Overview

From Tools Building, Basic Understanding, to Clinical Applications -
within a Highly Collaborative Environment

The organization of research in the BME Department follows two general principles – balance and collaboration.  It seeks balance between fundamental engineering principles and applications that build upon rational principles and between research methodologies and applications that leverage on the methodologies.  Equally important is the close collaboration of faculty members as nurtured by the Carnegie Mellon culture, which draws together BME research throughout the campus.

Fundamental Principles of Biomedical Engineering

Understanding the fundamental principles of cells and tissues provides the foundation for a broad range of engineering applications.  Current emphasis is on biomechanics including intracellular and cell-matrix mechanics, soft tissue mechanics, bio-fluid mechanics, and mechanotransduction. (See Portfolio)

Enabling Technologies for Biomedical Research

Enabling research technologies facilitate the discovery of engineering principles (Area I), which may in turn provide stimulations for new technologies.  Some technologies may also be translated into practical applications (Areas III and IV).  The BME Department has a unique strength in probing and imaging cells and tissues (See Portfolio), based on a wide range of chemical, physical, materials, microfabrication, and computational approaches.

Technologies at the Interface of Biological and Artificial Materials

Many advances in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry come from manipulating the interactions between man-made and biological materials from protein molecules to tissues.  These technologies may also find applications in basic research (Areas I and II), and medicine (Area IV).  Research in this area is highlighted by nanobiotechnology and bio-MEMS for sensing and manipulations (See Portfolio). 

Innovative Engineering for Medicine

Close collaborations with the Allegheny General Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center provide a stimulating environment for developing medical applications including cardiovascular devices, regenerative medicine, medical robots, medical image processing, and drug delivery (See Portfolio).  The research emphasizes the incorporation of rigorous engineering principles (Area 1) and new technologies (Areas 2 and 3).