Welcome to
Biomedical Engineering

The research environment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering is rich with collaboration and creativity. Four research centers, the Dell Medical School, outstanding facilities, and partnerships with physicians and scientists at UT Austin and beyond provide our faculty and students with new prospects for innovating human health through engineering.

Willerson Center for Cardiovascular Modeling and Simulation

Directed by Dr. Michael Sacks, the overarching goal of the Center for Cardiovascular Simulation is to provide cardiovascular scientists and clinicians with advanced simulations for the rational development of treatments for cardiovascular disease. 

Center for Computational Oncology

Directed by Dr. Thomas Yankeelov, the Center for Computational Oncology is involved in research guided by developing a mathematical theory for how cancer initiates, grows, spreads, and responds to treatment. 

Center for Emerging Imaging Technologies

Directed by Dr. Andrew Dunn, the Center for Emerging Imaging Technologies fosters collaborative research on the development and applications of new imaging technologies for biomedicinal research and clinical medicine. 

Institute for Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine

Directed by Dr. Nicholas Peppas, the Institute for Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine provides a focal point for impactful activities in research, education, and service in biomaterials, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine—key areas in transforming health care. 

Faculty members within the Department of Biomedical Engineering conduct research with a number of entities within The University of Texas at Austin and beyond. Below is a list of some of our affiliated research institutes and centers.

• Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, Irvine, California
• Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology, Austin, Texas
• Dell Children's Medical Center, Austin, Texas
• Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Austin Texas
• Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology (ICMB), Austin, Texas
• Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES), Austin Texas
• MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
• Microelectronics Research Center, Austin, Texas
• Modulated Imaging, Irvine, California
• Nanospectra Biosciences, Houston, Texas
• Seton Family Network, Austin, Texas
• Texas Materials Institute, Austin Texas
• University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
• UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
• The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galvetson, Galveston, Texas
• University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas
• U.S. Army Institute for Surgical Research, San Antonio, Texas
• Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia

Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems such as humans, animals, plants, organs, cells, and molecules by means of the methods of mechanics. At The University of Texas at Austin, our researchers apply engineering principles to understand how living systems function at all scales of organization and to translate this understanding to the design of devices and procedures that will improve diagnostic and therapeutic methods in health care.

Area Faculty and Their Research

Aaron Baker
Kenneth Diller
Nanshu Lu
Sapun Parekh
Manuel Rausch
Chris Rylander
Michael Sacks
Jeanne Stachowiak

BME faculty and GSC members in Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics

Related Coursework

• Biomechanics of Human Movement
• Cell & Molecular Biomechanics
• Bioelasticity
• Bioheat Transfer and Thermoregulation
• Biophysics
• Bio-integrated soft electronics

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Due to dramatic, multidisciplinary advances in molecular biology and technology, the first complete human genome is available. Advances in genomic technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way health care is practiced; however, computational advances and a new kind of biological information science are required to achieve this potential. 

Conducting research at the interface of computational biomedical engineering, prognostics, and diagnostics that combine clinical data with patient-specific genotyping and molecular profiling, has the potential to produce significantly improved choices of therapies for individual patients.

Area Faculty

Kenneth Diller
Mia Markey
Nicholas Peppas
Pengyu Ren
Michael Sacks
Thomas Yankeelov

BME faculty and GSC members in Computational Biomedical Engineering

Related Coursework

• Biomedical Modeling of Biomolecules
• Computational Biomolecular Engineering
• Computational Simulation of Cardiovascular System
• Medical Decision-Making
• Systems Biology
• Systems Immunology

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Cellular and biomolecular engineering forms the underpinning of molecular medicine. Areas include tissue engineering, immune engineering, systems biology, genomics, the synthesis of biomaterials that modulate tissue responses, development of smart drug delivery matrices, the design of therapeutic macromolecules, gene therapy and many others. We have a core of faculty that has established an outstanding record of scientific accomplishment and technological innovation. Several successful companies have sprung from research conducted by University of Texas at Austin's biomedical engineering faculty, including Pharmacyclics, Therasense and Focal, among others.

Area Faculty

Steven Abrams
Aaron Baker
Amy Brock
Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez
Don Elbert
George Georgiou
Hyun Jung Kim 
Nicholas Peppas
Tyrone Porter
Nichole Rylander
Michael Sacks
Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert
Stephanie Seidlits
Jeanne Stachowiak
Laura Suggs
Evan Wang
Janet Zoldan

BME faculty and GSC members in Cellular and Biomolecular Engineering 

Related Coursework

• Biopolymers in Drug/Gene Delivery
• Engineering Biomaterials
• Nanomedicine in Health Care
• Stem Cell Engineering
• Systems Immunology
• Bioinspired Organ Mimicry

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