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Biomedical Engineering
Faculty
Chair
Vincent Turitto
Room 116 Engineering 1
Ext. 76927
Undergraduate Program Director
Mark Anastasio
Room 118 Engineering 1
Ext. 73926
Professor
Turitto
Areas of Specialization (Tracks)
The biomedical program has three areas of specialization
(or tracks): cell and tissue engineering, medical imaging,
and neural engineering. These areas while distinct in
their concept are not entirely separate, as a core exposure
Cell and Tissue Engineering
This area involves the more recent attempts to understand
and attack biomedical problems at the microscopic
level and to use such knowledge to begin to “engineer”
replacement tissues and organs from individual cells.
Knowledge of anatomy, biochemistry and the mechanics
of cellular and sub-cellular structures is necessary in
order to understand disease processes and to be able to
intervene at very specific sites. With such knowledge a
number of approaches have been or are being developed.
These range from the development of miniature devices
to deliver compounds that can stimulate or inhibit cellular
processes at precise target locations in order to
promote healing or inhibit disease formation and progression
to the newer techniques that have produced
replacement skin and one day will produce heart valves,
coronary vessels and even whole hearts. This area also
Medical Imaging
This area combines knowledge of unique physical properties
of electromagnetic and acoustic energy with
high-speed electronic data processing, signal analysis
and rapid display to generate an image of a body part
or more recently of a bodily function. Often, these images
can be obtained with minimal or completely noninvasive
procedures, making them less painful and more readily
repeatable than invasive techniques. Moreover, many
Neural Engineering
This area uses fundamental and applied engineering
techniques to help solve basic and clinical problems in the
neurosciences. At the fundamental level it attempts to
understand the behavior of individual neurons, their
growth, signaling mechanisms between neurons, and how
populations of neurons produce complex behavior. Such
information has broad application to a better understand-
Medical School Admission
For information regarding admission to medical schools
see page 142 or go to www.premed.iit.edu.
54 IIT Undergraduate Bulletin 2006–2008
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Copyright & Disclaimer Information: Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. CollegeSource®, Inc. and Career Guidance Foundation. CollegeSource® digital catalogs are derivative works owned and copyrighted by CollegeSource®, Inc. and Career Guidance Foundation. Catalog content is owned and copyrighted by the appropriate school. While CollegeSource®, Inc. and Career Guidance Foundation provides information as a service to the public, copyright is retained on all digital catalogs.
Associate Professors
Anastasio, Mogul, Troyk
Assistant Professors
Arfanakis, Brey, Derwent, Hall, Kamper
Research Professor
Opara
Senior Lecturers
Fagette, Papavasiliou
Faculty Emeritus
Arzbaecher
to the physical, chemical, biological and engineering
sciences is common to all and there is potential for considerable
crossover among the areas at the upper division
level. This is indicated by the track course options.
includes the development of artificial materials used for
implantation. Understanding the properties and behavior
of living material is vital in the design of implant materials.
The use of materials to place in the human body has
been practiced for over 100 years, but it remains as one of
the most difficult tasks faced by the biomedical engineer.
Certain metal alloys, ceramics, polymers, and composites
have been used as implantable materials. Biomaterials
must not only function normally over the lifespan of the
recipient but also, be nontoxic, non-carcinogenic, chemically
inert, stable, and mechanically strong enough to
withstand the repeated forces of a lifetime. Few materials
meet all such specifications. Newer biomaterials are
being developed which incorporate proteins or living cells
in order to provide a truer biological and mechanical
match for the living tissue.
of the devices require no ionizing radiation doses lessening
the danger of secondary radiation effects on the
patient. The students learn the theoretical bases underlying
the common forms of medical imaging, such as
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized axial
tomography scanning (CAT-scan), positron emission
tomography (PET), and the limitations and the applicability
of such techniques.
ing of the communication that occurs between the various
parts of the nervous system and the brain. For example,
such an understanding can be applied to the development
of replacement parts for impaired neural systems, such as
the auditory, visual and motor systems as well as achieving
a better understanding of how normal and diseased
systems work.