A Breadth of Opportunities
The MIT School of Engineering has pioneered an expansion and redefinition of BioMedical Engineering, and now has over 100 faculty members conducting research and teaching in areas where engineering impacts medicine and biology. The classical focus on engineering applications in medicine (Medical Engineering) has a distinguished history at MIT, and remains vibrant with current course offerings reflecting cutting-edge research in telemedicine, vision enhancement, medical informatics, brain-machine interfaces, device design, and many other areas as part of the curricula of several departments.
The molecular and genomic revolutions in biology place it as a new foundational science for engineering, joining the well-established engineering foundations of physics, chemistry and math. MIT is an international leader in forging a disciplinary connection with biology and Biological Engineering -- that has applications ranging from biotechnology to electronic materials (and of course, medicine!). As with other revolutions in basic science, engineering analysis, design, and synthesis are needed to translate breakthrough discoveries into products and create new industries. Biological applications are integrated into the core curricula of most MIT engineering departments, and are the entire focus of the Biological Engineering Division (BE). BE was created in 1998 to foster development of innovative new degree programs that fuse biology and engineering by bringing engineering faculty together with biology faculty in one academic unit that is seamlessly integrated with departments.
Departmental Programs in the School of Engineering
The 1-E major includes several core subjects that couple biological processes with analytical and engineering skills to address crucial human-environment interactions. Selection of additional biology subjects and electives allows students to focus on human health issues, premed, or biology.
UG B/ME Subjects: 1.018, 1.080, 1.081, 1.096, 1.107
Contact: Prof. Edward DeLong
The accredited Bioengineering degree specialization allows students to build a custom program combining departmental subjects in biomedical device design; molecular, cell and tissue biomechanics; biological imaging, and others with biology or physiology subjects for careers in medical devices, drug discovery technologies, diagnostics, medicine, or advanced study in bioengineering.
UG B/ME Subjects: 2.772, 2.797, 2.782, 2.785, 2.79
Contact: Prof. Peter So
The newly revised curriculum infuses state-of-the-art examples of materials in medicine and includes biomaterials chemistry as a core subject; students desiring further in-depth study may choose as restricted electives subjects in biomedical materials, biomaterial nanomechanics, and various graduate offerings.
UG B/ME Subjects: 3.034, 3.051, 3.052, 3.96, 3.961, 3.97
Contact: Prof. Jeffrey Grossman
Course 6-7 provides an interdepartmental curriculum involving rigorous training in both molecular biology and computer science. The 6-7 degree program which is offered jointly by EECS and the Department of Biology, prepares students for careers in emerging areas at the interface of biology and engineering -- including pharmaceuticals, bioinformatics, and computational molecular biology.
UG B/ME Subjects: 6.021J, 6.022J, 6.047
Contact: Prof. Dennis Freeman
Starting in 2004-2005, chemical engineering students can register for the new S.B. Chemical-Biological Engineering degree (Course 10B). This major combines core strengths in chemical engineering with cell and molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics, leading to lab and design topics like tissue engineering, drug delivery, and production of chemicals through genetic engineering.
UG B/ME Subjects: 10.02, 10.702, 10.28, 10.29
Contact: Prof. Greg Rutledge
Students pursuing either the 16-1 or 16-2 option can minor in biomedical engineering. The humans and automation division has significant overlap with the biomedical engineering discipline. Human factors engineering, physiological control systems, human spaceflight, and bioinstrumentation are emphasized.
UG B/ME Subjects: 16.400, 16.423J
Contact: Prof. Dava Newman
Hands-on lab and design experiences allow students to develop a broad understanding of the applications and engineering of low energy nuclear physics and apply these to biomedical problems through a set of restricted electives that can be combined with biology and chemistry subjects to create a program with a biomedical engineering or premedical focus.
UG B/ME Subjects: 22.01, 22.058
Contact: Clare Egan