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Biomedical Science and Engineering

Abbreviated title       BBiomedSc/BE
Duration                     5 years
Campus                      Clayton
Double degrees        Combining Engineering with Biomedical Science

Advances in medicine and increased awareness in the community of health issues are leading to increased investments in biomedical science and engineering education and research.

Victoria is Australia’s pre-eminent state for biotechnology with strong government support for it to become one of the top five biotechnology locations around the world.

Biomedical research teams are looking at neuromuscular systems control and rehabilitation technology development. Designing devices such as artificial tactile sensors and pressure sensors, could lead to a dramatic increase in the quality of life for many people. The areas of applications are wide and varied, and will only continue to evolve and develop in the future.

What is biomedical science and engineering?

Biomedical science and engineering (also called ‘bioengineering’) represents an exciting, broad-based discipline which ties together the engineering, medical and biological sciences. The key objective is to benefit humans, animal and plant life.

Biomedical science and engineering encompasses traditional engineering disciplines, as well as cross-disciplinary areas such as:

  • Biomedical engineering (clinical and medical technology, medical imaging, tissue engineering)
  • Biochemical engineering (pharmaceutical design, delivery and process)
  • Biomimetics and bio-inspired engineering (engineering design based on organic structure and function)
  • Environmental engineering, biotechnology and sustainability (bioremediation, eco-friendly energy production)
  • Food engineering.
  
Course overview
 

The most important trend in biomedical science and engineering is the dynamic range of scales at which biotechnology is now able to integrate with biological processes.

An increase in micro-nano scale technology is allowing the manufacture of nanoparticles for drug delivery into cells, miniaturized implantable microsensors for medical diagnostics, and micro engineered robots for on-board tissue repairs.

The world of engineering is changing dramatically and will continue to evolve and develop over the next couple of decades, as it leverages and fuses with the exciting new developments in the biological science arenas. In the near future, new and exciting career prospects will arise from the research currently being undertaken in these areas.

What do biomedical scientists and engineers do?

Biomedical scientists and engineers bring engineering insights to the understanding of biological phenomena through:

Conducting analysis – to measure and understand intricate biological phenomena, systems and processes at the basic molecular, cellular and physiological levels; and

Undertaking synthesis – to design devices/processes and/or develop technologies/applications to model, manipulate or apply to biological systems in areas such as applied medicine, environmental science and agricultural science.

The synergies between engineering and medicine are currently the ones best known but the term biological engineering also includes a host of broader developments in other areas such as biofuels, renewable materials, improved bio-processing outcomes, environmentally sustainable development and biosensitive infrastructure.

Careers in biomedical science and engineering

Many technologies fail to make an impact in medicine either because the engineers do not understand the underlying biology and the constraints imposed by the medical industry, or because medical professionals do not understand the full capability of new technologies,

Engineers with a background in the biomedical science have the skills to bridge these boundaries.

In the coming years a vast and interesting array of new career prospects will be available for engineers with these skills both nationally and internationally. Some career areas include:

  • Pharmaceutical and biotechnology engineering
  • Medical diagnostics and development
  • Medical device design and development
  • Medical imaging, image processing
  • Medical IT, computer systems and telecommunications
  • Genetic and proteomic engineering in disease understanding and prevention
  • Biomaterials and tissue regeneration and research
  • Bio-processing and production of food and medicines
  • Human biomechanics and prosthetic research
  • Public health engineering as in water supply and reuse of solid and waste disposal systems
  • Bio-remediation and environment engineering.

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