Biological engineering, biotechnological engineering or bioengineering (including biological systems engineering) is the application of engineering principles to address challenges in the life sciences which includes fields of biology, ecology, and medicine. Biological engineering is a science based discipline founded upon the biological sciences in the same way that chemical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering are based upon chemistry, electricity and magnetism, and statics, respectively.
Biological Engineering can be differentiated from its roots of pure biology or classical engineering in the following way. Biological studies often follow a reductionist approach in viewing a system on its smallest possible scale which naturally leads toward tools such as functional genomics. Engineering approaches, using classical design perspectives, are constructionist, building new devices, approaches, and technologies from component concepts. Biological engineering utilizes both of these methods in concert relying on reductionist approaches to define the fundamental units which are then commingled to generate something new. Although engineered biological systems have been used to manipulate information, construct materials, process chemicals, produce energy, provide food, and help maintain or enhance human health and our environment, our ability to quickly and reliably engineer biological systems that behave as expected remains less well developed than our mastery over mechanical and electrical systems.
The differentiation between Biological Engineering and overlap with Biomedical Engineering can be unclear, as many universities now use the terms "bioengineering" and "biomedical engineering" interchangeably . Some contend that Biological Engineering (like biotechnology) has a broader base which spans molecular methods (tends to emphasize the using of biological substances - applying engineering principles to molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, protein chemistry, cytology, immunology, neurobiology and neuroscience, cellular and tissue based methods (including devices and sensors), whole organisms (plants, animals), and up increasing length scales to ecosystems. Neither biological engineering nor biomedical engineering is wholly contained within the other, as there are non-biological products for medical needs and biological products for non-medical needs.
ABET ,the U.S. based accreditation board for engineering B.S. programs, makes a distinction between Biomedical Engineering and Biological Engineering; however, the differences are quite small. Biomedical engineers must have life science courses that include human physiology and have experience in performing measurements on living systems while biological engineers must have life science courses (which may or may not include physiology) and experience in making measurements not specifically on living systems. Foundational engineering courses are often the same and include thermodynamics, fluid and mechanical dynamics, kinetics, electronics, and materials properties.
The word bioengineering was coined by British scientist and broadcaster Heinz Wolff in 1954. The term bioengineering is also used to describe the use of vegetation in civil engineering construction. The term bioengineering may also be applied to environmental modifications such as surface soil protection, slope stabilisation, watercourse and shoreline protection, windbreaks, vegetation barriers including noise barriers and visual screens, and the ecological enhancement of an area. The first biological engineering program was created at Mississippi State University in 1967, making it the first Biological Engineering curriculum in the United States. More recent programs have been launched at MIT and Utah State University .
Biological Engineers or bioengineers are engineers who use the principles of biology and the tools of engineering to create usable, tangible products. Biological Engineering employs knowledge and expertise from a number of pure and applied sciences, such as mass and heat transfer, kinetics, biocatalysts, biomechanics, bioinformatics, separation and purification processes, bioreactor design, surface science, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and polymer science. It is used in the design of medical devices, diagnostic equipment, biocompatible materials, renewable bioenergy, ecological engineering, and other areas that improve the living standards of societies.
In general, biological engineers attempt to either mimic biological systems in order to create products or modify and control biological systems so that they can replace, augment, or sustain chemical and mechanical processes. Bioengineers can apply their expertise to other applications of engineering and biotechnology, including genetic modification of plants and microorganisms, bioprocess engineering, and biocatalysis.
Because other engineering disciplines also address living organisms (e.g., prosthetics in mechanical engineering), the term biological engineering can be applied more broadly to include agricultural engineering and biotechnology. In fact, many old agricultural engineering departments in universities over the world have rebranded themselves as agricultural and biological engineering or agricultural and biosystems engineering. Biological engineering is also called bioengineering by some colleges and Biomedical engineering is called Bioengineering by others, and is a rapidly developing field with fluid categorization. The Main Fields of Bioengineering may be categorised as:
Bioprocess Engineering: Bioprocess Design, Biocatalysis, Bioseparation, Bioinformatics, Bioenergy
Genetic Engineering: Synthetic Biology, Horizontal gene transfer.
Cellular Engineering: Cell Engineering, Tissue Culture Engineering, Metabolic Engineering.
Biomedical Engineering: Biomedical technology, Biomedical Diagnostics, Biomedical Therapy, Biomechanics, Biomaterials.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Biochemical engineering
Biochemical engineering is a branch of chemical engineering or biological engineering that mainly deals with the design and construction of unit processes that involve biological organisms or molecules, such as bioreactors. Biochemical engineering is often taught as a supplementary option to chemical engineering or biological engineering due to the similarities in both the background subject curriculum and problem-solving techniques used by both professions. Its applications are used in the food, feed, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and water treatment industries.
Nanoengineering
Nanoengineering is the practice of engineering on the nanoscale. It derives its name from the nanometre, a unit of measurement equalling one billionth of a meter.
Nanoengineering is largely a synonym for nanotechnology, but emphasizes the engineering rather than the pure science aspects of the field.
The first nanoengineering program in the world was started at the University of Toronto within the Engineering Science program as one of the Options of study in the final years. In 2003, the Lund Institute of Technology started a program in Nanoengineering. In 2005, the University of Waterloo established a unique program which offers a full degree in Nanotechnology Engineering. Louisiana Tech University started the first program in the U.S. in 2005. The University of California, San Diego followed shortly thereafter in 2007 with its own department of Nanoengineering. In 2009, the University of Toronto began offering all Options of study in Engineering Science as degrees, bringing the second nanoengineering degree to Canada. DTU Nanotech - the Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology - is a department at the Technical University of Denmark established in 1990, DTU Nanotech is a centre of excellence in nanotechnology exploiting sciences across the traditional boundaries of technology and offering BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Nanoengineering is largely a synonym for nanotechnology, but emphasizes the engineering rather than the pure science aspects of the field.
The first nanoengineering program in the world was started at the University of Toronto within the Engineering Science program as one of the Options of study in the final years. In 2003, the Lund Institute of Technology started a program in Nanoengineering. In 2005, the University of Waterloo established a unique program which offers a full degree in Nanotechnology Engineering. Louisiana Tech University started the first program in the U.S. in 2005. The University of California, San Diego followed shortly thereafter in 2007 with its own department of Nanoengineering. In 2009, the University of Toronto began offering all Options of study in Engineering Science as degrees, bringing the second nanoengineering degree to Canada. DTU Nanotech - the Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology - is a department at the Technical University of Denmark established in 1990, DTU Nanotech is a centre of excellence in nanotechnology exploiting sciences across the traditional boundaries of technology and offering BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Bionanoscience
Bionanoscience is a field of research that has emerged at the interface of nanoscience and biology. Bionanoscience focuses on nanoscale phenomena in biological, biomicking and bioinspired materials and structures. It focuses on fundamental scientific research to advance nanoscience and nanotechnology as well as biology and medicine.
Bionanoscience is that branch of one,which deals with the study and application of nanoscale phenomena in biological,biomicking and bioinspired materials and structures.
Material properties and applications studied in bionanoscience include mechanical properties(e.g. deformation, adhesion, failure), electrical/electronic (e.g. electromechanical stimulation, capacitors, energy storage/batteries), optical (e.g. absorption, luminescence, photochemistry), thermal (e.g. thermomutability, thermal management), biological (e.g. how cells interact with nanomaterials, molecular flaws/defects, biosensing, biological mechanisms s.a. mechanosensing), nanoscience of disease (e.g. genetic disease, cancer, organ/tissue failure), as well as computing (e.g. DNA computing). The impact of bionanoscience, achieved through structural and mechanistic analyses of biological processes at nanoscale, is their translation into synthetic and technological applications through nanotechnology.
This field relies on a variety of research methods, including experimental tools (e.g. imaging, characterization via AFM/optical tweezers etc., x-ray & diffraction based tools, synthesis via self-assembly, characterisation of self-assembly (using e.g. dual polarisation interferometry, recombinant DNA methods, etc.), theory (e.g. statistical mechanics, nanomechanics, etc.), as well as computational approaches (bottom-up multi-scale simulation, supercomputing).
Bionanoscience is that branch of one,which deals with the study and application of nanoscale phenomena in biological,biomicking and bioinspired materials and structures.
Material properties and applications studied in bionanoscience include mechanical properties(e.g. deformation, adhesion, failure), electrical/electronic (e.g. electromechanical stimulation, capacitors, energy storage/batteries), optical (e.g. absorption, luminescence, photochemistry), thermal (e.g. thermomutability, thermal management), biological (e.g. how cells interact with nanomaterials, molecular flaws/defects, biosensing, biological mechanisms s.a. mechanosensing), nanoscience of disease (e.g. genetic disease, cancer, organ/tissue failure), as well as computing (e.g. DNA computing). The impact of bionanoscience, achieved through structural and mechanistic analyses of biological processes at nanoscale, is their translation into synthetic and technological applications through nanotechnology.
This field relies on a variety of research methods, including experimental tools (e.g. imaging, characterization via AFM/optical tweezers etc., x-ray & diffraction based tools, synthesis via self-assembly, characterisation of self-assembly (using e.g. dual polarisation interferometry, recombinant DNA methods, etc.), theory (e.g. statistical mechanics, nanomechanics, etc.), as well as computational approaches (bottom-up multi-scale simulation, supercomputing).
Bionanotechnology
Bionanotechnology is the intersection of biology and nanotechnology. Bionanotechnology is a broad and somewhat vague term which is sometimes used interchangeably with nanobiotechnology, which usually refers more specifically to the use of nanotechnological devices for applications in biotechnology.
Bionanotechnology may also refer to the use of biomolecules for applications in nanotechnology. A major example of this is DNA nanotechnology, which uses self-assembling nucleic acid structures to control matter at the nanoscale.
In a wider sense, bionanotechnology refers to synthetic technology based on the principles and chemical pathways of living organisms. It encompasses the study, creation, and illumination of the connections between structural molecular biology and nanotechnology, since the development of nanomachinery might be guided by studying the structure and function of the natural nano-machines found in living cells. The science heavily relies on the characterisation of biological material on surfaces . A related field is bionanoscience.
Bionanotechnology may also refer to the use of biomolecules for applications in nanotechnology. A major example of this is DNA nanotechnology, which uses self-assembling nucleic acid structures to control matter at the nanoscale.
In a wider sense, bionanotechnology refers to synthetic technology based on the principles and chemical pathways of living organisms. It encompasses the study, creation, and illumination of the connections between structural molecular biology and nanotechnology, since the development of nanomachinery might be guided by studying the structure and function of the natural nano-machines found in living cells. The science heavily relies on the characterisation of biological material on surfaces . A related field is bionanoscience.
Clinical engineering
Clinical engineering is the branch of biomedical engineering dealing with the actual implementation of medical equipment and technologies in hospitals or other clinical settings. Major roles of clinical engineers include training and supervising biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs), selecting technological products/services and logistically managing their implementation, working with governmental regulators on inspections/audits, and serving as technological consultants for other hospital staff . Clinical engineers also advise and collaborate with medical device producers regarding prospective design improvements based on clinical experiences, as well as monitor the progression of the state-of-the-art so as to redirect procurement patterns accordingly.
Their inherent focus on practical implementation of technology has tended to keep them oriented more towards incremental-level redesigns and reconfigurations, as opposed to revolutionary research & development or ideas that would be many years from clinical adoption; however, there is a growing effort to expand this time-horizon over which clinical engineers can influence the trajectory of biomedical innovation. In their various roles, they form a "bridge" between the primary designers and the end-users, by combining the perspectives of being both 1) close to the point-of-use, while 2) trained in product and process engineering. Clinical Engineering departments will sometimes hire not just biomedical engineers, but also industrial/systems engineers to help address operations research/optimization, human factors, cost analysis, etc. Also see safety engineering for a discussion of the procedures used to design safe systems.
Their inherent focus on practical implementation of technology has tended to keep them oriented more towards incremental-level redesigns and reconfigurations, as opposed to revolutionary research & development or ideas that would be many years from clinical adoption; however, there is a growing effort to expand this time-horizon over which clinical engineers can influence the trajectory of biomedical innovation. In their various roles, they form a "bridge" between the primary designers and the end-users, by combining the perspectives of being both 1) close to the point-of-use, while 2) trained in product and process engineering. Clinical Engineering departments will sometimes hire not just biomedical engineers, but also industrial/systems engineers to help address operations research/optimization, human factors, cost analysis, etc. Also see safety engineering for a discussion of the procedures used to design safe systems.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Biomedical engineering
Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. This field seeks to close the gap between engineering and medicine. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment.
Biomedical engineering has only recently emerged as its own discipline, compared to many other engineering fields; such an evolution is common as a new field transitions from being an interdisciplinary specialization among already-established fields, to being considered a field in itself. Much of the work in biomedical engineering consists of research and development, spanning a broad array of subfields .Prominent biomedical engineering applications include the development of biocompatible prostheses, various diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices ranging from clinical equipment to micro-implants, common imaging equipment such as MRIs and EEGs, biotechnologies such as regenerative tissue growth, and pharmaceutical drugs and biopharmaceuticals
Biomedical engineering has only recently emerged as its own discipline, compared to many other engineering fields; such an evolution is common as a new field transitions from being an interdisciplinary specialization among already-established fields, to being considered a field in itself. Much of the work in biomedical engineering consists of research and development, spanning a broad array of subfields .Prominent biomedical engineering applications include the development of biocompatible prostheses, various diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices ranging from clinical equipment to micro-implants, common imaging equipment such as MRIs and EEGs, biotechnologies such as regenerative tissue growth, and pharmaceutical drugs and biopharmaceuticals
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation ( and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct manipulation of an organism's genes. Genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, where the organism's genes are manipulated indirectly. Genetic engineering uses the techniques of molecular cloning and transformation to alter the structure and characteristics of genes directly. Genetic engineering techniques have found success in numerous applications. Some examples are in improving crop technology the manufacture of synthetic human insulin through the use of modified bacteria, the manufacture of erythropoietin in hamster ovary cells, and the production of new types of experimental mice such as the oncomouse (cancer mouse) for research.
Neural engineering
Neural engineering (also known as Neuroengineering) is a discipline within biomedical engineering that uses engineering techniques to understand, repair, replace, or enhance neural systems. Neural engineers are uniquely qualified to solve design problems at the interface of living neural tissue and non-living constructs.
This field of engineering draws on the fields of computational neuroscience, experimental neuroscience, clinical neurology, electrical engineering and signal processing of living neural tissue, and encompasses elements from robotics, cybernetics, computer engineering, neural tissue engineering, materials science, and nanotechnology.
Prominent goals in the field include restoration and augmentation of human function via direct interactions between the nervous system and artificial devices.
Much current research is focused on understanding the coding and processing of information in the sensory and motor systems, quantifying how this processing is altered in the pathological state, and how it can be manipulated through interactions with artificial devices including brain-computer interfaces and neuroprosthetics.
Other research concentrates more on investigation by experimentation, including the use of neural implants connected with external technology.
This field of engineering draws on the fields of computational neuroscience, experimental neuroscience, clinical neurology, electrical engineering and signal processing of living neural tissue, and encompasses elements from robotics, cybernetics, computer engineering, neural tissue engineering, materials science, and nanotechnology.
Prominent goals in the field include restoration and augmentation of human function via direct interactions between the nervous system and artificial devices.
Much current research is focused on understanding the coding and processing of information in the sensory and motor systems, quantifying how this processing is altered in the pathological state, and how it can be manipulated through interactions with artificial devices including brain-computer interfaces and neuroprosthetics.
Other research concentrates more on investigation by experimentation, including the use of neural implants connected with external technology.
Pharmaceutical engineering
Pharmaceutical Engineering is sometimes regarded as a branch of biomedical engineering, and sometimes a branch of chemical engineering; in practice, it is very much a hybrid sub-discipline.Aside from those pharmaceutical products directly incorporating biological agents or materials, even developing chemical drugs is considered to require substantial BME knowledge due to the physiological interactions inherent to such products' usage.
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