Biomedical Engineering
Faculty
Professors:
Kristyn Masters, PhD kristyn.masters@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: biomaterials and tissue engineering, program feedback, significant grievances
Richard Benninger, PhD richard.benninger@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: imaging and diabetes
Cathy Bodine, PhD cathy.bodine@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: assistive technology and rehabilitation, inclusive design and engineering
Keith Neeves, PhD keith.neeves@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: Hematology and oncology
Robin Shandas, PhD robin.shandas@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: Novel methods for translational bioengineering
Associate Professors:
Emily Gibson, PhD emily.gibson@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: quantitative, imaging, cellular biophysics, Graduate Committee questions
Kendall Hunter, PhD kendall.hunter@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: Soft tissue mechanics, vascular and cardiac imaging diagnostics, translational biomechanics
Jeffrey Jacot, PhD jeffrey.jacot@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: tissue engineering
Chelsea Magin, PhD chelsea.magin@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: regulatory affairs, pulmonary engineering
Daewon Park, PhD daewon.park@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: polymers, drug delivery
Bradford Smith, PhD bradford.smith@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: pulmonary, independent study and research project questions
Assistant Professors:
Brecca Gaffney, PhD brecca.gaffney@ucdenver.edu
Specialties: Biomechanics, orthopedics, prosthetics, rehabilitation, clinical assessment tools
Brisa Pena-Castellanos, PhD brisa.penacastellanos@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: Material science, atomic force microscopy, cardiac tissue engineering, and miRNA delivery
Associate Research Professors:
Richard Weir, PhD richard.weir@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: prosthetics, 3D printing
Assistant Research Professors:
Morris Huang, PhD morris.huang@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: Mechatronics, usability testing, assistive technology, clinical assessment tools
Tarik Walker, PhD tarik.walker@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: Bioengineering Scholars Program
Assistant Teaching Professors:
Jasmie Nejad, PhD jasmine.nejad@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: Design and prototyping
Research Instructors
Steven Lammers, PhD steven.lammers@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: Bioprinting, design projects
Eric Roth, PhD eric.roth@cuanschutz.edu
Specialties: lab safety and compliance, design projects
Affiliated Faculty
Students receive instruction from affiliate faculty in the University of Colorado system, including CU Boulder and the CU School of Medicine. Faculty research areas include Imaging and Biophotonics; Cardiovascular Biomechanics and Hemodynamics; Orthopedic Biomechanics; Surgery; Ophthalmology; and Neuroscience Engineering.
Bioengineering (BIOE)
BIOE 1010 - Fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering (3 Credits)
BIOE 1010 introduces students to biomedical engineering, and provides an introduction to possible careers and research topics in biomedical engineering. Students also learn human anatomy by understanding how to incorporate visual human data sets into computer prototyping and design tools.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Fall.
BIOE 2020 - Introduction to Computational Methods for Biomedical Engineers (2 Credits)
A modern engineer is required to solve problems involving the physical world not only on paper, but also using numerical tools implemented on digital computers. This class introduces the students a first set of numerical algorithms for the solution of calculus-based engineering problems.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 2840 - Independent Study in Bioengineering (1-6 Credits)
Covers topics which students may wish to pursue on their own initiative with guidance from department faculty. Credit is awarded upon completion of a project. Department consent required. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Department Consent Required. Restriction: Restricted to BIOE-BS majors.
BIOE 3010 - Bioinstrumentation (3 Credits)
This course is intended for junior biomedical engineering students to facilitate their development into biomedical engineering investigation. The course has been designed to introduce fundamental principles of circuit theory, analog and digital electronics and biological instrumentation techniques commonly used in biomedical research.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Requires prerequisite course of MATH 3195 (minimum grade C-).
BIOE 3020 - Introduction to Biomechanical Analysis (3 Credits)
This course will offer an overview of solid and fluid mechanics, as applied to biomechanical systems. After completing this course, students should have enough understanding of biomechanics to: (1) perform and interpret basic analytical of biomech. systems: (2) analytically reason through a design: (3) and choose a specialty.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Requires prerequisite courses of ENGR and BIOE 2020 (all minimum grade C-).
BIOE 3030 - Introduction to Biomaterials (3 Credits)
This course will cover different kinds of biomaterials in biomedical applications, and their physiological response in the biological environment. In addition, it will cover material properties, host response, and characterization techniques.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Requires prerequisite courses of ENGR and BIOE 2020 (all minimum grade C-).
BIOE 3040 - Physiology for Biomedical Engineering (3 Credits)
This course will introduce students to central concepts in human physiology. This includes the structure, function and homeostatic role of key organs within the body; the engineering principles governing these systems and processes; and designing engineering-based solutions to overcome dysfunction in disease.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Requires prerequisite courses of ENGR 1100 and (BIOL 2010 or BIOL 2011) and (BIOL 2020 or BIOL 2021) and (CHEM 3411 or CHEM 3418) (all minimum grade C-).
Typically Offered: Fall.
BIOE 3050 - Systems Biology (3 Credits)
This course focuses on the quantitative description of biomolecular and cellular dynamics. The building and application of mechanistic models of biological processes will be covered including receptor-ligand binding, enzymatic reactions, signal transduction pathways, gene expression, cell growth and death, and pharmacokinetics. Mathematical and computational approaches of dynamical systems are used to analyze and design complex biological networks.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 3060 - Biostatistics, Measurement and Analysis (3 Credits)
Students will learn and apply parametric statistics, including t-tests, ANOVA, and regression methods, using commercially available statistical software to the analysis of clinical and/or biological data. Further, they will be introduced to measurement error and the propagation of error technique.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Spring.
BIOE 3070 - Biomedical Engineering Lab I (3 Credits)
Core biomedical engineering lab required of all major students. This lab introduces students to experimental techniques in the areas of Biomaterials, Biomedical Instrumentation, and Biomechanics.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 3071 - Biomedical Engineering Lab II (3 Credits)
Lab sequence 2 of 2. A series of modules focused on quantitative techniques relative to Biomedical Engineering. Modules will include Physiological data acquisition and analysis, Medical Imaging and Assistive Technologies.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 3090 - Introduction to BioDesign (3 Credits)
BIOE 3939 - Undergraduate Internship (1-6 Credits)
Department of Bioengineering Internship. Credit may be applied toward technical electives in the BS in Bioengineering degree. Department consent required. Repeatable. Semester Hours: 1 to 3
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Department Consent Required. Restriction: Restricted to BIOE-BS majors.
BIOE 4035 - Undergraduate BioDesign II (3 Credits)
This represents the second semester of the core undergraduate Biodesign sequence. Students gain experience around Design and Prototyping, Verification and Validation, and evaluation of key components around biomedical technology development.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: BIOE 3090 with a C- or higher.
BIOE 4039 - Mechatronics and Embedded Systems (3 Credits)
The course focuses on the design and construction of microprocessor-controlled electro-mechanical systems. Lectures review critical circuit topics (Ohm’s law, RLC circuits, DC and AC signals, diode and transistor circuits, operational amplifiers, and digital signals), introduce microprocessor architecture and programming, discuss sensor and actuator component selection, robotic systems, and design strategies for complex, multi-system devices. Lab work reinforces lectures and allows hands-on experience with robotic and embedded systems design. Students must design and build an embedded systems device related to assistive technology. Cross-listed with BIOE 5039.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4045 - BioDesign III (3 Credits)
This course represents the capstone culmination of the core undergraduate Biodesign experience. Students finalize all design, prototyping, testing and validation components, and present the project per professional standards to professionals and peers.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: BIOE 4035 with a C- or higher.
BIOE 4053 - Optics and Microscopy in Biomedical Research (3 Credits)
Undergraduate overview of optical imaging, ranging from classical microscopy to advanced, non-linear techniques and includes theory, technology and applications in biomedical sciences. This will prepare students for developing and applying state-of-the-art optical imaging in their research. Cross-listed with BIOE 5053.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4054 - Introduction to Regulatory Affairs (3 Credits)
This course is designed to introduce the regulations that govern the design, testing, approval, and sale of medical products. Cross-listed with BIOE 5054.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4055 - Introduction to Quality Assurance (3 Credits)
This course introduces the quality assurance standards and design controls that guide the medical products industry. Cross-listed with BIOE 5055.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Fall.
BIOE 4057 - Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (3 Credits)
This course provides students with an overview of technologies and their use by and for persons with disabilities. Cross-listed with BIOE 5057.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4058 - Intro to Design, Disability, and Aging (3 Credits)
This course provides an introduction to the topic of disability and aging and the application of bioengineering principles for persons living with functional impairment(s) across the lifespan. Cross-listed with BIOE 5058.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4063 - 3D Modeling for Bioengineers (3 Credits)
This course instills in the 3D modeling skills specific to the biomedical industry. Topics include computer aided design (CAD), medical imaging, image processing, patient specific image to three-dimensional (3D) model reconstruction, non-uniform rational b-spline (NURBS) surfaces, finite element and computational fluid dynamics (FEA/CFD) analyses and physical modeling using rapid prototyping.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
BIOE 4064 - Advanced MatLab For Bioengineers And Life Scientists (3 Credits)
This course focus on the practical application of MATLAB in bioengineering and life sciences contexts, although the material is more broadly applicable. Specific topics include error handling and debugging; graphical user interfaces and advanced plotting; image processing; statistics; modeling and model fitting; time-series signal analysis; data management; as well as code profiling, performance optimization, and parallel computing. Cross-listed with BIOE 5064
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4067 - Human Factors and Usability Testing for Bioengineers (3 Credits)
This course provides an introduction to human factors testing and evaluation in the context of medical devices and assistive technology (AT). Particular focus will be given towards designing and applying usability testing to inform product design decisions or improvements. Topics include human factor considerations for aging and disabled populations (and their care providers), usability techniques, user experience data collection and interpretation, etc. Students will engage in hands-on human factors assessments such as contextual inquiry of surgery patients, cognitive walkthroughs with simulating disability, and product usability testing and iteration.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4068 - Introduction to Medical Imaging (3 Credits)
This course will introduce undergraduates to the basic physics, technologies, and clinical methodologies underlying Ultrasound, MRI, CT, PET and SPECT imaging systems. The course will include lectures, and visits to campus hospital and research imaging systems as well as hands on ultrasound labs. Cross-listed with BIOE 5068.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4069 - Biofluid Mechanics (3 Credits)
This course covers fundamental fluid mechanics concepts with a focus on biological and biomedical applications. Students will learn to solve fluid mechanics problems with both analytical approaches and computational fluid dynamics simulations in Solidworks. 3 Credits. Cross-listed with BIOE 5069
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4073 - Neural Interfaces and Bionic Limbs (3 Credits)
This course will introduce undergraduates to topics in neural interfaces (Brain machine interfaces, peripheral nerve interfaces etc), the issues involved in the design of mechatronic limb systems and the decoding algorithms used to map the neural interface to the mechatronic limb. Cross-listed with BIOE 5073.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Requires prerequisite course of BIOE 3010 (minimum grade C-).
BIOE 4083 - Polymers in Biomedical Applications (3 Credits)
This course will introduce undergraduate students to fundamental synthetic method and basic characteristics of various polymeric biomaterials and their crucial roles in different biomedical applications. It will also cover how the polymers can be modified to enhance biomedical applications. Cross-listed with BIOE 5083.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4085 - Tissue Engineering (3 Credits)
This course covers tools, techniques, characterization and applications in modern tissue engineering. Cross-listed with BIOE 5085.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4094 - Post-Market Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs (3 Credits)
This course is designed to provide learners with an overview of quality assurance and regulatory affairs functions after a product has been cleared or approved for sale. Cross-listed with BIOE 5075
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Requires prerequisite courses of (BIOE 5054 or BIOE 4054) and (BIOE 5055 or BIOE 4055) (all minimum grade D-).
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
BIOE 4095 - Quality Assurance Product Lifecycle Capstone (3 Credits)
This capstone course will connect concepts across the product lifecycle using examples in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and biologics. It will include a 3-day, in-person experiential learning activity hosted by our industry partners and enrollment in an established mentorship program through the Colorado Bioscience Institute. Cross-listed with BIOE 5095
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4100 - Image Processing for BIOEs (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of basic and advanced image processing algorithms from both a theoretical and a practical perspective with special emphasis in Bioengineering. Topics to be covered include quantization, filtering, texture analysis, Fourier transform, wavelets, morphological operations, image registration, segmentation, machine learning, deep learning, and principal component analysis (PCA). Cross-listed with BIOE 5100.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Spring.
BIOE 4300 - Medical Device Design and Entrepreneurship (3 Credits)
This course will introduce the important processes needed to implement a medical device into a viable entrepreneurial venture with strong focus on the themes of disruption and innovation, investment readiness of a product idea (traction), business and risk analysis, and funding your ideas. At the same time, we will explore your entrepreneurial personality through the three lenses of personal motivation, work passion, and superpowers. Cross-listed with BIOE 5300.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Fall.
BIOE 4400 - Genetic Engineering (3 Credits)
Laboratory experience in genetic engineering including molecular cloning, gene delivery, and genome editing. Students will work on open ended projects that may include the expression of recombinant proteins, silencing RNA, or the knockdown or insertion genes into the genome. Cross-listed with BIOE 5400.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
BIOE 4420 - Special Topics in Bioengineering (1-3 Credits)
Provides weekly speakers, workshops and other experiences that educate and enrich across the design, innovation and prototyping landscape. Students may choose to participate in any five (for one credit), ten (for two credits) or fifteen (for three credits) activities. Each week, participating students will attend the scheduled activity, and then create a meaningful response that reflects the impact of that activity on their thinking or practice. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 9.
Typically Offered: Fall.
BIOE 4600 - Catalyzing Biomedical Health in Rural Guatamala (4 Credits)
As a student of this Study Abroad program, you will travel to the Trifinio clinic to learn what it takes to provide quality medical care in rural settings and work alongside community members to design new innovative solutions to real world problems. Cross-listed with BIOE 5600
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Summer.
BIOE 4700 - Engineering the Extracellular Matrix (3 Credits)
In this course, you will learn about:
• Structure, function, and biophysical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM)
• How the ECM impacts cell and tissue function
• Strategies for engineering ECM-inspired scaffolds Cross-listed with BIOE 5700.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Fall.
BIOE 4840 - Independent Study in Bioengineering (1-6 Credits)
Covers advanced topics which students may wish to pursue on their own initiative with guidance from department faculty. Credit is awarded upon completion of a project. Department Consent Required. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Department Consent Required. Restriction: Restricted to BIOE-BS majors.
BIOE 4929 - Undergraduate Research Project (1-6 Credits)
Department of Bioengineering Research Project. Credit may not be applied toward the BS in Bioengineering degree. Department consent required. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Department Consent Required. Restriction: Restricted to BIOE-BS majors.