BME

Department of Biomedical Engineering

The Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Rochester brings together the technical expertise of our Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences with the clinical experience of our University of Rochester Medical Center to establish a cooperative environment that fosters innovations in medicine and healthcare. The BME Department is in close physical proximity to our School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, our world-renowned Medical Center and our internationally acclaimed Institute of Optics. The presence of these Centers and laboratories within close walking distance creates an exciting atmosphere that encourages collaborations across all fields. The University of Rochester Medical Center's new Strategic Plan includes a number of initiatives that involve current and future members of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, including Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, Biomedical Imaging & Biomarkers, and Nanomedicine.

We offer an ABET accredited BS degree program as well as MS, PhD and MD/PhD programs at the graduate level. As a world-class research institution with a commitment to education, we take pride in providing opportunities for both undergraduates and graduate students to become involved in the research process. Students may participate in research in laboratories of one of the 17 primary faculty members in the department or one of the 40 additional faculty members who are affiliated with our graduate program. Research specialties include: Biomechanics, Biomedical Acoustics, Biomedical Nanotechnology, Biomedical Optics, Cell & Tissue Engineering, Medical Imaging, and Neuroengineering.

At the University of Rochester, our Biomedical Engineering research doesn't stay in the laboratory! Between the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Center for Entrepreneurship, students have numerous opportunities to watch their medical discoveries move from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside. To immerse our undergraduates in this innovation process, our year-long Senior Design program provides an introduction to the medical device design process. While developing prototypes to solve problems presented by local companies, clinicians or researchers, students also learn about the regulatory process, economic constraints and ethical challenges that are presented by the introduction of new technology in the medical field. Our faculty members, grad students and alumni are also active participants in the growth of the medical and health care industry in Western NY.

In 2007, we opened the doors to the new Robert B. Goergen Hall for Biomedical Engineering & Optics, a state-of-the-art educational and research facility. With its airy five-story atrium, lecture halls, classrooms, fully equipped laboratories, coffee shop, and open collaborative spaces, it provides the opportunity for close interactions among students, faculty, and staff.

The mission of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rochester is to create and disseminate knowledge in engineering related to biomedical sciences and health care, and to provide students with the foundational knowledge and skills they will need to be leaders in their chosen field. (Updated June, 2007)