BME Specialty Sequence: Biological Imaging
Biomedical imaging has made a tremendous impact in health care by providing information about anatomy and tissue morphology. The field of biomedical imaging is evolving to provide information about tissue function, cells, and molecules in the human body. Furthermore, other fields of engineering such as tissue engineering and drug delivery are integrating with biomedical imaging at the functional, cellular, and molecular levels. Therefore, a new Biological Imaging specialty sequence will be developed to prepare our biomedical engineering students for this evolution in the field. Information on Biomedical Imaging Research at Case is available.
Research, Internship, and Co-op Opportunities
Students in this sequence have supplemented their studies with an internship or coop at institutions like pharmaceutical companies, top medical research institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. There are also exciting opportunities for research in imaging with the many primary and associated faculty members involved in biomedical imaging research. Many students have used such experiences to create competitive work, graduate school, and medical school applications.
Opportunities after Graduation
This specialty sequence is designed to prepare students for all three primary graduation goals of our current BME undergraduates:
Employment. With a BS degree, students will be prepared to enter jobs at imaging companies (Siemens, GE, etc.), emerging imaging agent companies (Invitrogen, Millenium Pharmaceuticals, etc.), pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies which use new in vivo imaging technologies to asses drug delivery and efficacy, and academic and other research centers. It is noted that although traditional imaging companies have previously focused only on hardware and software, most now have acquired or partnered with biological companies during the last few years, to address the synergies of designing instrumentation for specific cellular and molecular biology applications. There will also be interesting opportunities in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including the areas of imaging diagnostic methods that are used for biochemical assays, in vitro cell assays, pre-clinical assays of animal models, and clinical trials. Students with a BS will also have "other" opportunities often presented to our graduates in governmental programs like the FDA and patent office, marketing, etc.
Graduate School. The program of study prepares undergraduate students for graduate programs in biomedical engineering and related fields that focus on cellular and molecular research. This research is exemplified by the recently-founded Society for Molecular Imaging and Academy of Molecular Imaging, and an increasing presence of imaging at the functional, cellular, and molecular levels of traditional imaging societies such as the Society for Nuclear Medicine and the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This research is also exemplified by the many journals that are associated with these societies.
Medical School. Students can also use this sequence to prepare for medical school. With coursework and research in the biomedical imaging area, they will have a great foundation for making an attractive medical school application. This sequence could also help provide them with interesting opportunities at residencies beyond medical school. We note that this sequence has some courses and flexibility which will help students satisfy pre-med requirements.
Undergraduate Research
There are a number of faculty members involved in Biomedical
Imaging Research. Contact these persons for research
opportunities.
Educational Objectives
This specialty sequence builds logically from the Case engineering core and the BME core. It is imperative for students in imaging to understand mathematics, chemistry; physics; computer programming; circuits and measurements; statics; statistics; and thermodynamics and mass transport, all from the Case engineering core. Likewise, students in this specialty sequence will build upon the content of the BME core classes. The imaging student will learn biology as well as organ level physiology in EBME 201/202. She will learn signals and systems in EBME 308, and instrumentation and measurements in EBME 310, which are both key to learning about image acquisition, image reconstruction, and image processing. She will learn about tissue engineering, biomaterials, and nanoparticle drug delivery in EBME 306, which are all being assessed with imaging technologies these days. She will learn about numerical methods and computer modeling in EBME 309, methods often used to aid understanding of imaging measurements. In short, each of these core classes is extraordinarily relevant and will provide necessary underpinnings for the imaging student.
Sequence specific courses continue the development of the student in this exciting new area. In organic chemistry, she will learn the building blocks of biological molecules, the origins of the NMR spectrum, and gain an appreciation for the chemistry behind the creation of new imaging agents. In EBME 322 and 320, students will learn about technologies and applications in biomedical imaging, including cellular and molecular imaging. This background is then expanded into two slightly different possible tracks. The first track prepares students with a foundation at the molecular level, including BIOC 307 (biochemistry) and technical electives such as EMAC 351 and EBME 350, which provide advanced instruction in molecular structure, molecular transformations, and molecular biotransport that are important for understanding biological imaging methods. The second track prepares students with a foundation at the cellular level, including BIOC 308 (Genes and Genetic Engineering), and technical electives such as EBME 316, EBME 350, and EBME 462, which provide advanced instruction in drug delivery, cellular biotransport, and topics in cell biology and in vivo imaging. Both tracks include technical electives that cover imaging methodologies: EBME 431, 460, and 513 (513 will be renumbered to the 400 level) and PHYS 326. Overall, this philosophy provides common instruction in biological imaging, which can then be connected to advanced instructional materials at the molecular or cellular levels.
Program of Study Charts
Students entering in the fall semester of 2005 or later: Program
of Study.
If you are unsure about which version of the sequence you should follow, please read the guide here or consult with your academic advisor. Transfer and binary students should contact Professor David Wilson to discuss individual requirements.
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