Overview
The Biomaterials and Therapeutics track covers an interdisciplinary field focused on the physical and biological study of biomaterials and drug delivery systems and their applications to modern biomedical problems. It encompasses synthetic materials, macromolecules, bioconjugates, modern drug delivery systems, genetically programmed materials and networks, composites and hybrid materials, cell-material combinations, and self-assembling systems, as well as their interactions with biological environments and physiological systems. Students in the Biomaterials and Therapeutics track should understand the relationships between the structure and designs of biomaterials, synthetic biology, and drug delivery systems and their interactions with complex biological systems.
Masters Students
M.S. students within the biomaterials and therapeutic track must successfully complete either BME 7120 (Biocompatibility) or BME 6302 (Biomaterials) and at least one additional course from the list of Biomaterials and Therapeutics electives (shown below). Please, note that some of the courses are offered every other year and plan accordingly.
Ph.D. Students
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam
Ph.D. students in the biomaterials and therapeutics track are expected to have general knowledge in the field. Students are encouraged to take the qualifying exam in the second year of study. The qualifying exam covers topics specific to the field of biomaterials and drug delivery systems and integrates material offered from the track courses. One half of the exam requests the answers to mandatory questions from Biomaterials and Therapeutics track fundamentals. In the other half of the exam, each student can select questions that integrate materials from elective courses.
Comprehensive Resources
Biomaterials Science: An Introduction to Materials in Medicine, B.D. Ratner, A.S. Hoffman, F.J. Schoen, and J.E. Lemons, 3rd ed, Academic Press, 2012.
The program of study is a list of all courses to be completed by the student as a part of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. The plan of study needs to be submitted to the department Graduate Academic Advisor prior to taking the qualifying exam. Typically, the choice of the student courses is dependent on the student’s Ph.D. research topic and must be approved by the student’s advisor, the Ph.D. supervisory committee, and the director of graduate studies.
Life-Science Fundamentals
Students in this track must follow the standard guidelines relevant to their Life-Science Fundamental courses.
Biomaterials Track Fundamentals
Mandated: 1 of 1 required
- BME 6302 – Biomaterials II
Selected: 1 of 3 required
- BME 6250 – Biomechanics II
- BME 6401 – Medical Imaging Systems
- BME 6440 – Neural Engineering
Biomaterials and Therapeutics Elective Courses
- BME 6140 – Fundamentals of Tissue Engineering
- BME 6405 – Nanomedicine
- BME 7160 – Physics Nature of Surfaces
- PHCEU 7011 – Fundamentals of Pharmacokinetics
- PHCEU 7040 – Biotechnology
- PHCEU 7030 – Macromolecular Therapeutics and Drug Delivery
Other courses may be taken as electives upon the approval of the student’s advisor and Ph.D. supervisory committee.
Questions?
Questions regarding the Biomaterials and Therapeutics track should be directed to Dr. Tara Deans.