Biomedical engineering is considered to be one of the fastest-growing branches of biology and medicine. In fact, biomedical engineering refers to the application of engineering principles to medicine for healthcare purposes. Research conducted on biomedical engineering project topics is aimed at closing gaps between medicine, biology, and engineering. Biomedical engineers are involved in the construction of instruments, devices, and software. The most prominent applications of biomedical engineering include various medical devices, from prostheses to MRI. The subfields in biomedical engineering project topics vary from bioinformatics to orthopedic bioengineering.
Biomedical Engineering Project Topics
Biomedical engineering has a long history of development that can be traced back to 1895 when the first platform shoes, wooden teeth, and clutches were created. Since then, biomedical engineering has subdivided into a number of branches, the major of which are bioinformatics, biomaterials engineering, tissue engineering, genetic engineering, neural engineering, and pharmaceutical engineering.
Bioinformatics is an umbrella term for a number of biological studies that use computers as a part of their methodology. A common application of bioinformatics includes identification of nucleotides and genes. This identification is often conducted to find genetic differences between populations or to understand a genetic basis of a disease.
Biomaterials engineering is probably the most prolific subfield of biomedical engineering. It deals with prostheses, growth and repairment of broken tissues. A biomedical device is used to augment or even replace a body. The most typical materials used for the production of prostheses are ceramics, polymers, or composite materials. Biomaterials are often used in joints placement, dental implants, breast implants, contact lenses, drug delivering mechanisms, and skin repair devices (artificial tissues).
A significant segment of biomedical engineering is tissue engineering. This subfield often significantly overlaps with biomaterials engineering since it deals with the creation of artificial organs. At the same time, these organs are not artificial in the primary meaning of this word because they are grown from stem cells. Researchers have already successfully grown jawbones, tracheas, and artificial urinary bladders. Currently, a great focus for research are hepatic devices that would be used to augment liver’s functioning.
Genetic engineering has also become one of the most rapidly developing branches of biomedical engineering. This sphere is of particular interest for scientists because it deals with a set of technologies that help change the structure of cells, for instance, transfer genes. This technology allows producing new organisms using the method of molecular cloning.
A separate branch of biomedical engineering is neural engineering. In fact, this field combines clinical neurology, computational neuroscience, experimental neuroscience, and electrical engineering. The primary goal of neural engineering is the improvement of organs’ functions through interactions between the nervous system and artificial devices. Current research is more focused on understanding of the information processing in motor and sensory systems.
Pharmaceutical engineering is also an important branch within biomedical engineering. Pharmaceutical engineering involves the development and manufacturing of drugs. This distinct engineering discipline has emerged only recently. However, scholars working in pharmaceutical engineering have already developed principles and methods of solving various problems in drugs production.
To conclude, along with biotechnology, biomedical engineering is the most rapidly developing sphere of biology and medicine. It is subdivided in many fields related to the improvement of people’s health through maintenance of all body functions. Biomedical engineers are constantly working on the development of new devices and tissues that would replace those that do not function properly.
References:
Bronzino, J. (2015). The biomedical engineering handbook (1st ed.). Boca Raton, Fla: CRC Press.
Enderle, J. (2017). Introduction to Biomedical Engineering (1st ed.). Elseiver Academic Press.
Ramalingam, M. (2012). Integrated biomaterials in tissue engineering (1st ed.). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
K. Attwood, A. Gisel, E. Bongcam-Rudloff, & N-E. Eriksson. (2013). Concepts, Historical Milestones and the Central Place of Bioinformatics in Modern Biology: A European Perspective (1st ed.). INTECH Open Access Publisher.
World Health Organization (WHO), (2003). Medical Device Regulations Global overview and guiding principles. http://www.who.int/medical_devices/publications/en/MD_Regulations.pdf
