New Biomedical Engineering Department readies students for healthcare tech jobs

From X-Rays to kidney dialysis to gene editing, each wave of technological advancement has pushed the frontier of medical care by applying an understanding of human biology to new discoveries in imaging, computing and mechanics. Florida Atlantic students can train to be a part of the next leap in technology-driven health care through its new Biomedical Engineering Department at the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

“Biomedical engineering isn’t a new field, but it is again changing its shape,” said Javad Hashemi, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research and Professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

That new shape will encompass ongoing tech revolutions in AI, biorobotics, point-of-care devices, and materials science, said Hashemi, the inaugural chair of the new Biomedical Engineering Department.

Students in the program are wrapping up their first academic year under a new curriculum that prepares them to harness the technologies poised to solve pressing challenges in health and medicine.

This expertise is already in demand. Jobs in biomedical engineering are projected to outpace average hiring over the next ten years. Leaders in biomedical engineering say they have the chance to make a tremendous impact on human health and care in the near future, but it will take new talent that has been trained in specialized fields.

Staying on Track

Biomedical engineering students at Florida Atlantic can choose one of three tracks that focus on the most promising growth areas: tissue engineering and biomaterials, bio robotics, and smart health and medical devices. Graduate students can pursue further studies in imaging, AI, and informatics.

The need to repair or replace damaged or missing organs has for decades driven the field of tissue engineering to design solutions that aren't limited by transplant risks or donor availability. Thanks to advances in stem cell technologies and fabrication tools like smart bioreactors and 3D bioprinting, experts say they’re ready to meet the challenge of producing lab-created tissues and organs on-demand.

The tissue engineering track at Florida Atlantic gives students the laboratory experience necessary for tomorrow’s research and development jobs. It also fulfills the science education requirements necessary to apply to medical school.

Another track, bio robotics, introduces students to a field that spans from the robot-assisted surgical systems in use today to the brain-interfacing bionic limbs of the future. The program is designed for students eager to enter the growing field of medical robotics, but the coursework will prepare them for other applications in robotics as well.

For students who want to push even deeper into the next generation of medical robotics, this track enables those who complete a bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering to continue on to earn a master’s in Artificial Intelligence in just one additional year. Florida Atlantic is one of just a few universities in the nation to offer this specific 4+1 option.

The one-year master’s in Artificial Intelligence is also available for students on the smart health and medical devices track. Engineers are developing new medical devices for more accurate measurement and diagnostics, as well as more precise and effective therapies. Wearable — or even implanted —  instruments show promise in streaming live information to data-driven analytical tools in real time. AI technologies are helping improve accuracy and personalize care.

Training and Partnerships

These tracks are led by expert faculty, many of whom are pursuing ground-breaking research in their own lab groups. The College of Engineering and Computer Science has also built a new biomedical laboratory with state-of-the-art instruments where students can gain hands-on experience that employers are looking for. The college is also investing in an all-new cleanroom where contamination is strictly controlled for nano and micro manufacturing.

Any great biomedical engineering program will depend on its relationship with the university’s medical school, and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic is a strong partner. It’s a relatively new and rapidly rising med school that increasingly fosters research and scientific discovery. This collaborative approach will also extend through the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

With the right faculty, facilities, and university partnerships in place, the time was right for a fresh approach to biomedical engineering at Florida Atlantic, said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

“Students training for the biomedical field must have a refined curriculum, and we have all the elements necessary to train this engineer of the future,” Batalama said. “This is a hands-on education that also prepares students for medical school or advanced studies.”