Welcome to Biomedical Engineering at FIU

Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctoral Degrees in Biomedical Engineering


The Department of Biomedical Engineering takes an interdisciplinary approach to offer students meaningful and relevant courses for students seeking personal and academic development in resolving medical and biological challenges. Our program offers a variety of options for students looking to design and prototype products, devices, processes, or software system solutions designed to address unmet biomedical needs.

THE MISSION of the Department of Biomedical Engineering is to bridge engineering, science, and medicine:
• To educate and train the next generation of diverse biomedical engineers
• To promote a culture of inclusion amongst all biomedical engineers
• To conduct research leading to significant discoveries in medical sciences
• To develop innovative medical technology
• To translate scientific discovery and medical technology to industry or clinical practice
• To engage with the regional to international community for knowledge dissemination

 

THE VISION

The Biomedical Engineering Department will innovate and excel in education and research to translate knowledge and technologies that advance clinical medicine and promote biomedical industry growth.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Programs

Biomedical Engineering involves applying engineering principles to create solutions for healthcare and usually deals with the design and development of medical products. Popular careers for Biomedical Engineers include Manufacturing Engineer, Quality Engineer, Software Engineer, Researcher, and Physician.

ABET-AccreditationOur ABET-accredited program is based on providing training in both traditional engineering practice and biomedical sciences. The collaborative approach, combined with rigorous engineering education, offers our students the preparation needed to make an impact in the Biomedical Engineering field.

THE DYNAMIC AND GROWING FIELD OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering provides students and practicing engineers with experience needed to succeed in today’s market place. Our program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to perform original research as part of their college education. This is a vital part of your training and some start as early as the sophomore year and continue through their entire undergraduate degree experience. The program also offers a clinical rotation experience.
Read about the history of Bioengineering: » https://navigate.aimbe.org/why-bioengineering/history

CONCENTRATIONS

The degree requires 128 credits in required and elective courses. Students can choose electives to concentrate in particular areas of biomedical engineering. Concentrations include a general track, biomechanics and biomaterials, biosignals and systems, and tissue engineering/pre-med. The program now offers an internship course (BME4940) that can be taken to appear on your transcript or as credits towards your degree.
» Refer to the catalog for specific course offerings and requirements

PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

The objectives of the undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Program at FIU are the following:

1. To produce graduates that continue in one or both of the following:

a. Advanced study in engineering, medicine, or applied sciences
b. Professional practice as an engineer in a biomedical or health care related field

2. To produce graduates whose careers demonstrate proficiency in one or more of the following:

a. Clinical application of biomedical engineering tools
b. Product development, manufacturing, and commercialization in the biomedical industry

c. Participation in diverse teams

d. Biomedical engineering research

3. To produce graduates who have effective communication skills and a commitment to professionalism, leadership, ethics, and community service.

A. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems (including those associated with the interaction between living and nonliving systems) by applying principles of engineering, physical (calculus-based physics, chemistry) and life sciences (biology, human physiology), and mathematics (through differential equations and statistics).
B. An ability to apply engineering design to realize/produce solutions that meet specified biomedical engineering problems and needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
C. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
D. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, health, safety, and societal contexts.
E. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
F. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation to measure, analyze and interpret data from living and non-living systems, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
G. An ability to acquire new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies in acquiring techniques and skills necessary for biomedical engineering practice; including the ability to model and perform engineering analyses of biomedical devices, systems, components and processes.
UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENTBS DEGREES AWARDED
FALL 2017: 366
FALL 2018: 344
FALL 2019: 331
FALL 2020: 346
FALL 2021: 333
FALL 2022: 314
2016-2017: 74
2017-2018: 96
2018-2019: 90
2019-2020: 80
2020-2021: 89

Apply Now

 

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Pathways

You can complete a BS degree in Biomedical, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering combined with an MS Degree in Biomedical Engineering. This the combined degree pathway seamlessly combines a baccalaureate degree in biomedical mechanical or electrical engineering with a Masters in biomedical engineering.

TRACKS & SPECIALIZATIONS

Students can apply for admission into one of three MS Tracks: 1) A Research Track that includes the defense of a thesis; 2) A Professional Track that prepares students for management positions in the biomedical industry; 3) An Orthotics and Prosthetics Specialty Track.

The Research Track is geared to prepare graduates for further graduate study or a career in biomedical research. A student shall complete a minimum of 30 credit hours. At least 24 credit hours of coursework. 6 Math credits, 3 Life Science credits, and 15 BME Elective credits (9+3+3). At least 6 credit hours of thesis credit. After submission of M2 (at least 3 per semester). Zero credit seminar requirement. Must attend at least 15 seminars. Students electing the Master’s project will need to take one additional biomedical engineering elective course. All students in the research track are required to complete a research project under the supervision of an advisor and a committee.

The Professional Track is for engineers currently practicing in the biomedical industry and students interested in pursuing a management career in the biomedical industry. A student shall complete 27 credit hours of course work and a 3 credit hour capstone project. The courses are organized into four core areas: Life Sciences, Mathematics, Engineering Management, and Biomedical Engineering. Professional track students are required to take an oral final examination dealing with the objectives of their study plan. The student will briefly summarize the project report (20 minutes) as a part of the exam.
» Refer to the catalog for specific course offerings and requirements.

Apply Now

 

Undergraduate BME ProgramsTo be eligible to change your major, or to transfer into the BME program from an outside institution the following must be satisfied:

For eligible students transferring in without an Associates in Arts (AA) degree from a Florida public institution (Fall 2003 or after) is required to fulfill the University Core Curriculum requirements.

 

(First Year Experience)
SLS 1501 First Year Experience 1

(Communication)

ENC 1101 Writing and Rhetoric I 3

ENC 1102 Writing and Rhetoric II 3

(Humanities)

Humanities Group 1 3*

Humanities Group 2 3*

(Mathematics)

Mathematics Group 1

MAC 2281 Calculus I for Engineering 4

Mathematics Group 2

MAC 2282 Calculus II for Engineering 4

MAC 2283 Calculus III for Engineering 4

(Social Sciences)

Social Science Group 1 3*

Social Science Group 2 3*
(Natural Sciences)
Natural Science Group 1

BSC 2010 General Biology I 3

BSC 2010L Gen Biology I Lab 1

CHM 1045 General Chemistry I 3

CHM 1045L General Chemistry I Lab 1

PHY 2048 Physics I w/ Calc 4

PHY 2048L General Physics I Lab 1

Natural Science Group 2

PHY 2049 Physics II w/ Calc 4

PHY 2049L Physics II Lab 1

(Arts)

Art 3

*Please check all approved courses from Academic
Advising Center

If you have any questions about your ability to change your major, please make an appointment with a BME advisor.

 

Download PDF File

Download the full Undergraduate Course Catalog
(Current students need to refer to the catalog of the year they began their degree).

 

Professional BME Advisor Maria Monje

Maria Monje

Professional Advisor


Phone: (305) 348-0273
Email: mmonjera@fiu.edu
Professional BME Advisor Saradia Lerouge

Saradia Lerouge

Professional Advisor


Phone: (305) 348-0273
Email: slerouge@fiu.edu

Please schedule an appointment. To schedule online, access the Panther Success Network (PSN) from your MyFIU portal. If you don’t have access to MyFIU portal, you may email the advisors to request an appointment.

  1. Log onto MyFIU.
  2. On your MyFIU homepage, select Student from the dropdown menu in the top center of the page
  3. Click on the Academic Advising tile
  4. Click on the Success Network tile
  5. Click on the Go to Panther Success Network button
  6. Finally, sign-in again using your FIU credentials
Dr. Wei-Chiang Lin, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Wei-Chiang Lin, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Acting Undergraduate Program Director | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Download Curriculum VitaeResearch Interests: Biophotonics, Ultrasound, and Medical Instrumentation
Research Advancements: Wei-Chiang Lin develops smart intraoperative guidance systems for surgery.
Research Area: Diagnostic Bioimaging Sensor Systems
Lab: Biomedical Engineering Creative Lab: W[CL]2

 

MASTERS PROGRAM

Masters Programs In Biomedical Engineering

The Master of Science degree offers world’s ahead biomedical engineering education combined with opportunities for cutting-edge innovation and relevant research. Our graduates prepare for academic, clinical, or industrial research and development in Basic Research in Engineered Tissue Model Systems, Diagnostic Bioimaging and Sensor Systems, or Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology. These programs provide an interdisciplinary education intended to prepare the student for professional practice in Biomedical Engineering. All work counted for the Master’s degree must be completed during the six years immediately following the date of admission to the graduate program.

The International Admissions Office has announced an extension of Duolingo and GRE waiver to Fall 2022.

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers Research and Professional tracks for this Master’s Degree. In addition, the Department offers accelerated combined BS/MS and certificate programs.

A student seeking admission into the program must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, the physical/life sciences, computer science, or mathematics from an accredited institution, or in the case of foreign students, from an institution recognized for preparing students for further study at the graduate level.

PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
The objectives of the graduate Biomedical Engineering
Program at FIU are the following:1. Provide opportunity for advanced graduate studies
and entrepreneurial activities;
2. Encourage FIU graduates to extend their careers into
research and teaching;
3. Prepare graduates for conducting innovative and
impactful biomedical engineering research, design
and development;
4. Provide highly trained professionals in Biomedical
Engineering to serve in academic institutions,
government agencies, research laboratories, and
manufacturing and service industries.
5. Improve minority and Hispanic doctoral graduate
representation in the Biomedical Engineering field,
where they are highly underrepresented; and
6. Help attract more biotechnology industries to Miami –
Dade County and South Florida.
A. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems (including those associated with the interaction between living and nonliving systems) by applying principles of engineering, physical (calculus-based physics, chemistry) and life sciences (biology, human physiology), and mathematics (through differential equations and statistics).
B. An ability to apply engineering design to realize/produce solutions that meet specified biomedical engineering problems and needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
C. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
D. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, health, safety, and societal contexts.
E. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
F. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation to measure, analyze and interpret data from living and non-living systems, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
G. An ability to acquire new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies in acquiring techniques and skills necessary for biomedical engineering practice; including the ability to model and perform engineering analyses of biomedical devices, systems, components and processes.
GRADUATE ENROLLMENTMS DEGREES AWARDED
FALL 2017: 20
FALL 2018: 28
FALL 2019: 28
FALL 2020: 16
FALL 2021: 25
FALL 2022: 28
2016-2017: 5
2017-2018: 9
2018-2019: 10
2019-2020: 16
2020-2021: 22

Apply Now

 

TRACKS & SPECIALIZATIONS

Students can apply for admission into one of three MS Tracks: 1) A Research Track that includes the defense of a thesis; 2) A Professional Track that prepares students for management positions in the biomedical industry; 3) An Orthotics and Prosthetics Engineering Track.


Research Track

The research track is geared to prepare the graduate for further graduate study or a career in biomedical research.

Research Track: 30 credits
At least 24 credit hours of coursework. 6 Math credits, 3 Life Science credits, and 15 BME Elective credits (9+3+3).

At least 6 credit hours of thesis credit.
After submission of M2 (at least 3 per semester). Zero credit seminar requirement. Must attend at least 15 seminars.

Students electing the Master’s project will need to take one additional biomedical engineering elective course. All students in the research track are required to complete a research project under the supervision of an advisor and a committee.
» Refer to the catalog for specific course offerings and additional details.
(Current students need to refer to the catalog of the year they began their degree).

Course Requirements

Biomedical Engineering Core (21 credits)
All students in the Research Track must take three courses in one specialty area, and one course in each of the other two specialty areas. The current specialty areas are: 1) Basic research in engineered tissue model systems; 2) Diagnostic bioimaging and sensor systems;
and 3) Therapeutic and reparative neurotechnology.
BME 6970 Master’s Thesis 6
or BME 6907 BME Master’s Project 3
BME 6936 Biomedical Engineering Seminar 0
Mathematics Core (6 credits)
STA 5126 Fund Design of Experiments 3
or STA 6176 Biostatistics 3
BME 6705 Nonlinear Systems Applications in Life Science 3
Approved Life Science Elective (3 credits) such as
BME 5410 Biomedical Physiology and Engineering I 3
BME 5411 Biomedical Physiology and Engineering II 3
PCB 6027 Molecular and Cellular Biology II 3
PCB 6025 Molecular and Cellular Biology I 3
PHZ 6255 Molecular Biophysics 3
CHM 5325 Physical Chemistry of Proteins 3
CHM 5506 Physical Biochemistry 3
CHM 5503 Physical Chem of Nucleic Acids 3

 


Professional Track

This track is tailored primarily for engineers currently practicing in the biomedical industry and students interested in pursuing a management career in the biomedical industry.

Professional Track: 30 credits
At least 27 credit hours of coursework.3 Math credits, 3 Life Science credits, 15 BME Elective credits (9+3+3) and, 6 Engineering Management credits.

3 credit hours of project credit.
Encouraged to attend seminars.

A student shall complete 27 credit hours of course work and a 3 credit hour capstone project. The courses are organized into four core areas: Life Sciences, Mathematics, Engineering Management, and Biomedical Engineering. Professional track students are required to take an oral final examination dealing with the objectives of their study plan. The student will briefly summarize the project report (20 minutes) as a part of the exam.
» Refer to the catalog for specific course offerings and additional details.

Course Requirements

Approved Life Science Elective (3 credits) such as
BME 5410 Biomedical Physiology and Engineering I 3
BME 5411 Biomedical Physiology and Engineering II 3
PHZ 6255 Molecular Biophysics 3

Mathematics Core (3 credits)
STA 5676 Reliability Engineering 3
or STA 5126 Fundamentals of Design of Experiments 3

Approved Engineering Management Elective (6 credits) such as
EIN 5226 Total Quality Management for Engineers 3
EIN 5322 Engineering Management 3
EIN 5359 Industrial Financial Decisions 3
MAN 6167 Leadership in a Global Environment 3
Biomedical Engineering Core (18 credits)
Biomedical Engineering Electives 15
BME 6907 Master’s Project 3

Orthotics and Prosthetics Engineering Track

The objective of this track is to provide an opportunity for qualified students to pursue a career in the orthotics and prosthetics field as an engineer. This track will provide comprehensive training for students in life-science areas, including anatomy, kinesiology, pathology, and normal pathological gait. In addition, it will provide extensive engineering training in biomechanics, material science, and the fabrication and evaluation processes of orthotic and prosthetic devices, as well as research skills.

With the program embedded in the Biomedical Engineering MS program, it has the advantage of providing curricular content that will include a strong engineering base. Consequently, graduates from this track will be able effectively to incorporate new technological and scientific developments into the design and generation of future prosthetic and orthotic devices. This track is not accredited for pursuing professional certification for orthotics and prosthetics provided by the American Board for Certification (ABC).

» Refer to the catalog for specific course offerings and additional details.

Course Requirements

Life Science
PHT 5174(L) Analysis of Movement  4
PHT 5180 Kinesiology (No Lab) 3
PHT 6163 Neurological Diagnosis and Management I  3

Others
BME 5941 Biomedical Engineering Internship* 1
BME 6907 Master’s Project* 3

Biomedical Electives
BME 6212 Solid Mechanics Applications in Physiological Systems or PHT 6125 Clinical Biomechanics 3
BME 5105 Intermediate Biomaterials Science 3
BME 5141L Introduction to Laboratory Skills and Materials in Prosthetics and Orthotics* 1
BME 5213L Clinical Evaluation Tools* 1
BME 5214L Orthotic Management of the Lower Limb 1*  4
BME 5215L Prosthetic Management of the Lower Limb 1* 4

 

Apply Now

 

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Pathways

This combined five-year degree pathway seamlessly integrates a baccalaureate degree in biomedical, mechanical, or electrical engineering with a Master’s in biomedical engineering. Students can apply for admission into one of three MS Tracks: 1) A Research Track that includes the defense of a thesis; 2) A Professional Track that prepares students for management positions in the biomedical industry; 3) An Orthotics and Prosthetics Specialty Track.

Students need only apply once to the combined degree pathway; the application is submitted to Graduate Admissions typically before the student starts the last 30 credits of the bachelor’s degree program. A student admitted to the combined degree pathway will be considered to have undergraduate status until the student applies for graduation from their bachelor’s degree program. Upon conferral of the bachelor’s degree, the student will be granted graduate status and be eligible for graduate assistantships.

Students enrolled in the pathway may count up to 9 hours of graduate-level courses (i.e., 5000 level or higher) as credits for both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs. For each of the courses counted as credits for both BS and MS degree, a minimum grade of ‘B’ is required. Upon completion of the combined BS/MS pathway, students must have accumulated a minimum of 24 hours of credits at the graduate (5000+) level. Students enrolled in the pathway are encouraged to seek employment with a department faculty member to work as student assistants on sponsored research projects.

Apply Now

 

Download PDF File

Download the full Graduate Course Catalog
(Current students need to refer to the catalog of the year they began their degree).

 

Download PDF FileThis handbook provides essential information about the MS program in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Florida International University, from coursework, requirements, important forms and resources to perform successfully in our programs. It also summarizes the most important policies and procedures of our MS graduate program.

 

Dr. Joshua Hutcheson, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Joshua Hutcheson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Graduate Program Director

Download Curriculum VitaeResearch Interests: Cardiovascular disease and mechanobiology, Cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, Tissue engineering, Molecular imaging
Research Advancements: Joshua Hutcheson studies cardiovascular disease mechanisms.
Research Area: Engineered Tissue Model Systems
Lab: Cardiovascular Matrix Remodeling Laboratory

 

DOCTORAL PROGRAM

Doctoral Program In Biomedical Engineering

The Ph.D. program in Biomedical Engineering prepares graduates for industrial or academic research in one (or more) of three areas of specialization:
1) Basic research in engineered tissue model systems;
2) Diagnostic bioimaging and sensor systems; and
3) Therapeutic and reparative neurotechnology

The Ph.D. program involves intensive research training with our faculty in cutting edge facilities. Ph.D. students often have the opportunity to collaborate on exciting research projects with clinicians, industry representatives, and other researchers from across various science and engineering disciplines. Our Ph.D. graduates have held leadership positions in a variety of biomedical and healthcare-related fields.

The International Admissions Office has announced an extension of Duolingo and GRE waiver to Fall 2022.

To be eligible for admission to the Ph.D. program, prospective students must hold a four-year bachelor’s or masters degree in biomedical engineering, or other closely related field from an accredited college or university. The Ph.D. program requires a total of 75 credit hours beyond the BS degree. These credits are comprised of a minimum of 27 hours of coursework and a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation. Applicants having a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering or closely related field from an accredited institution are given a maximum of 30 transferred semester hours. The graduate program committee and the academic adviser may recommend that applicants take additional courses based on their research needs and deficiencies. Applicants from science and engineering areas other than biomedical engineering will be expected to complete undergraduate courses selected to prepare them for graduate courses in their area of interest. Full admission into the graduate program requires the completion of these background courses with no grades below “C” and a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

QUALIFYING EXAMINATION, CANDIDACY REQUIREMENTS & FINAL DEFENSE

Students must demonstrate Graduate knowledge acquisition in three incremental stages in order to be awarded a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering:

  • Qualifying Exam
  • Proposal Defense (oral and/or written)
  • Final Defense (oral)

» See Relevant Department Committees

PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
The objectives of the graduate Biomedical Engineering
Program at FIU are the following:1. Provide opportunity for advanced graduate studies
and entrepreneurial activities;
2. Encourage FIU graduates to extend their careers into
research and teaching;
3. Prepare graduates for conducting innovative and
impactful biomedical engineering research, design
and development;
4. Provide highly trained professionals in Biomedical
Engineering to serve in academic institutions,
government agencies, research laboratories, and
manufacturing and service industries.
5. Improve minority and Hispanic doctoral graduate
representation in the Biomedical Engineering field,
where they are highly underrepresented; and
6. Help attract more biotechnology industries to Miami –
Dade County and South Florida.
A. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems (including those associated with the interaction between living and nonliving systems) by applying principles of engineering, physical (calculus-based physics, chemistry) and life sciences (biology, human physiology), and mathematics (through differential equations and statistics).
B. An ability to apply engineering design to realize/produce solutions that meet specified biomedical engineering problems and needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
C. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
D. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, health, safety, and societal contexts.
E. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
F. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation to measure, analyze and interpret data from living and non-living systems, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
G. An ability to acquire new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies in acquiring techniques and skills necessary for biomedical engineering practice; including the ability to model and perform engineering analyses of biomedical devices, systems, components and processes.
PH.D. ENROLLMENTPH.D DEGREES AWARDED
FALL 2017: 27
FALL 2018: 38
FALL 2019: 42
FALL 2020: 42
FALL 2021: 44
FALL 2022: 42
2016-2017: 2
2017-2018: 1
2018-2019: 0
2019-2020: 6
2020-2021: 6

Apply Now

Basic Research in Engineered Tissue Model Systems
FIU Bioengineering StudiesBasic Research in Engineered Tissue Model Systems research focuses on cell and engineered tissue mechanics with a particular focus on cardiovascular regenerative medicine. The goal is to understand and control the molecular and mechano-regulation of cellular phenotypes within tissues for therapeutic benefit. Research in this area includes the development of non-invasive strategies to restore normal tissue function and design and synthesis of living tissue replacements.


Diagnostic Bioimaging and Sensor Systems
Research in this area includes developing non-destructive optical and mechanical technologies that can detect disease development and tissue injuries in vivo. These techniques can be either one-dimensional (i.e., point detection) or multi-dimensional (i.e., imaging). The potential medical applications for such techniques, once developed, are abundant. For example, they may be used intraoperatively to guide tumor resection and to monitor the progression of a novel therapy.

There is also a strong focus on Optical imaging which is based on the principles of near-infrared light propagation in scattering media (such as biological tissues) and the use of external fluorescent contrast agents to better differentiate normal and diseased tissues based on the differences in their optical properties. The research work requires an understanding of transport phenomena in biological systems, application of experimental skills towards instrument development, incorporation of optimization and mathematical tools towards image reconstructions, and development of biomedical aspects of engineering towards practical applications, such as cancer diagnostics, drug delivery, and in general, body imaging.


Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology
Research in Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology focuses on biologically inspired technologies to interface with the nervous system to repair and promote recovery of lost function after trauma or disease. Research in this area includes behavioral studies, electrophysiology techniques, computational neuroscience, and machine learning methods to determine the mechanism of disease, create new research paradigms, and develop new treatments.

Research also spans both pre-clinical (i.e., animal) and clinical (i.e., human) neural engineering and neuropathophysiology, and includes investigations of motor and sensory function before, during, and after neuroprosthetic, pharmacological, and physical therapy-based interventions.

Current efforts focus on leveraging the differential effects of brainstem neuromodulatory centers on the spinal motor and sensory circuits to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying neurological impairments. Topics of particular interest within this area include:

  • Pathologies: stroke, spinal cord injury, whiplash-associated disorders, and chronic pain.
  • Physiology: neuromodulation (chemical and electrical), cortical and spinal reorganization, function and integrity of motor and sensory pathways post-injury, and activity-dependent neural plasticity.
  • Techniques: robotics/quantification of motor deficits, biophysical signal processing, recurrent neural-computer interfaces, neuropharmacology, physical therapy, electrical stimulation of the central nervous system, magnetic resonance imaging.

The Ph.D. program requires a total of 75 credit hours beyond the BS degree. These credits are comprised of a minimum of 27 hours of coursework and a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation. You’ll choose three courses from the Engineering Management core based on personal training requirements.

Course Requirements
The program of study will require completion of courses (beyond the BS degree) in the following categories:

Biomedical Engineering – minimum of 15 credits
Courses in this area must cover the major and minor specialty areas of the student. The three current specialty areas within biomedical engineering are:
1. Basic research in engineered tissue model systems
2. Diagnostic bioimaging and sensor systems
3. Therapeutic and reparative neurotechnology

Engineering Mathematics – minimum of 6 credits
Courses in this area must cover the broad areas of statistics and theoretical/numerical modeling. Example courses in each of these areas are:

Statistics
STA 5126 Fund Design of Experiments
or STA 6176 Biostatistics

Theoretical modeling
BME 6715 Mathematical Modeling of Physiological Systems or
BME 6716 Mathematical Modeling of Cellular Systems

Numerical modeling
BME 6705 Nonlinear Systems with Applications to Life Sciences

Biomedical Engineering Seminar
BME 7938 Doctoral BME Seminar

Life Science – minimum of 6 credits
The life science courses maybe selected from approved electives such as:
BME 5410 Biomedical Physiology and Engineering I
BME 5411 Biomedical Physiology and Engineering II
BME 6019 Clinical Research Experience
PCB 6025 Molecular and Cellular Biology I
PCB 6027 Molecular and Cellular Biology II
PHZ 6255 Molecular Biophysics
CHM 5325 Physical Chemistry of Proteins
CHM 5506 Physical Biochemistry
CHM 5503 Physical Chem of Nucleic Acids

 

Download PDF File

Download the full Graduate Course Catalog
(Current students need to refer to the catalog of the year they began their degree).

Download PDF FileThis handbook provides essential information about the Ph.D. graduate program in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Florida International University, from coursework, requirements for candidacy, important forms and resources to perform successfully in our programs. It also summarizes the most important policies and procedures of our Ph.D. graduate program.

Remedial Course Requirements for Graduate Studies in Biomedical Engineering

Non-engineering academic background In addition to the normal requirements for graduation, during your course of study at FIU you will be required to complete all of the following courses (or show evidence of prior successful completion of an equivalent course):

MAC 2311 Calculus I
MAC 2312 Calculus II
MAC 2313 Multivariable Calculus
MAP 2302 Differential Equations
CHM 1045 General Chemistry I
CHM 1045L General Chemistry I Lab
PHY 2048 Physics I w/ Calculus
PHY 2048L General Physics I Lab
BME 3032 Biomedical Engineering Transport
EEL 3003 Electrical Engineering I
EGM 3503 Applied Mechanics

Non-biomedical academic backgroundIn addition to the normal requirements for graduation, during your course of study at FIU you will be required to complete all of the following courses (or show evidence of prior successful completion of an equivalent course):

BME 3700 Engineering Analysis of Biological Systems I
BME 3701 Engineering Analysis of Biological Systems II

Dr. Joshua Hutcheson, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Joshua Hutcheson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Graduate Program Director

Download Curriculum VitaeResearch Interests: Cardiovascular disease and mechanobiology, Cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, Tissue engineering, Molecular imaging
Research Advancements: Joshua Hutcheson studies cardiovascular disease mechanisms.
Research Area: Engineered Tissue Model Systems
Lab: Cardiovascular Matrix Remodeling Laboratory