Biomedical Engineering Courses

Courses Offered at UT Southwestern and UT Arlington

The following courses represent only a portion of the relevant courses available on both campuses. Appropriate sections of the UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences catalogue and the UT Arlington catalogue should be consulted. The graduate advisor should be contacted for additional course offerings.

UT Southwestern Courses

5201 Biomedical Engineering
The various topics covered in this course are in multiple formats ranging from lectures by faculty or guest speakers to presentations by participating students. It is required for all students.

5300, 5301, 5302 Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering
Advanced studies in topics related to biomedical engineering, such as principles of animal surgery, instrumentation for the Human Genome Project, and nuclear magnetic resonance instrumentation are offered in this course. This course is given as an organized class or an independent study, as circumstances warrant.
Prerequisite: program approval. Course may be repeated for credit when topics vary.

5306 Biochemistry
Fundamental aspects of human biochemistry are introduced in this class for students in the bioinstrumentation/biosensors, biomechanics, and medical-imaging tracks. Topics include structure and intermediary metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins and minerals.

5307 Human Anatomy Lecture
This course offers the lecture portion of a comprehensive study of the structure and function of human body systems and their mechanisms. Emphasis is placed on the major characteristics of each body system and on its function and relationship to other body systems.

5308 Human Anatomy Laboratory
This course offers the dissection laboratory portion of a comprehensive study of the structure and function of human body systems and their mechanisms. This course complements 5307.

5309 Human Physiology
This course offers a comprehensive study of the basic physiological principles dealing with body systems and their interrelationships.

5331 Tissue Mechanics in Orthopaedics
This course describes the biology, the material properties, and the healing characteristics of bone, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Property testing methods and analytical methods are presented.

5332 Orthopaedic Biomaterials
This course describes the polymer, ceramic, and metallic materials employed in orthopaedic device applications and their limitations. It discusses inflammatory and other tissue responses to their use and the resulting material alterations.  Prerequisites:  BME 5361 - Biomaterials and Blood Compatibility.  

5361 Biomaterials and Blood Compatibility
This course is an introduction to polymer structure and fabrication methods. Blood and tissue interactions with materials and methods to improve biocompatibility of materials are discussed.

5362 Thermoregulation and Bioheat Transfer
This course focuses on the application of engineering analysis to problems in physiological and clinical heat transfer. Hyperthermia (including laser, electromagnetic, and ultrasound heating of tissue), hypothermia (including circulatory arrest and tissue freezing), and other applications are analyzed.

5363 Digital Processing of Medical Images
The instrumentation and techniques for creation of digital medical images (radiographs, scintigrams, ultrasound scans, magnetic resonance scans, and tomographic reconstructions) and their restoration, enhancement, and compression are treated in this course. Other topics of interest, including segmentation, representation, and description, may be discussed.

5370 Introduction to Molecular Engineering
This course describes current developments in molecular structure and organization at synthetic material interfaces and the subsequent influences on cells and, in particular, cell membranes. It is designed to lay the groundwork for an improved understanding of events at the biomaterial-living system interface.

5680 Mammalian Physiology
This course begins with the consideration of the physiology of biological membranes. This is followed by a more comprehensive study of the physiology of blood, skeletal muscle, circulation, respiration, digestion, excretion, water and electrolyte balance, and temperature regulation. Emphasis is placed on the practical aspects of human physiology.

5191, 5291, 5391 Research in Biomedical Engineering (Thesis or Nonthesis)
This course is open to students who are qualified to pursue thesis or nonthesis research or other supervised investigations.

5398, 5698, 5998 M.S. Thesis Research and Defense

5193 M.S. Comprehensive Examination (Nonthesis Option)
This course includes instruction, directed study, and examination of course work leading to the nonthesis M.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering. It is required for all nonthesis M.S. students.

6103 Doctoral Student Seminar in Biomedical Engineering
This course offers advanced topics in biomedical engineering. It is required for doctoral students.

6194 Doctoral Diagnostic Examination (Exam I)
This course offers individual instruction, directed study, consultation, and examination. It is required for all doctoral students.

6195 Doctoral Research Proposal Examination (Exam II)
This course offers individual instruction, directed study, consultation, and examination of the written dissertation research proposal. It is required for all doctoral students.
Prerequisite: Passage of 6194 Doctoral Diagnostic Examination (Exam I)

6395 Industry Internship in Biomedical Engineering
The student works twenty hours per week in a Dallas/Fort Worth-area firm to gain experience in the application of biomedical engineering principles in an industrial setting. Topics may vary. Students are encouraged to take the EIT (engineering certification) exam upon completion of the internship.
Prerequisites: completion of all master's degree course work and approval of the graduate advisor.

6397, 6697, 6997 Doctoral Research in Biomedical Engineering
Approved research projects leading to a doctoral dissertation.

6399, 6699, 6999 Dissertation Preparation and Defense (Exam III)
This course is the defense of the completed doctoral dissertation. Doctoral students must register for this course in the semester of graduation.
Prerequisite: Passage of 6195 Doctoral Research Proposal Examination (Exam II)

5083 Core Course in the Division of Cell and Molecular Biology
Qualified doctoral students following the molecular engineering track are permitted to enroll in the first year common curriculum in the Division of Cell and Molecular Biology. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to modern biology, including three laboratory rotations that offer students the opportunity to become familiar with the laboratory techniques of cell and molecular biology. Biomedical Engineering doctoral students would generally enroll in this course in their second year of study. See the more detailed description of this course under the Division of Cell and Molecular Biology chapter.

5300 Introduction to Joint Biomechanics
An introduction to skeletal joints, such as the hip, knee, and spine, in normal and diseased or compromised conditions, with an emphasis on experimental techniques in biomechanics with clinical correlation.  Prerequisites: None.  Text: Basic Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System (Nordin & Frankel).

UT Arlington Courses

5320A Clinical Engineering
Students are offered the opportunity to learn about hazards and safety programs in hospitals as well as hospital codes, standards, and regulations. Setup and operation of clinical engineering programs in hospitals, including shared-services programs, also are covered.

5335A Biological Materials, Mechanics, and Processes
This course offers a study of typical, functional behavior of various biological materials, flow properties of blood, bioviscoelastic fluids and solids, and mass transfer in biological systems.

5340A Finite Element Applications in Biomechanics
This course covers variational and Galerkin finite element formulations, linear and Hermitian elements, accuracy and convergence, and applications in field problems, such as elasticity, steady-state heat transfer, seepage fluid flow, and diffusion. Projects in biomechanical applications are included.

5344A Biomedical Instrumentation
The fundamental principles of bioinstrumentation are presented in this course, including operational amplifiers and instrumentation amplifiers; measurements of biopotentials; signals and measurement of temperature, blood pressure, and flow; and electrical safety.

5345A Bioinstrumentation II
Students are offered the opportunity to learn about measurement of pulmonary function, light and spectrophotometry, chemical transducers, ventilators, anesthesia equipment, defibrillators, fundamentals of medical imaging, lasers, electrosurgical devices, and cardiac pacemakers.

5350A Modeling and Control of Biological Systems
This course is an introduction to fundamental methods of modeling, analysis, and control of biological systems; linear system modeling; state-space modeling; stability analysis; basic control strategies; and identification techniques. Examples from cardiopulmonary, visual, and motor control systems are given.

5351A Digital Control of Biomedical Systems
This course offers students information on design and control strategies for microprocessor-based medical equipment, discrete and sampled data systems, Z transform, digital control design methods, stability considerations, and closed-loop system response.

5360 Design and Application of Artificial Organs
This course offers instruction on the fundamental principles of fluid mechanics, mass transfer, and chemical reaction in engineered biological systems. Simple solutions are developed for the design of artificial hearts, lungs, and kidneys. Examples are given of applications in clinical situations and evaluations of system performance.

5364 Tissue Engineering Lecture
Fundamentals of cell/extracellular matrix interactions in terms of cell spreading, migration, proliferation and function.  Soft and hard tissue wound healing and nerve regeneration.  Polymer scaffolding materials and fabrication methods.  Cell-polymer interactions.  In vitro and in vivo tissue culture and organ replacement.

5365 Tissue Engineering Lab
Polymer extrusion, polymer drug loading, and degradation with drug release kinetics.  Each student will be given the opportunity to perform these experiments and to culture cells and test their culture for cell growth, proliferations and function under several different substrate and media conditions.

5382A Laboratory Principles
This course is an introduction to fundamental biomedical-engineering laboratory procedures, including human and animal studies. Data collection, analysis, and interpretation are emphasized.
Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

6390A, 6690A, OR 6990A Hospital Internship for Biomedical Engineers
Each student interns at local hospitals under the individual supervision of the course instructor and a hospital staff member. During the semester, the student rotates through areas such as cardiac, pulmonary, prosthetics, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, radiology, catheterization, and emergency care.
Prerequisites: BME 5309 and permission of instructor.