Bioengineering

Degree Concentrations

Concentrations are not required, but are intended to provide students with the option to obtain a more focused education in a particular field of study or sub-topic within a given field. To satisfy the requirements for a concentration, students must select at least 4 courses from any of the categories listed below. At least two courses must be from Bioengineering.

*Students may count only one of the asterisked courses per concentration
**Students may only “double count” TWO courses for multiple concentrations
***Students may only count one Independent Study (BE 4900 or BE 4920)

Seniors declaring a concentration should follow the instructions below at least four weeks before graduation:

Step 1: Complete the Declare/Update Field of Study form through Path@Penn; and
Step 2: Fill out the Form to Declare Bioengineering Concentration

Not all courses that fulfill the BE concentration requirement count in the engineering category of your worksheet. Please be sure to check the SEAS Handbook for which courses count as engineering, natural science, etc.

Please note: Students who are doing the Accelerated Masters program MUST meet all of the concentration requirements BEFORE obtaining their undergraduate degree.

Biomedical Data Science and Computational Medicine

Employs concepts and infrastructure from computer science and broad-based principles from engineering, applied mathematics, physics, and chemistry, to navigate large data sets of biological information and model biomolecules to gain insight into complex biological systems.

Course options:
***BE 4900 Independent Research in Bioengineering
BE 5040 Epigenomics
BE 5210 Brain-Computer Interface
BE 5300 Theoretical Neuroscience
BE 5590 Multiscale Modeling of Biological Systems
BE 5660 Network Neuroscience
CIS 4210/5210 Artificial Intelligence
CIS 4360 Intro to Computational Biology & Biological Modeling
CIS 4500 Database and Info Systems
CIS 5200 Machine Learning
CIS 5450 Big Data Analytics
CBE 5250 Molecular Modeling and Simulations
ESE 3050 Foundations of Data Science
ESE 5420 Statistics for Data Science
GCB 5350 Introduction to Bioinformatics
GCB 5360/BIOL 437 Computational Biology
GCB 5370 Advanced Computational Biology

Biomedical Devices

Design of instruments, implants or other biotechnologies that are used to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease. They require design, fabrication, manufacturing and interfacing with biological systems.

Course options:

BE 4700 Medical Devices
*BE 4720 Medical Device Development
***BE 4900 Independent Research in Bioengineering
BE 5020 From Biomedical Science to the Marketplace
BE 5140 Rehab Engineering & Design
BE 5180 Optical Microscopy
BE 5210 Brain-Computer Interface
*BE 5280 Applied Medical Innovation I
*BE 5290 Applied Medical Innovation II
BE 5510 Biomicrofluids
BE 5560 Molecular Diagnostics for Precision Medicine
BE 5700 Biomechatronics
ESE 2150 Electrical Circuits and Systems I
ESE 5050/MEAM 5130 Control of Systems
ESE 5290 Introduction to MEMS and NEMS
*MEAM 1010 Introduction to Mechanical Design
MEAM 2010 Machine Design and Manufacturing
MEAM 4100/5100 Design of Mechatronics
MEAM 4150/OID 415/IPD 415 Product Design
MEAM 5140 Design in Manufacturability
MEAM 5200 Introduction to Robotics

Cellular/Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials

Engineering of synthetic and/or biological materials to support or manipulate cellular or tissue growth. Constructs are used to understand cell behavior, as tissue implants or as platforms for therapeutic applications.

Course options:

BE 3300 Soft Materials
***BE 4900 Independent Research in Bioengineering
BE 5120 Bio III – Biomaterials
BE 5400 Biomolec & Cellular Eng
BE 5530 Tissue Eng/PR/MTHD/APP
BE 5580 Prin of Biol Fabrication
BE 5650 Systems Biology of Tissues and Organogenesis
BE 5690 Systems Biology of Cell Signaling Behavior
BE 5780 Principles of Controlled Release Systems
CBE 4300/MSE 4300 Polymers & Biomaterials
CBE 5570 Stem Cells, Proteomics and Drug Delivery – Soft Matter Fundamentals
MEAM 5140 Design in Manufacturability
MSE 5850/BE5850 Materials for Bioelectronics
MSE 5180 Structure and Function of Biological Materials

Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Physics

Physics of medical and biological imaging modalities, the use and effects of radiation in imaging and therapy, methodologies for image acquisition and processing, development of computer-based imaging theory and analysis methods, and the development and use of contrast media and molecular imaging agents.

Course options:
***BE 4900 Independent Research in Bioengineering
BE 5180 Optical Microscopy
BE 5370 Biomed Image Analysis
BE 5470 Fund Tech of Imaging II
BE 5810 Tech-Mag Resonance Imaging
BE 5830 Molecular Imaging
BE 6500 Adv Biomed Imag Applic
BIBB 421/NRSC 4421 Functional Imaging Human Brain
MPHY 6030 Image Based Anatomy
MPHY 6070 Radiation Biology
PHYS 4421 Modern Optics

Systems and Synthetic Biology

Understanding the nature of molecular and cellular processes and how individual biological entities interact to produce function at the cellular and organism level. It also includes the development of new devices, biomolecules, or biomimetics to control or manipulate these interactions to introduce new functionality, improve function and/or impair function.

Course options:
***BE 4900 Independent Research in Bioengineering
BE 5270 Immune Engineering
BE 5400 Biomolec & Cellular ENG
BE 5540 ENG Biotechnology
BE 5580 Prin of Biol Fabrication
BE 5590 Multiscale Modeling of Biological Systems
BE 5650 Systems Biology of Tissues and Organogenesis
BE 5690 Systems Biology of Cell Signaling Behavior
CBE 4790 Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering
CBE 4800 Laboratory in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering
CBE 5170 Principles of Genome Engineering
CBE 5570 Stem Cells, Proteomics & Drug Delivery Soft Matter Fund
MEAM 6630 Entropic Forces in Biomechanics
BIOL 5262 Biological Foundations for Bioengineering and Biotechnology: Genomics and Omics Technologies

Neuroengineering

Neuroengineering involves the confluence of neuroscience, device development, computation, and mathematics in an effort to better understand, track, and modulate neural function in health, disease, and degeneration.

Course options:

***BE 4900 Independent Research in Bioengineering
BE 5210 Brain-Computer Interface
BE 5300 Theoretical Neuroscience
BE 5660 Network Neuroscience
BIBB 249/NRSC 2249 Cognitive Neuroscience
BIBB 251/NRSC 2110 Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology
BIBB 421/NRSC 4421 Functional Imaging Human Brain
BIOL 4110/5110 Neural Systems and Behavior
*BIOL 4142  Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
*NRSC 2205 Cellular Basis of Learning and Memory
NRSC 3334 Computational Neuroscience Lab
NRSC 4425 Neurotechnology: From Concept to Clinic
NGG 5720 Electrical Language of Cells
NGG 5730 Systems and Integrative Neuroscience

Multiscale Biomechanics

Understand how biomolecules, cells, tissues, or living subjects interact mechanically with their environment and to use this knowledge to understand disease and repair processes and/or to guide the design of technological solutions to rehabilitate subjects with injuries or disabilities.

Course options:
***BE 4900 Independent Research in Bioengineering
BE 5100 Biomech & Biotrans
BE 5140 Rehab Engineering & Design
BE 5500 Continuum Mechanics
BE 5700 Biomechatronics
BE 5610 Musculoskeletal Biology and Bioengineering

Therapeutics, Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine

Encompasses drug discovery, drug design, manufacturing, preparation of micro- and nanodelivery platforms, gene and cell therapy, innovations in targeting, controllable drug release, biodegradation and the mathematical modeling of these systems.

Course options: 
***BE 4900 Independent Research in Bioengineering
BE 5540 ENG Biotechnology
BE 5550/CBE 5550 Nanoscale Systems Biology
BE 5570 Quantitative Principles of Drug Design
BE 5620 Drug Discovery & Develop
BE 5780 Principles of Controlled Release Systems
CBE 5570 Stem Cells, Proteomics & Drug Delivery Soft Matter Fund.
CBE 5640 Drug Delivery

Immune Engineering

Immune Engineering encompasses the development of new technologies that influence the behavior of the immune system, often in response to disease, infection, or wounds. It also includes the study of the immune systems response to biomaterials, implants, or foreign materials and the development of new tools to study this response.

***BE 4900- Independent Study
BE 5120- Bioengineering III: Biomaterials
BE 4260/5260- Immunology for Bioengineers OR BIOL 4004 Immunobiology (students cannot count both BIOL 4004 and BE 4260/5260 towards concentration)
BE 5270- Immune Engineering
BE 5570 Quantitative Principles of Drug Design
ENGR 4500- Biotechnology, Immunology, Vaccines and COVID-19
IMUN 5060- Immune Mechanisms
IMUN 5070- Immunopathology
IMUN 6090/CAMB6090 – Vaccines and Immune Therapeutics
REG 6180- Introduction to Vaccine Development