Learn about Biomedical Engineering

Author: Astrid Abrego

C.I.P: 2-748-1308

- "Change is a law of life. Anyone who only looks to the past or the present will miss the future." John F. Kennedy

Every day our world is advancing driven by technology and by those people who tirelessly seek to achieve a positive change in it, everything that human beings have achieved with the help of technology, effort and a well-defined goal since construction is certainly impressive. from infrastructures, technological devices such as smartphones and computers to what we believed to be part of science fiction years ago, fully electronic prostheses connected neurally, bionic organs, medical devices that allow us to control and eliminate some genetic diseases, all thanks to Engineering. Biomedical.

But... What is Biomedical Engineering?

It is a discipline that applies the principles and techniques of engineering hand in hand with the field of medicine to create tools and technologies that help improve the quality of life of people, with the design, construction and maintenance of medical equipment, prosthetics, medical devices, diagnostics and therapy.

Image 1. Biomedical engineering and its effects on the world

In many cases, students can be mistaken and confuse this discipline with biotechnology, due to the definitions of each career.

What is biotechnology?

It is a combination of the application of biological techniques and the use of technology to create useful products for the improvement of our lives and also for the planet.

• Biotechnology deals with the purification of protein from RNA and DNA, the structure of the protein and the molecule.
• Biomedical engineering deals with the medical devices and instruments needed to help patients.

But there are many more differences between these disciplines that I would like to point out in the following comparative table that will surely help you to differentiate them from now on and in which case you want to study it.

Image 2. Differences between Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology Engineering

Video 1. Should YOU study Biomedical Engineering? What is Biomedical Engineering?

Continuing with Biomedical Engineering, this is a completely new and constantly growing discipline, it offers a wide field of work and areas of specialization such as the following:

• Bioinstrumentation:
• It is the application of principles and techniques of electronics and measurement to develop devices used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
• Biomechanics:
• It is Mechanics applied to biological or medical problems.
• It includes the study of movement, material deformation, flow within the body and in devices, and the transport of chemical constituents through biological and synthetic media and membranes.
• Biomaterials:
• Describe both the living tissue and the materials used for implantation.
• Understanding the properties of living material is vital in the design of implant materials.
• Systems physiology:
• It consists of the use of strategies, techniques and tools to obtain a comprehensive and integrated understanding of the function of living organisms ranging from bacteria to humans
• It is used in the analysis of experimental data and in the formulation of mathematical descriptions of physiological events.
• Clinical engineering:
• It is the application of technology for health care in hospitals.
• The clinical engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining a computerized database of medical instrument and equipment records and for the purchase and use of requested medical instruments.
• Rehabilitation Engineering:
• Expand the capacities and improve the quality of life of people with physical disabilities.

It is noteworthy that most of these specialties have something in common and it is the importance of knowing about the molecular and cellular networks that make up both cells and tissues, this because, being the smallest components of our body, they are the ones that determine certain physiological properties as changes in it, such as: it could be neurodegeneration and cancer. This study is very complex due to the millimeter and even nanometer scale of the cellular and molecular components, having the need to create more innovative approaches to understanding these systems, which once mastered will definitely create a huge change, since it will allow us to obtain the necessary information to develop better therapies, to mention some areas that will benefit from this study would be:

• Biomaterials where a better understanding, creation and study of the elements and compounds that can help create more biocompatible devices and prostheses would be allowed.
• Tissue engineering for the creation of organs and tissues that can be used in people who need a transplant.
• Systems physiology to create innovative treatments with the help of the manipulation of molecules, cells or systems.

Another area of specialization that was not previously named and that is also closely related to molecular and cellular studies is nanotechnology, an area of science that is creating totally impressive advances in medicine and technology and that will undoubtedly help change the world and save many lives.

What is nanotechnology?

Refers to the branch of science and engineering dedicated to the design, production, and use of structures, devices, and systems through the manipulation of atoms and molecules at the nanoscale, that is, having one or more dimensions on the order of 100 nanometers (100 millionths of a millimeter) or less.

This is a tool that allows the design of new materials and devices, which opens a new era for Biomedical Engineering.

Video 2. What is Nanotechnology?

Some of the areas in which nanotechnology has been or will be used are:

Diagnostics

• With nanotechnology it could be possible to collect medical data from inside our body, since nano robots could be programmed so that, upon detecting a chemical change, the presence of a toxin, substance or microorganism in the body that could be harmful, they send a message to the doctoror even the user himself, which would allow the detection of diseases and real-time monitoring of a patient's health status.

Drug Delivery

• With the help of nanotechnology, it is possible to program the nanorobot or create Nanoparticles so that it carries substances or medicines to the cells that may be affected by a disease and not only that, since they are capable of injecting them (substances or medicines) into the bloodstream to search for and eliminate harmful cells or help the production of new cells.

Cancer Treatmet

• Cancer is a disease that affects billions of people around the world, currently the treatment for this is chemotherapy, which turns out to be a counterproductive procedure, many researchers have sought in nanotechnology the creation of a new treatment that attacks directly cancer cells without harming healthy ones. cells or some tissues.

Brain Studies

• Nanotechnology has allowed researchers to collect more detailed information about the human brain with the use of nanoparticles, since they have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and access the most remote areas of the brain, they have shown enormous electrical potential, at same time, it is a useful alternative to diagnose and treat neurological diseases.

-"You don't get to the top by surpassing others, but by surpassing yourself" Fátima Martínez

Due to the rise of new advances, biomedical engineering has a very promising future. If it continues with the development it currently has, it can be predicted that this will be one of the leading technologies of this century, while the labor field is expected to grow exponentially thanks to technological advances and their impact in the future and quality of life for millions of people, while creating a firm path to change the world.

-"Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day after day" Robert Collier

References:

• Cell & Molecular Bioengineering. (n.d.). Bme.wustl.edu. Retrieved December 10, 2022, from https://bme.wustl.edu/faculty-research/research-areas/cell-molecular-bioengineering.html#:~:text=The%20molecular%20and%20cellular%20networks
• University, C. (n.d.). What are the Specialization Areas? The Catholic University of America. https://engineering.catholic.edu/biomedical/what-is-biomedical-engineering/specialization-areas/index.html
• 4 Ways Nanotechnology Will Change Our Lives. (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 10, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn2UjBIsrcI&ab_channel=TheMedicalFuturist
• What Is Biomedical Engineering? (Is A Biomedical Engineering Degree Worth It?). (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 10, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYI_sG0DmYs&ab_channel=ShaneHummus