Courses

BME 443 - Microbiomedchanics with Microfluidics

This course covers a range of topics in mechanics and biophysics essential to the practice of biomedical engineering at the smallest length scales. The course is taught in two parts. The first half focuses on basic principles such as diffusion and the physical and kinetic properties of biomolecules. This section ends with an integration of these concepts in the study of molecular machines in biology. The second half of the course focuses on microfluidics including basic theory, COMSOL modeling and microfabrication of devices. The course ends with each student building a unique microfluidic system with mentorship from faculty, staff or advanced graduate students.

BME 201 - Fundamentals of Biomechanics

Teaches elementary mechanical equilibrium and motion with extended applications to biology. Lectures present a traditional analysis of idealized particles and rigid bodies. Topics include force and moment balances, frames, trusses and pulleys, systems with friction, mass centers, area moments, and the linear and rotational kinetics and kinematics of rigid bodies. Weekly exercises apply fundamental principles to non-biological problems in two and three dimensions. Weekly problems extend the application to biological problems ranging from human motion to the mechanics of cells. In an end-of-term project students analyze human motion using the MATLAB programming language. This is a required course for BME majors typically taken in the sophomore year. 4 credits.