Biomedical Engineering Department 

Richard T. Hart, PhD, Chair

Biomedical engineering (BME) combines engineering principles and methodology with physical, chemical and mathematical sciences to solve problems in biology, medicine, behavior and health. Biomedical engineers are employed by pharmaceutical industries, government agencies, biomedical product companies, universities, medical center labs and emerging high-tech industries. Due to their multidisciplinary backgrounds, biomedical engineers have diverse research interests, often acting as liaisons between technological and clinical communities.

About the Department
Biomedical Engineering at The Ohio State University has a long and distinguished history. First started as a Center in 1971 with a focus upon interdisciplinary research and graduate education, the new Department of Biomedical Engineering has begun strategic planning for a new era. We have plans for an undergraduate program (to begin as early as 2008) and will be hiring additional faculty and staff. We have close ties to other departments in engineering, and to the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the College of Biological Sciences, the College of Medicine, the College of Dentistry, and the College of Veterinary Medicine. The potential for integrating engineering and life sciences for the advancement of human health is unlimited, and it's an exciting time for Biomedical Engineering at Ohio State.

Research
Research opportunities abound in the areas of biomicroelectromechanical systems (bioMEMS), imaging and tissue engineering toward cardiovascular, orthopedic and vision applications. Breakthroughs in nanotechnology for cell transplants; microfabrication of biodegradable polymers for drug delivery; design of virtual bone dissection simulations; biomechanics of breast tissue; magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy; corneal topography; and biocompatibility of novel implant materials name only a few of the areas under investigation within the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Twelve core faculty in biomedical engineering plus over 60 participating faculty researchers collaborate through the department, providing extensive resources for research. Among these are Ohio State's Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute and the Nanotech West Lab, dedicated to bioMEMS. In addition to the technical and clinical research facilities across campus and at The Ohio State University Medical Center, research also is conducted at Nationwide Children's Hospital of Columbus.