Biomedical Engineering Fundamentals

Biomedical Engineering: A Definition
Bioengineering is usually defined as a basic research-oriented activity closely related to biotechnology and
genetic engineering, that is, the modification of animal or plant cells, or parts of cells, to improve plants or
animals or to develop new microorganisms for beneficial ends. In the food industry, for example, this has
meant the improvement of strains of yeast for fermentation. In agriculture, bioengineers may be concerned
with the improvement of crop yields by treatment of plants with organisms to reduce frost damage. It
is clear that bioengineers of the future will have a tremendous impact on the qualities of human life.

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JOBR: “2121_c000” — 2006/3/9 — 18:22 — page x — #10
The world of biomedical engineering
Biomechanics
Medical &
biological analysis
Biosensors
Clinical
engineering
Medical &
bioinformatics
Rehabilitation
engineering
Physiological
modeling
Bionanotechnology
Biomedical
instrumentation
Neural
engineering
Tissue engineering
Biotechnology
Biomaterials
Medical imaging
Prosthetic devices
& artificial organs
FIGURE 1
The world of biomedical engineering.
The potential of this specialty is difficult to imagine. Consider the following activities of bioengineers:
•
Development of improved species of plants and animals for food production
•
Invention of new medical diagnostic tests for diseases
•
Production of synthetic vaccines from clone cells
•
Bioenvironmental engineering to protect human, animal, and plant life from toxicants and
pollutants
•
Study of protein–surface interactions
•
Modeling of the growth kinetics of yeast and hybridoma cells
•
Research in immobilized enzyme technology
•
Development of therapeutic proteins and monoclonal antibodies
Biomedical engineers, on the other hand, apply electrical, mechanical, chemical, optical, and other
engineering principles to understand, modify, or control biologic (i.e., human and animal) systems, as
well as design and manufacture products that can monitor physiologic functions and assist in the diagnosis
and treatment of patients. When biomedical engineers work within a hospital or clinic, they are more
properly called clinical engineers.