
61
Introduction to Human Factors and Ergonomics. (Cross-listed as Engineering
Psychology 61). A practical introduction to human performance and to designing
for human use. Studies include
human factors, ergonomics, work stations, and environmental and legal concerns
that impact on design. Examples of
good and bad designs illustrate course principles. Fall. Cao
62 Molecular Biotechnology.
(Cross-listed
as Chemical and Biological Engineering 62 and Biology 62.) Overview of key
aspects of molecular biology and engineering aspects of biotechnology. Lecture
topics include molecular biology, recombinant DNA techniques, immunology, cell
biology, protein purification, fermentation, cell culture, combinatorial
methods, bioethics, and bioinformatics. Includes a semester-long technical
project. Prerequisite: consent. Fall. Kaplan
81, 82 Seminar. Presentation of individual reports on basic topics to a seminar group for discussion. Credit as arranged. Prerequisite: consent. Members of the department
85, 86 Special Projects. Supervised undergraduate research on an
approved topic. Credit as arranged. Members
of the department
87, 88
Internship. Supervised internships
at suitable locations in industry and government. Internships are offered on
basis of availability. Term paper required. Credit not given retroactively.
Prior arrangements necessary. Prerequisite: consent. Members of the department
89, 90 Honors Thesis.
Supervised research on a topic that has been approved as a suitable subject for
an honors thesis. The work is performed over the fall and spring semesters of
the senior year. Students will receive a Y grade at the end of the fall semester
and the final grade at the end of the spring semester for a total of two
credits. Prerequisite: senior standing or consent. Members
of the department
93, 94
Special Topics. Guided study of an
approved topic in biomedical engineering. Prerequisite: consent. Credit as
arranged. Prerequisite: consent. Members
of the department
97, 98 Senior Design Project.
A comprehensive design or research project undertaken during the senior year,
individually or as a team, under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. Normally
the work is spread over two terms. Students will receive a Y grade at the end of
the fall semester and the final grade at the end of the spring semester for a
total of one credit. Prerequisite: senior standing or
consent. Members of the department
Courses
for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
100 Design of Medical Instrumentation. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering 100.) An introduction to the design principles of microprocessor-based medical instrumentation and simple biomedical signal analysis. Topics include the origin of bioelectric potentials, characteristics of various biological signals, transducers, A/D converters, analog and digital filters, instrumentation amplifiers, patient isolation, battery powered equipment, and microprocessor design. Each student will be required to complete a paper design of a biomedical instrument. Prerequisites: Electrical Engineering 11 and 14. Fall. Vo
101 Introduction to Medical Optics and Lasers. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering 101.). Lasers, optical techniques, and optical instrumentation in medicine. Tissue optics and light-tissue interactions: photo-thermal, photo-mechanical, and photo-chemical effects. Phototherapy and photodiagnosis. Tissue oximetry, optical tomography, functional assessment. The course includes laboratory experiments. A written report is required. Prerequisite: Prerequisites: Electrical Engineering/Engineering Science 50/150 or consent. Spring. Georgakoudi
109 Optical Electronics. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering 109). The objective of this course is to provide the foundations of electro-optics from physical optics and quantum mechanics models. Emphasis is placed on gaining physical insight, largely from analyzing experiments and measurements. Class problems address: electro-optics instruments such as ellipsometers and prism-coupled optical waveguides, optics of solids including crystal optics and electro-optic modulation, interference including coherence and Fourier optics, optical detectors, and lasers and other optical sources. There are associated laboratory demonstrations to illustrate many of the course optics, and there is an electro-optics design paper assignment. Prerequisite: Electrical Engineering 18. Fall. Goldner
120 Project Study in Human Systems. (Cross-listed
as Engineering Psychology 120). A senior-level project design (capstone course), led by
faculty from engineering and psychology as well as outside lecturers. Students participate in team fashion in human factors design problems set
by industry sponsors. Professional-level
work is required, including report preparation and presentations. Timely lectures supplement the projects.
Prerequisites: Biomedical Engineering/Engineering Psychology 161, 162, Psychology 31, 32, 130.
Spring. Cao
121 Engineering Challenges in Physiology I. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering 121 and Engineering Science 121.) Course work designed for students interested in advanced work in biomedical engineering. This first course contains modules that cover the central nervous system, muscles/bone, lungs, and heart. The course emphasizes vital biological signals, their measurement, and the required instrumentation, with examples drawn from current joint research efforts between the engineering faculty and the professional schools. Course is team-taught and involves a semester-long project. Prerequisites: Electrical Engineering/Engineering Science 50/150, Engineering Science 12/112, Biology 1/Engineering Science 11 or equivalent, and engineering senior standing, or consent. Fall. Sonek
122 Engineering Challenges in Physiology II. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering 122 and Engineering Science 122.) Course work designed for students interested in advanced work in biomedical engineering. This second course covers the endocrine and sensory systems and the digestive system including dentistry. The course emphasizes vital biological signals, their measurement, and the required instrumentation with examples drawn from current joint research efforts between the engineering faculty and the professional schools. Course is team-taught and involves a semester-long project. Prerequisites: Electrical Engineering/Engineering Science 50/150, Biology 1/Engineering Science 11 or equivalent, and engineering senior standing, or consent. Vo
131
Principles of Medical Imaging. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering
131 and Biology 131.) This interdisciplinary course presents the principles of
medical imaging techniques such as diagnostic ultrasound, radiography, X-ray
computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For each imaging
modality, topics include the physical principles, key aspects of instrumentation
design, mathematical methods, and the anatomical/physiological information
content of the images. Representative medical images will be discussed and
interpreted. This course cannot be taken for basic science requirement for
engineering students. Prerequisites: Mathematics 11,
Physics 2 or 12, or consent. Spring. Fantini
149 Research and Analytical Methods in Human Factors. (Cross-listed as Engineering Psychology 149). Graduate-level seminar course designed for students who are interested in getting a broad overview of different research methods and analytical techniques in human factors/ergonomics research. Topics to be covered are related to the acquiring, recording, and analyzing of empirical data. Theory underlying these methods in human factors/ergonomics research is also studied. Three term assignments. Fall. Cao
150 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering 150 and Engineering Science 150.) See Biomedical Engineering 50 for course description. An individual project is required. Prerequisite: consent. Fall. Vo
156 Medical Optics Laboratory. (Cross-listed as Electrical Engineering 156). The major objective of this course is to develop a variety of skills by gaining experience in designing, fabricating, characterizing, and analyzing electro-optical devices and systems for medical optics. This involves laboratory projects related to optical tweezers, Raman spectroscopy, microscopies, and fluorescence as well as other electro-optical imaging modalities. Prerequisite: Electrical Engineering 109 or consent. Spring. Cronin-Golomb
160
Introduction to Human Factors and Ergonomics. (Same as Biomedical
Engineering 61, with additional requirements for graduate students). A practical
introduction to human performance and to designing for human use.
Studies include human factors, ergonomics, work stations, and
environmental and legal concerns that impact on design.
Examples of good and bad designs illustrate course principles. Includes a
semester-long technical project and paper. Fall. Cao
161 Human Factors in Product Design. (Cross-listed as Engineering Psychology 161). Material relevant in consumer product design, biomedical engineering, architectural design, and machine design. Topics include design methodologies, user feedback techniques, performance measurements, sensory evaluation techniques, creative design, and prototyping. Extensive individual and group project design work. Emphasis on designing and creativity. Prerequisites: EN 1, 2, Engineering Psychology 61, Psychology 31, 32, 53, and junior standing, or consent. Spring. Cao
162 Molecular Biotechnology. (Cross-listed
as Biology 162 and Chemical and Biological Engineering 162.) Overview of key
aspects of molecular biology and engineering aspects of biotechnology. Lecture
topics include molecular biology, recombinant DNA techniques, immunology, cell
biology, protein purification, fermentation, cell culture, combinatorial
methods, bioethics, and bioinformatics. Includes a semester-long technical
project and oral presentation. Prerequisite: consent. Fall. Kaplan
163 Recombinant DNA Techniques. (Cross-listed as Biology 163 and Chemical and Biological Engineering 163.) This lecture and laboratory course is designed to familiarize the student with methods employed to produce recombinant products. The lectures cover fundamental aspects of the recombinant DNA methodologies used in the laboratory as well as some commercial applications of the techniques. The laboratory provides hands-on experience with the key skills used in genetic engineering including DNA isolation, restriction enzyme mapping, cloning and selection, protein expression, gel electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing, and related techniques. Prerequisite: consent. Kaplan
164 Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering. (Cross-listed as Biology 174 and Chemical and Biological Engineering 164.) Synthesis, characterization, and functional properties of organic and inorganic biomaterials, and the process of tissue engineering are covered. Fundamental issues related to the utility of biomaterials are explored based on their biocompatibility, stability, interfaces, and fate in the body. Clinical applications for biomaterials are investigated, as are new directions in design and synthesis to achieve better biocompatibility. Testing methods, regulatory issues, legal constraints, and emerging research directions are also discussed. Prerequisite: consent. Kaplan, Vunjak
165 Human-Machine Systems Design. (Cross-listed as Engineering Psychology 162). Techniques for human-machine system designs in which cognitive and dynamic aspects are of major importance. Applications to computer-interface design, auto/semi-automated systems, biomedical systems, and others. Topics include information processing, decision-making, reaction times, and signal detection theory. Individual and group projects, laboratory experiments. Prerequisites: EN 1, 2, Engineering Psychology/Biomedical Engineering 161, Psychology 31, 32, 53. Fall. Cao
166 Applied Design of Software User-Interfaces. (Cross-listed as Engineering Psychology 166). This hands-on course challenges students to design computer-based products and systems that are easy to learn and use. Lectures cover the user interface-design process, basic design principles, and design evaluation methods. In-class exercises and projects reinforce the students' understanding of the lecture material and provide practical design experience. Students use computer-based prototyping tools to model and demonstrate their design solutions. Frequent guest lectures by user-interface design specialists from industry. Prerequisites: EN 1, 2, and junior standing, or consent. Spring. Cao
168 Biotechnology Processing Projects Lab. (Cross-listed as Chemical and Biological Engineering 168 and Biology 168.) Laboratory experience with techniques in biotechnology processing: fermentation of recombinant E. coli cells, hybridoma cell culture, purification of protein and antibodies and related analytical procedures. Laboratories accompanied by lectures and relevant readings to cover the underlying principles. Prerequisite: consent. Winkler
169 Topics in Biotechnology. (Cross-listed as Chemical and Biological Engineering 169 and Biology 169.) Seminar course. Journal articles on current biotechnology-related research are reviewed and presented. Leading researchers in the field present seminars and students assess future research directions based on in-depth review of articles and presentations.
175 Tissue Engineering Research Laboratory.
180 Introduction to Biomedical Microdevices. An introduction to the principles and applications of biomedical microdevices, with emphasis on miniaturization and the integration of diverse, leading-edge technologies to produce devices and systems for medical diagnosis and therapy. Basic principles of optics, electronics, mechanics, and microfluidics are explored as they apply to the development of new bioMEMS, fiberoptic, and electronic devices for sensing, data acquisition, and analysis. Discussions are to include micro-devices for hearing, endoscopy, imaging, and various clinical and diagnostic applications.
185,186 Special Projects. Supervised research on an approved topic.
Credit as arranged. Members of the
department
185B Drug Product Formulations. This course describes the evolution of a biopharmaceutical from bulk purified protein to delivery as a single patient dosage. Includes the selection of protein formulation, evaluation of stability, fill and finish, and process validation. Fundamental concepts in protein chemistry, kinetics, and mass transport are included in describing the route a drug takes from bulk protein to stable single dosage. Also covered are mathematical concepts of experimental design and statistics for process validation.
191, 192 Seminar. Presentation of individual reports on basic topics to a seminar group for discussion. Credit as arranged. Members of the department
193, 194 Special Topics.
Guided study of an approved topic. Prerequisite: consent. Credit as arranged. Members
of the department
193-AT Analytical Tools for Biomedical Engineering. Fundamentals of biomechanics, biomedical fluid dynamics, transport/diffusion processes, and optical microscopy. This course provides an introduction to some analytical tools that find broad application in the study of biological systems. Specific biomedical engineering areas covered in the course include the analysis of mechanical properties of bone and cartilage; blood flow in arteries, veins, capillaries, and skeletal muscle; mass transport, oxygen diffusion, and photon migration in tissue; and biochemical/structural analysis of tissues with optical microscopy.
193-J Bionanotechnology. Novel molecular composites, materials, and methods are utilized in the construction of complex devices at very small length scales. Nanotechnology requires a multidisciplinary outlook with which to bridge barriers and open new avenues of invention between multiple scientific and engineering disciplines. This course will introduce the application of biological materials and processes to aid in creating new materials and devices. Use of biologically based building blocks as well as methods for controlling their self-assembly. Such processes and materials will ultimately permit the rational design of useful tools, materials, and devices from the molecular scale, upwards.
193-04 Principles of Controlled Release and Drug Delivery.
194A Special Topics: Advanced
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering. (Cross-listed as Chemical and
Biological Engineering 194A.) Project-oriented course focused on developing new
concepts in biomaterials and tissue engineering. Includes group project, seminars and laboratory work.
Prerequisite: Chemical and
Biological Engineering 164/Biology 174. Kaplan and Vunjak
Graduate Courses
201 Biomedical Selective Course I. Exploration of relationship between
clinical medicine and bioengineering. Mentored literature research with three goals:
1) explore literature for a bioengineering device that has been
successfully brought to bear on a clinical problem; 2) define how the
device works, particularly with respect to its interface (physical, clinical,
psychological, economical) with the clinical problem; 3) define the
positive and negative attributes of the device and suggest a course of action to
improve its performance or make a decision that performance is unlikely to be
improved in the near future. Prerequisite: must be a student in EMD program. One
half credit.
202 Biomedical Selective Course II. Continued exploration of
relationship between
clinical medicine and bioengineering through mentored research in hospital
setting of Tufts New England Medical Center. What problems in doctor's offices, examining
rooms, operating rooms can be addressed using bioengineering? By talking to people around the hospital/medical school
(physicians,
nurses, operating room personnel) students put together information and design (preliminary) a device to approach
the problem. Prerequisite: must be a student in EMD program. One half credit.
291, 292 Graduate Seminar. Presentation of individual reports on basic topics to a seminar group for discussion. Credit as arranged. Members of the department
293, 294 Special Topics. Guided individual study of an approved topic. Credit as arranged. Members of the department
295, 296 Master of Science Thesis. Guided research on an approved topic suitable for a master's thesis. Credit as arranged. Members of the department
297, 298 Doctoral Thesis. Guided research on a topic suitable for a doctoral dissertation. Credit as arranged. Members of the department
299 Master of Engineering Project. Execution of a major project equivalent to one course credit under the guidance of a faculty adviser. Each project must address a substantive engineering analysis or design problem. Students are required to submit a written report and make an oral presentation of their project work. Students are expected to enroll in this course in the last term of their degree program. Enrollment is limited to and required for matriculated students in the master of engineering program. Members of the department
401PT Master’s Continuation, Part-time.
402FT Master’s Continuation, Full-time.
501PT Doctoral Continuation, Part-time.
502FT Doctoral Continuation, Full- time.