Biomedical Engineering Final Exam BIOM-100

When did Biomedical Engineering get started?

1960s

Scientific definition of biomaterials

A biomaterial is a nonviable material used in a medical device, intended to interact with biological system. (Williams, 1987).

Combining synthetic materials (polymers, metals, ceramics etc.) with biological components to produce devices that function like tissues and organs. Key example: kidney dialysis machine (Dutch physician Kolff used cellophane to remove urea from the blood of diabetics). Addition of living cells to dialysis machines can make it artificial liver or pancreas. Design of artificial hearts and heart components such as valves, and also design of machines that keep patients alive during cardiac surgery.

Artificial organs

While infectious diseases are still the second leading cause of death in the world and the most important cause of premature death in many developing countries, what are biomedical engineers working on to help this issue?

BMEs need to make vaccines more effective, less expensive, easier to administer and easier to transport (viruses such as COVID-19, HIV, HCV, SARS and West Nile).

Subjects important to biomedical engineering?

Basic science : Physics and chemistry, quantitative systems physiology, mathematical analyses, domain specific knowledge (i.e. electrical circuits, mechanics, chemical processes, etc.)

Emphasizes chemical engineering principles for design and analysis. E.g.Pharmacokinetic analysis to give drugs safely and effectively. Design of drug-delivery systems and to create new treatments using tissue and cellular engineering. Chemical engineering principles applied to biomaterial design, nano-biotechnology and genomic analysis.

Bio-molecular engineering

What is the most important complementary definition needed to understand important aspects of biomaterials?

Biocompatibility

What are the sub-disciplines in agricultural engineering?

Biological engineering

What are the sub-disciplines that use chemical engineering?

Biological engineering, Biomolecular engineering, bioprocess engineering, biochemical engineering

Determine role of mechanical forces on human functions. Some engineers study role of forces (i.e. exercise, work conditions or activities of normal life) on tissue physiology or human performance. Others are interested in protecting humans from mechanical industry by designing seat belts or helmets. Still others determine how diseases affect the mechanical performance of tissues such as the heart or the ability of humans to move after loss of mechanical functions in bones or muscles. Design of mechanical replacements of hips, joints, heart valves and organs. Cellular mechanicsis a growing field (i.e. mechanics of cell movement through circulation, microfilaments during cell division, mechanotransduction).

Biomechanics

the practice of designing systems, equipment and devices for use in the practice of medicine. It also involves working closely with medical practitioners, including doctors, nurses, technicians, therapists and researchers, in order to determine, understand and meet their requirements for systems, equipment and devices.

Biomedical Engineering

Revolutionized medicine. CT, MRI and ultrasound imaging. Involves both instrumentation and signal/imaging processing. Most current methods provide information on tissue anatomy, but imaging techniques of the future will also provide info on the function of tissues.

Biomedical Imaging

what two terms are fairly interchangeable between academic departments?

Biomedical engineering and bioengineering

What the name of the discipline associated wit the exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, especially the genetic manipulation of microorganisms to produce antibiotics, hormones, etc.

Biotechnology

what is a growing field under biomechanics?

Cellular mechanicsis (i.e. mechanics of cell movement through circulation, microfilaments during cell division, mechanotransduction).

the practice of designing equipment, systems and processes for refining raw materials and for mixing, compounding and processing chemicals to make valuable products

Chemical Engineering

Involves design, testing, manufacturing, construction, control, monitoring and inspection of electrical and electronic devices, machinery and systems. These systems vary in scale from microscopic circuits to national power generation and transmission systems.

Electrical Engineering

The application of science and math to solve problems

Engineering

polymers as biomaterials : polyethylene (PE)

Hip and knew implants, artificial tendons and ligaments, synthetic vascular grafts, dentures, and facial implants

Involves design, manufacturing, inspection and maintenance of machinery, equipment and components as well as control systems and instruments for monitoring their status and performance. This includes vehicles, contractions and farm machinery, industrial installations and a wide variety of tools and devices

Mechanical Engineering

Example: multidisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering - Development of soft contact lenses

Requires working knowledge of physics (refraction and mechanics), anatomy, physiology (tear production and circulation), materials science, immunology (body's response to foreign materials), and math (evaluation of oxygen diffusion).

Systems-level analyses to chemical reactions, proteins and cells to understand and predict biological outcomes. Also involves development of efficient computer methods for examining biological databases to find and sort new biological information. Development of new tools to measuring the state of function of individual cells (proteomics, array technologies, design of BioMEMs devices that interface with living cells).

Systems biology

Name three biomedical engineering professional societies

The Biomedical Engineering Society, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, and The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering

What are some future contributions of Biomedical engineering?

Vaccines, robotic surgery, long-term artificial hearts, genetic scans for disease prediction (i.e. gene chips), brain-machine interface, spinal cord regeneration, "designer" organs grown from single cells, imaging of moving parts (joints, heart etc.), artificial pancreas, control of angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels) for cancer treatment.

What is the most common protein in blood? what is second to this?

albumin, immunoglobulins (immune system proteins)

Nature uses a bottom-up approach to assemble a human being, what exactly does this mean?

all materials are made from a relatively simple set of 20 amino acids and four nucleic acids

What is the problem with biomimetics?

because the function of every aspect of tissues or organs is not known, imitating the structure and function of natural technique is almost impossible for scientists

tissues composed of both synthetic and natural materials

bioartificial tissues

the ability of a material to perform with an appropriate host response in a specific application (Williams, 1987).

biocompatibility (definition)

what fields intersect with the development, study, and application of biomaterials?

bioengineer, chemist, chemical engineer, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, materials scientist, biologist, microbiologist, physician, veterinarian, ethicist, nurse, lawyer, regulatory specialist and venture capitalist (- this is only a partial list)

materials (synthetic and natural; solid and sometimes liquid) that are used in medical devices or in contact with biological systems.

biomaterials

One of the oldest and richest parts of BME. Hospitals have lots of machines to determine state of the patient (i.e. blood pressure monitors, pacemakers, arrhythmia detectors, ECG machines). Latest implantable devices stimulate electrical activity in Parkinson's. Future devices will deliver drugs, monitor local tissue states and send detailed information on internal function outside of the body.

biomedical instrumentation

approach that is used by biomedical engineers to design medical devices or systems that repair, monitor, or assist the functions of the human body in ways that mimic or replicate nature's techniques - this technique are often at the heart of a successful medical device or therapy

biomimetics

what do biomaterials usually make first contact with and why?

blood, implantation often creates a wound and bleeding usually ensues

polymers as biomaterials : polymethylmethcrylate (PMMA)

bone cement, intraocular lenses

Natural materials : ceramics or demineralized ceramics

bone graft substitute

Ceramics as biomaterials : calcium sulfate

bone graft substitutes

Ceramics as biomaterials : glass

bone graft substitutes, fillers for dental materials

Ceramics as biomaterials : calcium phosphate

bone graft substitutes, surface coatings on total joint replacements, cell scaffolds

biomaterials in medical devices (synthetic) : ceramics

bone grafts, heart valves, dental implants

biomaterials in medical devices (synthetic) : polymers

breast implants, ophthalmologic devices, sutures, skin grafts

How do biomaterials promote cell/tissue attachment and activity?

by allowing selective protein absorption or can inhibit tissue interactions by repelling protein

What are the two primary areas of the multidisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering?

careful analysis and study of the operation of body systems, development of new technologies for study or repair of the body

what are some important issues within the field of tissue engineering?

cell isolation, control of cell organization and function, upscaling to full bioartificial tissues, and biomaterial fabrication

Natural materials : collagen and gelatin

cosmetic surgery, wound dressings, tissue engineering cell scaffold

ses electrical energy to restore the heart to its normal beating rhythm

defibrillator

what is it important to do when using a biomimetic design strategy?

define what native tissue function is needed

Metals as biomaterials : gold

dental fillings and crowns, electrodes

biomaterials by themselves do not make a useful clinical therapy, meaning that they have to be fabricated into what?

devices

Biomaterials are rarely used on their own, but are used more commonly integrated into what?

devices or implants

acts as a substitute for a person with a failing kidney by removing the waste and excess water from blood.

dialysis machine

Natural materials : cellulose

drug delivery

Natural materials : alginate

drug delivery, cell encapsulation

Why might specific proteins that may have been deliberately and carefully placed on the biomaterial before implantation no longer be available to the cells after blood contact?

due to the additional absorption of blood proteins

biomaterials in medical devices (synthetic) : ceramics and polymers

ear implants

measures the electrical activity of the heart andcan help physicians gather information about the health of theheart and its chambers, heart rate, and/or the effects of drugs.

electrocardiogram (ECG)

Metals as biomaterials : platinum

electrodes, neural stimulation devices

in what kind of applications are bioartificial tissues (those composed of both synthetic and natural materials) are used as an alternative to organ transplant or developed to study tissue behavior in vitro?

ex vivo applications

secreted by cells and surrounds cells in tissues, it has long ben understood that this is the structural support for cells since its characteristics set the characteristics of the tissue (i.e. bone compared to cartilage compared to brain). while instead of being passive, it is an extraordinarily complex scaffold composed of a variety of biologically active molecules that are highly regulated and critical for determining the action and fate of the cells that it surrounds

extracellular matrix (ECM)

what is the engineer's role in biomaterial science?

fabricate devices and work closely with synthetic chemists to optimize materials properties and physicians to ensure that the device is useful in clinical applications

What final layer of protein may be absorbed (although less abundant) that could potentially cause a greater affinity for the biomaterial surface?

fibrinogen

polymers as biomaterials : silicone rubber

finger joints, artificial skin, great implants, intraocular lenses, catheters

A biomedical engineer uses DNA microarrays to compare the expression of certain genes in cells and tissues of humans to a possible animal model.

gene chips

an example of a biomedical instrumentation device that can help patients better manage their diabetes.

glucometer / glucose meter

small electronics to amplify sound for the wearer

hearing aids

Ceramics as biomaterials : carbon

heart valve coatings, orthopedic implants

Ceramics as biomaterials : zirconia

hip implants

Ceramics as biomaterials : aluminum oxides

hip implants, dental implants, cochlear replacement

what ideas are used in biomaterials?

ideas from medicine, biology, chemistry, materials science and engineering

what are the components of the ECM?

integrin (adhesion), soluble signal, proteoglycan, matrix proteins, receptor, ECM Degradation Enzymes

Metals as biomaterials : cobalt-chrome alloys

joint replacement, bone fracture fixation

Metals as biomaterials : stainless steel

joint replacement, bone fracture fixation, heart valves, electrodes

Metals as biomaterials : titanium and titanium alloys

joint replacements, dental bridges and dental implants, coronary stents

what are some examples of "appropriate host responses" in regards to biocompatibility as it pertains to biomaterials?

lack of blood clotting, resistance to bacterial colonization, normal healing, etc.

What may happen to proteins as a result of interaction with the solid surfaces of biomaterials?

loss of some biological activity

What is the progression of the hierarchical design using biomaterials?

macrostructure, mesostructure, microstructure, submicrostructure, nanostructure

helped the field of biomedical imaging by allowing for a technique in which images can be created that show good contrast between soft tissues (something which is extremely difficult to do using x-ray). In particular, it has also helped physicians and researchers study and diagnosis diseases which effect the brain

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Types of biomaterials

metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, synthetic, natural, porous, dense, crystalline, semicrystalline, amorphous

the field of biomaterials is what?

multidisciplinary

What field represents the newest field in prosthetics and one of the fastest developing topics in biomedical engineering today?

neural prosthetics

biomaterials in medical devices (synthetic) : metals

orthopedic implants, stents, dental implants, fracture management devices

what changes in the microenvironment that can occur after biomaterial implantation can alter the conformation of a nearby protein and thus its function?

pH and ionic strength

Metals as biomaterials : silver

pacemaker wires, suture materials, dental amalgams

biomaterials in medical devices (synthetic) : metals, polymers, and ceramics

pacemakers

Math models to help engineers understand and predict system behavior (i.e.pharmacokinetic models, use of math models of hip mechanics to predict stresses and strains the artificial hip must endure). Mathematical models of blood flow in small vessels guides the development of tissue-engineered blood vessels and stents. Engineers are now making models of the networks of chemical reactions that occur within cells.

physiological modeling

what materials are used for bone cement?

polymers and ceramics

Natural materials : hyaluronic acid

postoperative adhesion prevention, ophthalmic and orthopedic lubricant, drug delivery, cell scaffold

What are two examples of diagnostic tests that BME has helped bring into the average household?

pregnancy tests, thermometers

What is one of the oldest innovations of biomedical engineering?

prosthetics

defined as any "internal or external device(s) that replace lost parts or functions of the neuroskeletomotor system" and may be either orthopedic or externally controlled

prosthetics

What plays an important role in determining the biological activity of the tissue-implant interface?

proteins

polymers as biomaterials : polyester

restorable sutures, fracture fixation, cell scaffolds, skin wound coverings, drug delivery devices

what materials are used in finger joints?

silicone

What materials are used in an intraocular lens?

silicone, acrylic, or other plastic

polymers as biomaterials : nylon

surgical sutures, gastrointestinal segments, tracheal tubes

what materials are used in vascular grafts?

teflon

externally controlled prosthetic devices may be controlled by what?

the body itself through myoelectricity or a separate power supply

What processes are albumin and immunoglobulins involved in?

the recognition and adhesion processes of cells

Although biomaterials are primarily used for medical applications, they are also used in what other regards?

they are also used to grow cells in culture, to assay for blood proteins in the clinical laboratory, in processing biomolecules in biotechnology, for fertility regulation implants in cattle, in diagnostic gene arrays, in the aquaculture of oysters and for investigational cell-silicon "biochips."

In context of biomaterials, what is important to remember about proteins?

they guide cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation, so it is important to know which proteins are attached to the biomaterial after implantation

consists of the manufacture of biological tissue either ex vivo or in vitro (outside the body), or the incorporation of new advancements to aid in the repair and growth of existing tissues in vivo (inside the body).

tissue engineering

what materials are used in hip implants?

titanium alloys

what materials are used in dental implants?

titanium alloys, ceramics

polymers as biomaterials : polyvinylchloride (PVC)

tubing, facial prosthesis

have played a huge role in helping control infectious diseases. However, infectious diseases still cause a large number of deaths worldwide. Advancements are needed to help bring sufficient (blank) to the developing world. Biomedical Engineers could: help develop new (blanks), find new ways to administer them, new and less expensive ways for them to be manufactured and means by which to more easily transport them.

vaccines

what is blood mixture of?

water, various kinds of cells and ell fragments (platelets), salts, and proteins (plasma)

Natural materials : chitin

wound dressings, cell scaffold, drug delivery

(first discovered in 1895) has revolutionized medicine, allowing medical staff to noninvasively see images of our skeletal system and other major organs.

x-ray imaging