The aim of the course is to provide students with an introduction to the basic concepts of biomedical engineering. The course will be broadly divided into two halves. In the first, the students will gain an understanding of the structure and function of cells and tissues and the generation of electrical signals in cells. In the second part of the course, the students will be introduced to the basic concepts of biomedical engineering including fluid mechanics, imaging modalities, sensors and biocompatibility.

2 x 1 Hour Lectures per week
Seminars, tutorials and lab session

ENG4181 Biophysics of Cells and Systems 4

ENG5281 Biophysics of Cells and Systems M

None

Examination 70%

Laboratory 10% on biocompatibility.

Group presentations on imaging, sensing, biofluids or biocompatbility (SCL) 20%.

It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.

[No exceptions]

The aims of this course are to:

■ introduce students to the structure and function of DNA and RNA and the basis by which genetic information is encoded within our genes;

■ introduce students to the structure and function of proteins and the basis by which genetic information encoded within our genes leads to protein expression;

■ introduce students to the structure of membranes, cells and tissues;

■ introduce students to the role of the membrane in the generation and transmission of the action potential;

■ describe the nervous system and how muscular contraction and reflex responses occur;

■ describe the sensory organs including the eye and the ear;

■ describe the vascular system and the unique role of fluids in the body;

■  introduce imaging methods to visualise healthy and diseased cells and tissues;

■  introduce analytical methods to sense signals from healthy and diseased cells and tissues;

■  introduce methods by which materials, including those used in implants and sensors, interact with biological systems.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

â–  evaluate the relationship between the structure and function of DNA and RNA and how they encode for proteins; 

â–  evaluate the relationship between the structure and function of proteins and understand how they are encoded by the genetic code; 

â–  apply the knowledge of the molecular structure and function of DNA, RNA and proteins to understand the basis of healthy cells and disease; 

â–  apply the basic principles underlying the structure of the cell membrane and proteins to understand the nature of electrical excitability in cells; 

â–  apply knowledge of the structure of a sensory organ to understand function as related to a sensory organ example

â–  evaluate the relationship between the role of biological fluids and their function in the context of their mechanical properties;

â–  apply the knowledge of imaging methods to understand techniques to visualise healthy and diseased cells and tissues; 

â–  apply the knowledge of analytical methods to sense signals from healthy and diseased cells and tissues;

â–  apply the knowledge of the ways by which materials, including those used in implants and sensors, interact with biological systems, to understand the concept of biocompatibility.