Required Courses | Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, WSU

A course designed to introduce new, transfer, and interested engineering students to the program and discipline of Biomedical Engineering. The seminar includes activities such as research presentations from faculty and students, lab tours and activities, presentations from alumni and industry representatives, and learning about career options in the Biomedical Engineering discipline. This course meets once per month each semester it is taught. Prerequisite: None.

Introduces students to software packages and applications applicable to the biomedical engineering curriculum and discipline. Course content includes three-dimensional graphical computer aided design software (e.g., Solidworks), mathematical programming software and applications (e.g., MATLAB), and data acquisition and analysis software (e.g., LabVIEW). Corequisite: MATH 242.

Provides a foundation of mechanics in addressing bioengineering problems. An introduction to the basic concepts and methods of mechanics as applied to biological tissues. Introduces statics, dynamics and mechanics applied to the human body, including the following: (1) vectors, moments, equilibrium, (2) kinetics and kinematics, including displacement, rotation, acceleration, and deformation, (3) stress and strain, (4) equations of motion, (5) impulse and momentum, and (6) mechanical properties of biological tissues. Prerequisites: MATH 243, AE 223.

Introduction to the conservation laws which form the foundation of fluid mechanics, and their application to bioengineering related problems including blood flow in the vascular system and other biological flows within the human body. Topics include dimensional analysis, definition of system, conservation of mass and energy, and conservation of momentum. Prerequisite: AE 223, MATH 555. Corequisites: BIOL 223, ME 398.

Major classes of materials used in medical devices including polymers, metals, ceramics, composites, and natural materials are discussed. Biocompatibility, host reactions to biomaterials, immune response, wound healing, biomaterial implantation and acute inflammation, thrombosis, infection, tumorigenesis and calcification of biomaterials, testing and degradation of biomaterials in vivo are covered. Special biomaterials applications such as cardiovascular devices, drug delivery, and tissue engineering are covered. Additionally, biomedical device design and regulatory issues are also discussed. Prerequisites: CHEM 211, PHYS 213 or PHYS 313. Corequisite: ME 251 (except for Fall 2018 and later catalogs).

Introduction to engineering aspects of the detection, acquisition, processing, and display of signals from living systems; biomedical sensors for measurements of biopotentials, force, displacement, blood pressure, blood flow, heart sounds, respiration, and temperature; biomedical devices; medical imaging instrumentation. Prerequisite: BME 335, EE 282, IME 254.

Discusses the overview of device definitions, selection and use of materials in in-vitro medical devices, and implantable medical devices, product development and documentation, regulation and testing of medical devices, reliability and liability, licensing and patents, manufacturing and quality control, biocompatibility, FDA and ISO 10993 biological evaluations. Provides an overview of the multiple issues in designing a marketable medical device, including the design process from clinical problem definition through prototype and clinical testing to market readiness. Case studies will be discussed. Students must be within three semesters of graduation in order to take this course. Prerequisites: BME 335.

First course in a two-semester Capstone Design sequence. Focuses on the process of strategic clinical problem solving and innovation through evaluation of real-world diagnostic processes, current therapeutic approaches and clinical outcomes. Students work in teams to identify and critically evaluate unmet medical or clinical needs through utilization of a biodesign and innovation process, including clinical needs finding through on-site observations, stakeholder assessments, needs statement development, and concept generation. For undergraduate students only. Students must be within three semesters of graduation in order to take this course. Prerequisites: BME 482 and program consent.

Second course in a two-semester Capstone Design sequence. Capstone design engineering practice involving a team-based bioengineering analysis and design project, including discovering customer requirements; design requirements; design; biocompatibility, regulatory, ethical, societal, and environmental considerations; creativity; alternative approaches for solution; specific system analysis; project management; prototype construction and testing; and final report and presentation. For undergraduate students only. Prerequisites: BME 585.

Prepares students for engineering practice by introduction to 3D multi-physics modeling software. Students use COMSOL Multi-physics simulation software linked with Solidworks and MATLAB to solve engineering problems in complex 3D geometries such as the human body. Within the simulation software environment students define the geometry, set boundary conditions, specify the physics, set material properties, mesh, simulate, and visualize their results. Topics include modeling of biofluid mechanics (i.e. blood flow in human arteries), heat and mass transfer (i.e. bioheat and drug delivery), and structural mechanics (i.e. stress and strain on bone). Computer simulation has become an essential part of science, medicine, and engineering, this course gives students hands on experience to meet those demands. Prerequisites: BME 462 or ME 521, BME 335 or equivalent; or instructor consent. ( Click Here for Video of Example Student Work in this course)

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Prepares students with knowledge of medical imaging and gives hands on experience with ultrasound imaging, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), spectral imaging, and medical image processing labs. Covers medical imaging modalities such as planar x-ray, x-ray computed tomography (CT), DEXA, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine imaging - positron emission tomography & single-photon emission computed tomography, ultrasound imaging, and spectral imaging. Students gain hands on experience with medical image processing software to import CT or MRI scans and construct 3D models of human anatomy. Introduces fundamental physical and engineering principles used in medical imaging and image processing, with a primary focus on physical principles, instrumentation methods, and image processing methods. Strengths, limitations, sensitivity, and appropriate applications for each modality of imaging are also examined. Prerequisites: PHYS 314, BME 335 or equivalent; or instructor consent. ( Click Here for Video of Example Student Work in this course)

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This course focuses on how the mechanical environment influences cell behavior and will integrate principles from engineering, cell biology, physiology, and biomedicine. Topics include, but are not limited to: (1) global/health importance of mechanobiology; (2) the role mechanical forces play in normal cell function, and disease; (3) the role of the mechanical environment in. regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications; (4) how the extracellular matrix and biomimetic matrices alter cellular function; (5) how cells sense and respond to mechanical forces; (6) the mechanobiological feedback loop; (7) cell and tissue mechanics; (8) microscopy of cells and tissues; and, (9) experimental methods to study cellular mechanobiology. This course emphasizes experimental design, data analysis, interpretation of data and results, and hands-on laboratories. In these laboratories, students gain firsthand experience with cell culture techniques, microscopy, and experimental and computational techniques in cell mechanobiology. Prerequisites: BIOL 210, BME 452 or equivalent; or instructor consent.

Understanding drug delivery approaches is critical for students who are interested in careers in healthcare, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Students learn about controlled-release formulations, targeted delivery of compounds, and delivery of biologic drugs. Students are guided through an overview of drug delivery, various drug delivery systems, approaches to drug delivery, and the materials and systems utilized. Topics covered include route of administration, pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and modeling of specific delivery systems (e.g., nano- and microparticle formulations). Prerequisite(s): MATH 242 and either CHEM 531 or CHEM 533 or CHEM 535; or instructor's consent.

Prepares students for careers in the pharmaceutical industry as research scientists or process engineers. Students learn about designing scaffolds for tissues, molecular design for new drugs, in vitro testing of cells and in vivo testing of whole organisms. Students are guided through the process of transgenic organism production, production of pharmaceutical agents using bioreactors and downstream processing. Topics covered include the thermodynamics and kinetics for the biosynthesis or enzymatic degradation of various biological macromolecules. Students learn the application of engineering principles to analyze, design and develop processes using biocatalysts to enhance these processes. Processes covered include those that are involved in the formation of desirable compounds and products and in the transformation, or destruction of unwanted substances. Several in-class demonstrations are performed, and students design a micro-bioreactor. Prerequisite(s): MATH 242 and either CHEM 532 or 533 or 536; or instructor's consent.

Focuses on the molecules and mechanisms underlying cellular function from an engineering point of view. Emphasizes experimental methods, mathematical analysis, and computational modeling. Hands-on laboratories complement lectures. Topics include, but are not limited to: (1) enzymes and biochemical kinetics, (2) cell signaling and modeling signaling pathways, (3) biophysical-based models of biological/biochemical systems, (4) gene expression and regulation, (5) 'omic' approaches to cell signaling including data analysis of high-throughput data, (6) system biology approaches - analysis of complex biological systems across multiple temporal and spatial scales, (7) bioinformatics, and (8) quantitative experimental methods related to biomolecular and cellular engineering. Applications to tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, biotechnology, bionanotechnology, drug and gene delivery, molecular medicine, and personalized medicine are discussed. Prerequisites: BIOL 210, BME 335 or equivalent, MATH 555; or instructor consent.

Examines the biology, physiology, and structure of skeletal muscle, the mechanisms of skeletal muscle force generation, and the adaptations to muscle that arise from changes in muscle usage. Students learn to create biomechanical models and generate simulations of human movement based on data collected in a human biomechanics lab. Experimental design and data analysis and interpretation are emphasized in the course. Prerequisites: BME 452 or equivalent, BIOL 223; or instructor consent.

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Students learn to collect, process, analyze, and interpret motion of the human body (e.g., running, walking, jumping, lifting, etc.), muscle force, muscle activity, and acceleration data using various equipment in a human biomechanics lab. The utilized equipment and techniques are common to multiple fields and disciplines, including physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedics, physical therapy, prosthetics and orthotics, wearable biosensors, sports performance, and medical/sports/safety equipment design. Prerequisites: BME 452 or instructor consent.

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Focuses on a contemporary biomedical engineering topic through traditional lecture, research and/or experiential learning activities. Content changes as new problems and resarch advances related to biomedical engineering attain prominence nationall and internationally. Prerequisite: Instructor consent.

Provides an overview of the principles, methods and applications of human neuroimaging techniques. Topics include functional and structural imaging modalities such as fMRI, fNIRS and EEG. Students explore the physiological basis of neuroimaging, experimental design, data analysis, and clinical and research applications in neuroscience, psychology and biomedical engineering. Designed for undergraduate and graduate students interested in the interdisciplinary field of neuroimaging. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 314, BME 335 and IME 254; or instructor's consent.

Biomedical MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) is the application of MEMS technology in the fields of biomedical and health sciences which has seen tremendous growth in the past decade. This course covers theoretical and experimental knowledge on Biomedical MEMS technology. Various microfabrication techniques that are commonly used in Biomedical MEMS device fabrication (e.g., epidermal electronics, microfluidic devices, lab-on-a-chip, and biosensors) and the underlying physical principles are taught. This class also discusses recent and future trends in Biomedical MEMS. Students will gain a broad perspective in the area of micro/nano systems for biomedical and chemical applications. Prerequisites: BME 477, MATH 242; or instructor consent.

Introduces medical image processing and give students experience in working with MRI scan data sets and CT x-ray scan data sets using Materialise Interactive Medical Image Control System (MIMICS). Students  learn how to perform image segmentation, how a part is created from a mask, perform threshold based segmentation to create a part, take measurements from the data set, segmentation of arteries using dynamic region growing, airway segmentation for modeling, translating a stack of 2D image data sets into 3D patient specific geometries, and working with DICOM data sets as medical image files.  Prerequisites: BIOL 223; or instructor consent.

Provides an introduction to the design and manufacture of polymer products with emphasis on polymer processing and technology. Fundamental polymeric concepts as it related to polymer processing is discussed. Topics related to solid-state properties, polymer viscoelasticity and polymer melt rheology are reviewed. Industrial processing operations such as extrusion, injection molding, additive manufacturing, compression molding, polymer blending and mixing, thermoforming foaming are discussed in detail highlighting on appropriate materials and processing methods for several engineering applications. Prerequisites: CHEM 211, PHYS 313.

Provides an introduction to the strategies and fundamental bioengineering design criteria behind the development of tissue substitutes. Principles of engineering and the life sciences toward the development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or improve tissue function are covered. include stem cells, cell growth and differentiation, cell signaling, materials for scaffolding, scaffold degradation and modification, cell culture environment, cell nutrition, cryopreservation, bioreactor design, clinical applications, regulatory and ethics. Prerequisites: BME 477 or instructor consent.

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A systematic approach to the optimization of the human-task-environment system. Includes work space design, manual materials handling, cumulative trauma disorders, and environmental factors. Emphasizes applications in industry. Prerequisite: IME 254.

Offers insight into the trauma problem and methods used to quantify and reduce it. Research methods used in injury biomechanics and their limitations are discussed including tests with human volunteers, cadavers, animals, mechanical crash test dummies and computer models. Provides a basic understanding of injury mechanisms and tolerances for the different body parts, including head, spine, thorax and extremities. Presents both automotive and aircraft impact safety regulations on occupant protection and related biomechanical limits. Students are exposed to and gain experience in using mathematical/numerical/ computer models for injury biomechanics. Prerequisite: Instructor consent.

Studies the mechanical properties of materials, transformation of stresses and strains, stresses and deformations in structural elements of various shapes and loading, statically indeterminate structures, and buckling. Prerequisite: AE 223 (no grade lower than one that generates 2.000 or more credit points per credit hour will be accepted for this course). Corequisite: MATH 344.

A study of the kinematics and kinetics of particles and rigid bodies. Includes force-mass-acceleration, work-energy and impulse-momentum methods. Prerequisites: AE 223 (no grade lower than one that generates 2.000 or more credit points per credit hour will be accepted for this course), and MATH 344.

Introduces basic principles behind materials science and engineering. Structure and properties of materials relevant to practicing engineers are looked at along with crystal structure and imperfection in metals. Studies diffusion mechanical properties, failure mechanisms, phase equilibrium diagrams and heat treatment principles for steels, cast irons, and other metal alloys. Provides the scientific foundation for an understanding of the relationships among material properties, structure and performance for the classes of engineering solids (e.g., metals and alloys, polymers, ceramics, semiconductors). Includes study of corrosion, atomic structure, mechanical properties, failure theories, fatigue, creep, cold working, heat treating, alloying, and non-destructive and other material testing. Students are expected to gain an understanding of these materials, processing techniques, their properties, and how they are applied in industry. Prerequisites: CHEM 211, MATH 242.

Introduction to engineering practice by working in industry in an engineering-related job. Provides planned professional experience designed to complement and enhance the student's academic program. Individualized programs must be formulated in consultation with, and approved by, appropriate faculty sponsors and cooperative education coordinators. Intended for students who will be working full time on their co-op assignments and need not be enrolled in any other course. Prerequisites: 30 hours toward Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and approval by the appropriate faculty sponsor. May be repeated. Offered Cr/NCr only.

Independent study or research directed by a faculty member affiliated with the Bioengineering program. For undergraduate students only. May be repeated for credit. A maximum of 3 credit hours may be applied toward graduation. Prerequisite: Consent of supervising faculty member.

(See Undergraduate Catalog for Course Names and Descriptions)
CSD 517; PHIL 327; BIOL 211; HS 400; HMCD 308, 325; LASI 150P; HP 203, 303, 400 570; AGE 518; MATH 344; PSY 311, 405, 413; STAT 576; ENGR 101, 202, 250, 501; ENTR 605, 606; ME 200+ (except for ME 325, 398); IME 200+ (except for IME 254, 255); EE 200+ (except for EE 282); CS 194+; HPS 229, 460, 490.