The below core modules are taken by students on all four streams of the MSc.

• Principles of Biomedical Imaging – explains how images of the body can be obtained using different forms of penetrating radiation, and details how different forms of imaging such as Computer Tomography (CT), X-ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound work.
• Journal Club – A seminar-based module that will develop your ability to critically analyse the latest research in Biomedical Engineering and advance your scientific writing and presentation skills.
• Medical Device Certification – focuses on the key knowledge and skills needed by professional engineers in the development of medical systems and devices, specifically in the preparation of regulatory approval.
• Systems Physiology – describes the organ systems and their function covering everything from the cardiovascular system to brain function and the musculoskeletal and respiratory systems.
• Statistics and Data Analysis – enables the understanding of basic statistical analyses and their application and presents a fresh view of statistical concepts.

Core modules

The following core modules are compulsory for all students on the Biomechanics stream:

• Biomechanics – an introduction to the principles of mechanics, such as solid mechanics and fluids mechanics, and their application to living systems.
• Physiological Fluid Mechanics – focused on understanding advanced concepts in fluid mechanics and the implementation of numerical methods for computational fluid dynamics.
• Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics – introduces the application of engineering principles and approaches towards the study of biomechanical behaviour from a cellular to tissue scale.
• Orthopaedic Biomechanics - introduces the basic mechanics of the musculoskeletal system, covering the structure and function of the musculoskeletal tissues, the mechanics of the tissue, diseases and injury. 

Optional modules

You choose one optional module from below.

• Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine – introduces fundamental concepts in normal tissue development and discusses their imitation within a lab setting.
• Cellular and Molecular Mechanotransduction – examines biomechanics on a cellular scale and investigates methods of sensing and cell manipulation.
• Human Neuromechanical Control and Learning – explores the control of human movement from the perspective of both adaptation of the neural control system and adaptation of properties of the mechanical plant.
• Biomimetics – explains the scope of biomimetics and investigates the principles that help engineers solve technical problems using inspiration from nature.
• Biomedical Advanced Computational and Stress Analysis - explores advanced topics in mechanical drawing, stress analysis, and finite element simulation including nonlinear material models appropriate for biomedical applications.

Core modules

The following core modules are compulsory for all students on the Biomaterials stream:

• Biomaterials for Bioengineers – an introduction to the major classes of biomedical implant materials, including metals, ceramics and polymers, their use in the body and reasons for failure.
• Advanced Biomaterials – introducing you to the latest development in hard tissue biology.
• Advanced Tissue Engineering – investigating modern developments in tissue engineering and the principles on which they are based.
• Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine – introduces fundamental concepts in normal tissue development and discusses their imitation within a lab setting.

Optional modules

You choose one optional module from below. Typical options include:

• Biomechanics – an introduction to the principles of mechanics, such as solid mechanics and fluids mechanics, and their application to living systems.
• Biomimetics – explainsthe scope of biomimetics and investigates the principles that help engineers solve technical problems using inspiration from nature.
• Mathematical Methods for Bioengineers – introduces a range of appropriate mathematical models to model biological systems and analyse complex biological data.
• Non-Ionising Functional and Tissue Imaging – explains the latest advanced features of medical imaging (CT, X-ray, MR and US) and their use in modern hospital practice.

Core modules

The following core modules are compulsory for all students on the Medical Physics stream:

• Advanced Physiological Monitoring and Data Analysis – focuses on the core aspects of biological and clinical measurement such as data handling, sampling and measurement.
• Image Processing – examines digital image processing relevant to image analysis giving an appreciation for aspects of computation involved in interpreting images.
• Ionising Tissue & Flow Imaging – explains the basic physics of nuclear medicine, providing an overview of the range of applications in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
• Non-Ionising Functional and Tissue Imaging – explains the latest advanced features of medical imaging (CT, X-ray, MR and US) and their use in modern hospital practice.

Optional modules

You choose one optional module from below:

• Mathematical Methods for Bioengineers – introduces a range of appropriate mathematical models to model biological systems and analyse complex biological data.
• Neuroscience – introduces the key principles and methods of neuroscience, covering multiple levels of organisation, from molecules to behaviour.
• Engineering in Cancer Therapy - explains the basic physics of ionising radiation as safely implemented in radiotherapy, providing an overview of the range of applications used in the treatment of patients.

Core modules

The following core modules are compulsory for all students on the Neurotechnology stream:

• Brain Machine Interfaces – introduces technology that is used already in clinical settings for interfacing of the human brain to electronic circuitry, looking at clinical uses for brain-machine interfaces and deep-brain stimulation.
• Neuroscience – introduces the key principles and methods of neuroscience, covering multiple levels of organisation, from molecules to behaviour.
• Mathematical Methods for Bioengineers – introduces a range of appropriate mathematical models to model biological systems and analyse complex biological data.

Optional modules

You choose two optional modules from below:

• Reinforcement Learning – Introduces reinforcement learning and its mathematical foundations
• Biomimetics – explains the scope of biomimetics and investigates the principles that help engineers solve technical problems using inspiration from nature.
• Computational Neuroscience – an introduction to Computational Neuroscience, providing an appreciation of the role of computational and theoretical approaches to understanding the nervous system.
• Human Neuromechanical Control and Learning – explores the control of human movement from the perspective of both adaptation of the neural control system and adaptation of properties of the mechanical plant.
• Image Processing - examines digital image processing relevant to image analysis giving an appreciation for aspects of computation involved in interpreting images.

The individual research project is an important part of the Bioengineering degree course. Projects give you the opportunity to apply the knowledge learned in the rest of the course to current research problems. They also help you to develop important project management, teamwork and communication skills that are highly valued by employers and international research groups.

Throughout the year you will carry out an extended research project. You will be assessed by a planning report, submitted in early March, a written dissertation and an oral presentation to be held by the middle of September.

You will carry out your project under the direction and guidance of a member of the academic staff and their research group. They are by far the most important pieces of work in the degree programme. They provide the opportunity for you to demonstrate independence and originality, to plan and organise a large project over a long period, and to put into practice some of the techniques you have been taught throughout the course.

Previous projects

Examples of previous project titles and outlines are below. Please note these are historic examples and may not be offered on future courses.

Organ-on-Chip Exploration of Circulating Tumour Cell Cluster Microvascular Transit Dynamics

Dr Sam Au

90% of cancer associated deaths are a result of metastasis, a sequence of discrete events in which circulating tumour cells (CTCs) escape primary tumours, use the cardiovascular & lymphatic systems as highways to reach distant organs, where they grow into secondary tumours. To overcome this challenge, we use microfluidic organ-on-chip devices (platforms fabricated with micron-scale features for handling nano-scale volumes of fluids that are typically coated with living cells) as physical models of organ systems such as the microcirculation.

Recently, it has been discovered that the main cellular drivers of metastasis are not individual CTCs, but rather aggregates of these cells (CTC Cluster). In work conducted at Harvard Medical School, we found that CTC clusters are able to transit through narrow vessels by rearranging into single file chains (which reduces their hydrodynamic resistance to flow). This work was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Previous work was conducted in straight microchannel constrictions. This project builds upon this work to explore how CTC clusters behave at capillary Y-junctions in microfluidic capillary network-on-chip platforms. We have preliminary evidence that cells will sacrifice part of their cytoplasms to break inhibitory force balances during transit. The novel insights gained in this project will greatly advance our understanding of how cancer metastasizes.

Students will be equipped for in-demand careers within academia or industry with many of the following skills: cell & tissue culture, cancer biology, organ-on-a-chip, drug screening, microfabrication, computer-assisted design, statistical analysis, computational modeling, scientific writing/presentation skills and project management.

SnailBORG - the snail-machine interface

Professor Simon Schultz

The pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, has been a preparation of interest in neuroscience for the study of the molecular mechanisms of learning and memory, due to several convenient features, including a drug-permeable body, and large neuronal cell bodies. We surmise that it may also be a useful platform for testing brain-machine interface technologies. This project will involve developing a novel device for controlling the locomotion of a pond-snail through microstimulation, along the lines of the cockroach projects in "backyard brains" (backyardbrains.com). The device should be water-immersible, since the pond snail is an aquatic animal. This project would suit someone with an interest in brain-machine interfaces, neuroscience and a desire to perform wet laboratory work.