Biomedical Engineering is a multi-disciplinary programme firmly based in the Engineering Departments, with strong support from the Faculty of Medicine in medicine-related courses and practical training.
Biomedical engineering is an interdisciplinary study in which engineering and technology are applied innovatively to solve biological and medical problems for the benefit and welfare of mankind. The Biomedical Engineering programme is a joint venture among the Engineering Departments with strong support from the Faculty of Medicine in medicine-related courses and practical training. It aims at educating the next-generation biomedical engineers with an aspiration of serving the society and advancing healthcare at the interface of engineering, science, and medicine. Students enjoy flexibility not only in learning various forefronts of engineering and medicine from core courses, but also in the variety of electives, allowing them to focus on areas critical to their careers.
Biomedical engineering is a growing industry with a strong career outlook. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the biomedical engineering career field is increasing at about 26% per year through 2012, one of the few industries with positive growth at times of global economic recession. The demand for skilled local biomedical engineers, working alongside with physicians and therapists, is projected to rise as the healthcare field continues its rapid growth and the role of technology in diagnostic, therapeutic and research activities continues to expand.
Today biomedical engineering is pushing the frontiers of science and technology by using electronics, photonics principles and information technology to solve imminent problems in biology and medicine. Examples include medical instruments such as MRI, electrocardiography, cardiac pacemaker and non-invasive endoscope. Minimally invasive bio-devices are also developed on the micro- and nano-scale to enable measurement of physiological phenomena at the cellular level. Students can take advantage of the breadth of cutting-edge biomedical engineering research on campus, as well as synergistic partnership with the Prince of Wales Hospital.
The specialty areas in this programme are:
- Medical devices and instrumentation
- Medical imaging
- Information technology in healthcare
- Biomedical sensor technologies
The proposed undergraduate programme in Biomedical Engineering is offered with a clear mission to provide students with educational experiences that integrate the sciences of biology and medicine with the practices and principles of engineering to advance scientific discovery and the development of new biomedical technologies and therapies.
The programme aims are:
- To train graduates as future leaders for the development and application of state-of-the-art biomedical and healthcare technologies.
- To prepare graduates for pursuing practice in healthcare industries or related technical and professional fields through exposing them to a balanced curriculum in life sciences and engineering.
- To equip graduates with a solid knowledge foundation for their pursuit of a career in frontier research and development of innovative technologies.
Three-year and Four-year Programmes
The Planning Committee has produced a three-year programme taking into account the programme objectives and the existing strengths within CUHK, particularly the Faculty of Engineering. As for the four-year programme, while all other programmes within the Faculty of Engineering are adopting a common Major/Faculty Requirements for S6 Entrants scheme in order to provide a broad-base preparation for their senior years, the new BME programme will adopt the same first year study plan as that offered to all S6 entrants admitted to the faculty.
BME at CUHK
A Master of Science (MSc) programme in biomedical engineering was established in 2006-2007 in the Faculty of Engineering, leveraging on the strong Engineering and Medicine programmes at CUHK to provide students with a rigorous training in both engineering and life sciences with a solid technical foundation to launch their careers in local healthcare industries/institutions and across the border in Shenzhen.
The CUHK BME groups, which straddle the three Faculties of Engineering, Medicine and Science have their names on the map, and have received numerous awards and recognitions from local, national, Asia-Pacific, and international BME communities.
Accreditation
The 3-year programme of study leads to a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) honours degree to be accredited by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE).
Besides the minimum CUHK requirements, this programme has the following additional requirements:
| HKCEE Requirements | HKALE Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Good grades in any two language subjects |
Good grades in Mathematics or Additional Mathematics, Physics and one other science subject (Biology preferred) |
Good grades in AS Chinese and Use of English + 2 AL subjects OR 1 AL and 2 AS |
At least TWO of the AL/AS subjects must come from the following list:
|
An interview will be arranged for selected JUPAS applicants in May-June.
We welcome non-JUPAS applications with overseas, sub-degree or other qualifications. For detailed information, please visit the following URL: http://www2.cuhk.edu.hk/oafa/local.php
Biomedical Engineering Programme
Applicable to students admitted in 2010-2011
Major Programme
Students are required to complete a minimum of 69 units of Major courses as follows:
| (i) | Required Courses: | 51 units | |
|
EMB1110, 1120, 1130, 2120, 2210, 3110, 3210, 3240, 3320, 3330, 4290; CSC1120; ELE2130; ERG2011, 2012, 4010, 4020. |
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| (ii) | Elective Courses: | 18 units | |
|
EMB Electives: Select 6 units from the following EMB courses: EMB3130, 3220, 3420 and 3430. |
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|
EMB Electives: Select 12 units from the following courses: EMB4220, 4230, 4250, 4260, 4410, 4420, 4510, 4520, 4530, 4540, 5240, 5320, 5510. |
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| Total: | 69 units |
Recommended course pattern
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units | Term 3 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMB1110 | 3 | EMB1130 | 3 | EMB2120 | 3 |
| EMB1120 | 3 | EMB2210 | 3 | EMB3110 | 3 |
| ELE2130 | 3 | ERG2011 | 3 | EMB3210 | 3 |
| ERG2012 | 3 | CSC1120 | 3 | EMB3320 | 3 |
| EMB3240 | 3 | ||||
| 12 | 12 | 15 | |||
| Term 4 | Units | Term 5 | Units | Term 6 | Units |
| EMB3330 | 3 | EMB Electives | 6 | EMB Electives | 6 |
| EMB4290 | 3 | ERG4010 | 3 | ERG4020 | 3 |
| EMB Electives | 6 | ||||
| 12 | 9 | 9 |
Notes:
- Major courses at 3000 and above level will be included in the calculation of the Major GPA for honours classification.
- Besides the Major courses mentioned in Note 1, the other Engineering courses at 3000 and above level taken by the students will also be included in the calculation of Major GPA.
- Students who do not have AL or AS level qualifications in Pure Mathematics/Applied Mathematics/Mathematics with Statistics are required to take MAT1110 in Term 1 to supplement their mathematics background.
- The General Education, Physical Education, and language requirements for the undergraduate programme are the same as the requirements for all other Engineering programmes under the Faculty.
- Students admitted as S6 Entrants are required to follow the Major/Faculty Requirement for S6 Entrants as listed in the Undergraduate Student Handbook.
Required Courses:
| EMB1110 | Chemistry and Biochemistry for Biomedical Engineering |
| EMB1110 | Human Physiology and Anatomy |
| EMB1130 | Introduction to Biomedical Engineering and BME Design Project |
| EMB2120 | Digital Systems for Biomedical Engineering Applications |
| EMB2210 | Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Musculoskeletal Injury |
| EMB3110 | Biomedical Ethics, Safety and Practice |
| EMB3210 | Biofluids |
| EMB3240 | Biosensors and Medical Instrumentation |
| EMB3320 | Biomedical Imaging |
| EMB3330 | Neuroengineering Fundamentals |
| EMB4290 | Physiological Modelling |
| CSC1120 | Introduction to Computing Using C++ |
| ELE2130 | Introduction to Circuits and Systems |
| ERT2011 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics (Syllabus A) |
| ERG2012 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics (Syllabus B) |
| ERG4010 | Thesis I |
| ERG4020 | Thesis II |
EMB Elective Courses:
| EMB3130 | Database and Security for Biomedical Engineering |
| EMB3220 | Telemedicine and Mobile Healthcare |
| EMB3420 | Bionanotechnology |
| EMB3430 | Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering |
| EMB4220 | Body Sensor Networks |
| EMB4230 | Prosthetics and Artificial Organs |
| EMB4250 | Biophotonics |
| EMB4260 | Bioinformatics |
| EMB4410 | BioMEMS |
| EMB4420 | Medical Robotics |
| EMB4510 | Molecular Engineering |
| EMB4520 | Cardiovascular Engineering |
| EMB4530 | Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering |
| EMB4540 | Electrophysiology |
| EMB5240 | Advanced Biosensors and Medical Instrumentation |
| EMB5320 | Biomedical Imaging Applications |
| EMB5510 | Advanced Neuroengineering |
Courses Information:
EMB1110 Chemistry and Biochemistry for Biomedical Engineering
The course introduces molecular composition, chemistry and functions of biological macromolecules, including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and their general metabolism will be addressed. Pathological principles of cellular adaptation, inflammation, immunologic response, infection and neoplasia in humans.
EMB1120 Human Physiology and Anatomy
The topics include the structure and functions of cells, tissues, organs, and their relationships as interdependent components of the body systems. Emphasis will be placed on the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and nervous systems.
EMB1130 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering and BME Design Project
Definition, scope, basic principles and problems in biomedical engineering. Introduction to the enabling technologies for biomedical engineering. Overview of various topics in biomedical engineering, e.g. biomedical sensors, bioinstrumentation, bio-signal processing, biomechanics, biomaterials, molecular engineering, tissue engineering, bio-nanotechnology, medical imaging, rehabilitation engineering, etc. Applications of engineering principles to selected medical and biological problems. Contemporary issues and roles of biomedical engineering. The problem-based project requires students to design and implement a solution for a biomedical problem. Students will be trained to analyse a problem from various perspectives including scientific merits, technical feasibility, market requirements and costs issues.
EMB2120 Digital Systems for Biomedical Engineering Applications
Digital numbers and codes, digital circuits, memory devices, introduction to microprocessors, assembly language programming, input and output interfacing, analogue-digital conversion, application examples. LabVIEW programming, programming and application of PIC Microcontroller. Laboratory work and project for gaining hands-on experience on microprocessor programming and application.
EMB2210 Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Musculoskeletal Injury
Orthopaedic Biomechanics: Force and moment vectors. Equations of equilibrium. Moments of inertia. Kinematics of particles. Newtons second law. Kinematics of rigid bodies. Dynamics of rigid bodies. Stress-strain relations. Linear elasticity. Loading and deformation. Shear forces and bending moments. Multi-body kinematics and application to skeletal system. Musculoskeletal Injury: Injury mechanisms associated with musculoskeletal biology (aging, gender, diseases, adverse effects of treatments) and external forces (sports and traffic accidences), basic principles for designing medical devices and implants for prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.
EMB3110 Biomedical Ethics, Safety and Practice
Examination of fundamental ethical principles. Issues related to experimentation on human subjects, informed consent, confidentiality, and transplant surgery. Introduction to standards for evaluating medical devices. Guest lectures by technologists, researchers, practicing clinicians, and regulators to discuss technology transfer, disclosure of intellectual property, patenting, FDA and SFDA approval, and relevant laws. Safety practices in the laboratory.
EMB3130 Database and Security for Biomedical Engineering
Introduction of fundamental applications of information technology for healthcare, with focus on medical informatics, basic concepts of database management systems, security protocol, firewalls and computer viruses, system security threats, etc.
EMB3210 Biofluids
Fundamentals of heat and mass transfer. Nature of fluids. Integral and differential equations of fluid flows. Conservation of mass, momentum and energy. Elementary internal and external flows. First and second laws of thermodynamics. Entropy. Heat conduction and convection. Bio and micro fluidics and heat transfer. Heat and mass transfer in biosystems.
EMB3220 Telemedicine and Mobile Healthcare
Concepts of P-healthcare (personalized healthcare), E-medicine, and M-healthcare (mobile healthcare).
Basic techniques in telemedicine and M-healthcare: communication systems and networks, medical devices, E-healthcare records, wireless communications in medicine, information security and confidentiality, medical data coding and compression, functions of PACS and HIS. Applications: Tele-consultation, tele-geriatrics, tele-monitoring, M- healthcare, smart wards. etc.
EMB3240 Biosensors and Medical Instrumentation
Fundamental concepts of biomedical instrumentation and biosensors. Introduction to electromagnetic signals and interference. Different biosensor modalities. Wireless electrodes and biosensors. The origins and measurements of bioelectric, biochemical, biomechanical, biophotonic and bioaccoustic signals. Applications: cochlear implant devices, pacemakers and defibrillators, drug delivery systems, functional electric stimulators, blood pressure sensors, blood flowmeters, blood glucose sensors, and wearable monitoring and therapeutic devices. Electrical safety and hazard.
EMB3320 Biomedical Imaging
Overview of image formation, registration, enhancement, analysis, visualization, segmentation, and communication. Introduction of biomedical imaging systems and image analysis methods. Key imaging modalities: physical principles, algorithms, hardware and applications of X-ray imaging, computed X-ray tomography (CT), optical imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET) and ultrasound imaging.
EMB3330 Neuroengineering Fundamentals
Introduction to neuroengineering: Beginning, development and current status; Neural system and neuron activity; Neural information processing and learning; Mechanisms underlying neurological disorders (stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease or epilepsy.); Neural interfacing for treatment of neurological diseases; Neural computation and artificial neural network; Neuromuscular and neuromechanical systems; Neural-machine interface and neuroprosthesis; Neuromorphic engineering: artificial retinas, cochlea, and noses.
EMB3420 Bionanotechnology
Bionanotechnology is the intersection of bioscience, nanotechnology and engineering. The contents include:
- Basic concepts on nanotechnology: length scales (<100 nm) effect on properties of materials and devices;
- Overview of bionanotechnology: challenges and opportunities associated with biotechnology on the nanoscale; (3) Nanostructured interfaces and bioengineered materials: quantum dots, DNA, self-assembly and templating, surface patterning and functionalization, nanoanalytics and applications.
EMB3430 Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Fundamentals in design and selection of biomaterials for medical applications. Testing of mechanical properties and bio-compatibility of biomaterials. Introduction to tissue engineering. Principles of tissue engineering for medical application.
EMB4220 Body Sensor Networks
Introduction to wearable medical devices and bio-sensing technologies. Design of on-body and in-body biosensors. Communication topologies, protocols, standards and media of body sensor networks (BSN). Usages and roles of BSN in real-life applications. Selected issues in state-of-the-art development of BSN, e.g. information security, signal interference, energy scavenging, multi-sensor fusion and context-aware sensing.
EMB4230 Prosthetics and Artificial Organs
Introduction to biological prosthetics and artificial organs; functional electrical stimulation, restoration of movement of paralyzed arms and legs; artificial limbs and related engineering and psychological issues; design principles of implantable devices and systems; state-of-the-art implantable prosthetic devices for hearing and other disabilities; artificial heart, lung, kidney, and liver: functional replacement and related key issues; artificial blood and artificial skin; tissue engineering and related topics.
EMB4250 Biophotonics
Review of physical properties of light. Optical sources and detectors. Interactions between light and biological materials. Photo-absorption, emission and spectroscopy. Optical microscopy principles and techniques. Modeling of light-tissue interaction. Light-activated therapy. Micro-array technology. Laser tweezers. Emerging biophotonic technologies.
EMB4260 Bioinformatics
Introduction to bioinformatics and molecular biology for engineers, genomics basics and molecular biology analysis tools, engineering approaches and sequence alignment algorithms, data network and database search algorithms, substitution patterns and molecular phylogenetics, synthetic biology and genetic engineering.
EMB4290 Physiological Modelling
Review on basic physiological systems: neuromuscular system, auditory system, pulmonary-cardiovascular system etc. Random renewal point process. Bioelectric modelling: action potentials, cellular membrane models, volume conductor models, electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyography (EMG), electroencephalography (EEG), etc. Physiological modelling and applications: lumped element model, bioimpedance, medical ultrasound, bio-dispersion effects, and otoacoustic emissions. Spectral analysis of biomedical signals. Other parametric and nonparametric biomodelling techniques.
EMB4410 BioMEMS
This course will introduce basic bio-MEMS fabrication technologies, including UV lithography, LIGA process, nanoimprinting and hot embossing. Microfluidic devices and components for bio-MEMS, including micropump, micromixers, microdevices for sample extraction, concentration, and devices for cell manipulation. Sensing technologies and bio-MEMS applications in electrophoresis, environmental mycobacteria detection, drug delivery, DNA analysis, proteomics, and cell biology.
EMB4420 Medical Robotics
Introduction to medical robotics, mechanical structures and dynamics, robotic sensing and control, human-robot interface, surgical robotic systems, rehabilitation robotic systems, micro-scale robotic medical devices, state-of-the-art in medical robotics.
EMB4510 Molecular Engineering
Revisiting the cell: Cells and genome, cell biochemistry, organelles. Basic genetics: DNA and chromosomes, DNA replication, repair and recombination, central dogma of molecular biology (From DNA, RNA to protein), gene expression. DNA engineering: PCR, RT-PCR, DNA mutagenesis, DNA shuffling, directed evolution, Northern blotting, Southern blotting. Gene regulation: Transcription and Gene therapy. Molecular engineering: Antibodies, Electrophoresis, Immunoblotting, Immunostaining.
EMB4520 Cardiovascular Engineering
Microcirculation as a dynamic entity; Concentration and velocity profiles of blood cells in microcirculation; Intercellular collisions and their effect on microcirculatory transport; Model studies of the rheology of blood in microvessels; Fluid dynamics and thrombosis; Rheological factors and disease; Flow and vascular geometry; Ex-vivo models for studying thrombosis; Cardiac valve replacement with mechanical prostheses; Flow through mechanical heart valves and thrombosis.
EMB4530 Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering
An emerging interdisciplinary field which applies the principles of biology and engineering to the development of viable substitutes which restore, maintain, or improve the function of musculoskeletal tissues. The course covers fundamentals including:
- The study of musculoskeletal tissues: tissue engineering of tendon/ligament, cartilage and bone; understanding the interactions between extracellular matrices and cells, mechanobiological responses of cells/tissues;
- The study of musculoskeletal biomaterials: The development of bioactive, biomimetic advanced biological materials for replacement of aged and diseased musculoskeletal tissues.
EMB4540 Electrophysiology
Introduction to the nervous system: Neuroanatomy, Resting cell potential (structure, protein, gradient, potential), Action potential (myelination, propagation), Synapses and neurotransmitters (receptors, packaging, recycling), Ion basis for conduction; Analog to electrical system: Circuit theory, Electrical properties of neurons, Cable equation, Hodgkin-Huxley Model, Core-conductor theory, local circuit theory; Electrophysiological methods: Ionic basis for conduction, Basic instrumentation (recording electrode, oscilloscope), Voltage- and current clamp in vitro, Single channel patch clamp, Stimuli and recording, Electroencephalography and cortical potential, Local synaptic decoupling and modeling.
EMB5240 Advanced Biosensors and Medical Instrumentation
This course covers the following topics on the state-of-the-art biomedical instrumentation and biosensors: advanced physiological monitoring and therapeutic devices; modern drug delivery systems; body area networks; endoscopic capsule and laboratory-in-a-pill devices; Low-power biomedical system-on-chip (SoCs); Terahertz imaging and instrumentation; multi-modality medical imaging; cell imaging and molecular imaging; and selected topics of current interests in biosensors.
EMB5320 Biomedical Imaging Applications
Basic knowledge and technical background on the current available bio-imaging technologies developed for assessment of quality of musculoskeletal tissues with emphasis on their application for bone and cartilage, such as QCT, pQCT, microCT for animals and human, nano-CT, MRI, ultrasound, and other advanced imaging modalities; Contrast-enhancement mediums for musculoskeletal and vascular applications; Use of above bioimaging modalities for evaluation of scaffold biomaterials developed for enhancement of repair of musculoskeletal tissues; Applications of biomedical imaging in diagnosis, prevention and treatment of aging related disorders of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and other relevant living systems.
EMB5510 Advanced Neuroengineering
This course will cover selected state-of-the-art topics in a highly interdisciplinary field that combines neurobiology, electrophysiology, tissue engineering, neural activity imaging, optics and engineering technologies, including: neural circuit-modulation, behavior and neurological & psychiatric disorders; replacement and restoring of neural function; neural-related cellular and molecular engineering techniques; neural regeneration; neural modulation technology (e.g. by optogenetic techniques, functional electrical stimulation and repeated trancranical magnetic stimulation); principles and applications of neuroimaging such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), as well as electric and magnetic field of human brain (EEG and MEG).
ELE2130 Introduction to Circuits and Systems
Basic circuit elements and circuit laws, AC analysis, semiconductors and PN junction diode, field-effect transistors, bipolar junction transistors and amplifier circuits, feedback and oscillators, operational amplifiers, frequency responses, digital concepts and number systems, Boolean Algebra and logic function minimization, combinational circuits and sequential circuits, microcontrollers and computers.