BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

Biomedical Engineering is an interdisciplinary field that involves the applications of technology to create new methodologies and devices for human welfare and for a better understanding of human biological processes. The Department was founded in March 2009 as a platform for students and faculty to excel. The Department motto is: High Quality, Sustainability and Usefulness. We concentrate on building an infrastructure and operating system that will stimulate students to perform well beyond the academic requirements and faculty to investigate issues that exist only in Vietnam, and attract international students and researchers.

The vision of the Biomedical Engineering Department is to promote integrative research, education and entrepreneurship at the forefront of biomedical science and engineering.

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Therefore, the training in the undergraduate program emphasizes research and project-based learning which prepares our students with the necessary skills for successful entry into industry and graduate school. At every semester of the four years training program, students have to take a research course where they investigate medical devices and their principles by reverse engineering, study necessary skills and apply them in doing biomedical engineering projects. This series of research courses is the signature of our program.

1.1. Program Orientations

The BME Department activities span over 5 orientations:

  • Medical Instrumentation focusing on the telemedicine, and the design of homecare devices for outpatients and advanced medical equipment providing rapid, automated and reliable diagnostics for healthcare professionals to satisfy the great and urgent needs of the country, and to bring synergy between traditional engineering technologies, the life sciences and medicine.
  • Biomedical Signal and Image Processing focusing on the applications of medical devices and developments of new research methodologies and algorithms to investigate human biological processes and provide an early detection of diseases.
  • Pharmaceutical Engineering focusing on the investigations of the mechanism of drug delivery using nanotechnology to enhance the efficacy of the treatment of tumors and the imaging diagnostics as well as the development of new drug delivery devices.
  • Tissue Engineering and Regenerative in Medicine focusing on the development of new biological and bioinductive materials, and the use of stem cells, genes to repair or replace damaged tissues and organs and to use in biological implants.
  • Entrepreneurship in Biomedical Engineering (under construction) focusing on the developments of clinical engineering and practice of effective methods to bring into the market medical devices newly developed in academic laboratories, to build a medical device industry appropriate for Vietnam and developing countries, and to manage healthcare settings.

2. Facilities

The Department possesses 5 rooms at IU to set up its laboratories and 2 rooms for faculty and staff offices. It has received VND 17 billion (about US$ 1 million at that time) from VNU-HCM to purchase research equipment and VND 1.8 billion (about US$ 100,000) from IU to purchase teaching equipment. In addition, the Department receives an annual budget of about VND 100 million (about US$ 5,000) from IU for its operations excluding the faculty and staff salaries.

To support the research and education activities the Biomedical Engineering Department established 8 following laboratories:

  • Medical Photonics (A1.108): This lab was invested by VNU-HCM and donations from hospital or other research institutions. Those equipment help investigate applications of photonics to medical fields in particular the optical characteristics of bio-materials.
  • R&D Medical Start-up Lab (A1.404): This lab is equipped with used pieces of medical equipment offered by hospitals or companies. They are mainly used to teach 1st year student Reverse Engineering course. Students explore these equipment and tools by learning their functioning principle and take them apart before putting them back. Students are also encouraged to brain storm for new ideas and test their initiatives.
  • Brain and Computer Interface Lab (A1.412): This lab is invested by VNU-HCM. It is equipped with advanced equipment, some of them are unique in the country such as the Near Infrared Spectroscopy to measure in-vivo and non-invasively fluctuations of the oxy-hemoglobin in the brain of a subject. Those signals processed by computers allow patients to control assistive devices such as electric wheelchairs and allow investigators to study how to detect in the early stage of diseases based on the obtained medical signals and images such as: Electroencephalogram, Electromyogram, Electrocardiogram, X-Ray images and results from mathematical modeling.
  • Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (A1.406): This lab is invested by VNU-HCM and International University and supported by the US Office of Naval Research Global (ONRG). It is equipped with advanced instruments to investigate new biological materials to heal external wounds and replace internal organs.
  • Pharmaceutical Engineering Lab (A1.407): This lab is invested by VNU-HCM. It is equipped with devices to investigate drug delivery systems including High performance Liquid Chromatography simulating gastrointestinal environment. Nanotechnology is also applied to enhance the efficacy and reduce side effects of medicaments.
  • Medical Design Lab (A1-408): This lab is invested by VNU-HCM and IU. It is equipped with electronic, mechanical, optic equipment to allow us to design new medical devices. We have developed a series of point-of-care devices using in the establishment of a new family medicine care appropriate for Vietnam and developing countries.
  • Sleep Apnea Lab (CHAC): With the collaboration of Trung Tâm Chăm Sóc Sức Khỏe Cộng Đồng (a private healthcare center, established by Dr. Dương Quang Trung, former Director of the Office of Public Health of HCM City), the Department created its Sleep apnea study lab there. The faculty and students of the Department have the opportunity to work alongside with physicians and patients.
  • In-vitro and in-vivo lab (SHTP): With the collaboration of the Saigon Hi-Tech Park of Ho Chi Minh City, we establish a lab to conduct experiments on cells and live animals in the development of new bio-materials.

3. Learning outcomes

The outcomes from the BME program at International University are characterized by the following capabilities of our students (based on ABET Inc. guidelines for a B.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering):

(a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering [ABET, 3a]
(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data [ABET, 3b]
(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability [ABET, 3c]
(d) an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams [ABET, 3d]
(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems [ABET, 3e]
(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility [ABET, 3f]
(g) an ability to communicate effectively [ABET, 3g]
(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context [ABET, 3h]
(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning [ABET, 3i]
(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues [ABET, 3j]
(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice [ABET, 3k]
(l) an understanding of biology and physiology, and the capability to apply advanced mathematics (including differential equations and statistics), science, and engineering to solve the problems at the interface of engineering and biology [ABET, 3l]
(m) the ability to make measurements on and interpret data from living systems, addressing the problems associated with the interaction between living and non-living materials and systems [ABET, 3m]

4. English requirements

All courses at International University (except political courses) are taught in English. For non-English speaking students, International University organizes English placement test for all freshmen when they enter the university programs. Based on the test’s result (which is converted to TOEFL pBT scale), students are classified into following groups:

  • Group with scores > 500 TOEFL pBT: will take courses of the regular program during the first semester.
  • Group with 430 < scores ≤ 500 TOEFL pBT: will take Intensive English 2 (IE2) courses and some courses of the program during the first semester.
  • Group with scores ≤ 430 TOEFL pBT: will take Intensive English 1 (IE1) courses in the first semester; if passed, then will take IE2 courses and some courses of the program in the second semester.

To be eligible for graduation, students have to have the TOEFL iBT scores ≥ 79 or TOEFL PBT scores ≥ 550 or IELTS scores ≥ 6.0.

5. Abilities of Graduates

After completing our undergraduate program, students can:

  • Pursue higher education in successfully competing in the prestigious scholarships to enter in the higher education world class programs abroad,
  • Be capable of operating and maintaining advanced equipment in hospitals and healthcare establishments,
  • Be able to explore new possibilities of using those equipment as research tools to work hand in hand with medical doctors in the medical and scientific research projects,
  • Become educational leaders capable of creating new generation of primary and secondary schools,
  • Become great entrepreneurs capable of leading emerging medical device industry or transforming ideas into commercialized viable product, managing healthcare establishments, and establishing startup companies.

6. Career Opportunities

After completing our undergraduate program, students can become:

  • Clinical engineers who are well versed in the principles and operations of medical equipment used in hospitals and highly competent in supporting physicians in clinical treatments, and in advanced research
  • Entrepreneurs capable of developing and creating successful medical devices in the market, forming start-ups and managing healthcare establishments
  • Researchers in scientific institutions capable of working at the interface between Health Science, Engineering and Technology
  • Science and technology educators promoting Biomedical Engineering as an emerging field.

Therefore students are capable to either pursue post graduate education in Biomedical Engineering, become great entrepreneurs capable of transforming ideas into commercialized viable product, managing healthcare establishments, and establishing startup companies or work in a hospital setting in Vietnam or abroad.

7. Program Educational Objectives

We expect that graduates of our program are prepared:

  • PEO1: to be proficient engineers with the tools needed to work at the interface of biomedical sciences and engineering.
  • PEO2: to foster innovation and creativity, team building, and scientific and technological competence and confidence to spur scientific and engineering leadership.
  • PEO3: to successfully pursue graduate education in Vietnam or abroad, or embark on careers in the private sector, or in teaching at the primary and secondary schools.

8. Curriculum Description and Learning Schedule

Following is the list of courses of BME undergraduate program:

Cluster

ID

Course

Credits

Total

Lecture

Lab

Political cluster

 

10

10

0

PE011IU

Principles of Marxism

5

5

0

PE012IU

Ho Chi Minh's Thoughts

2

2

0

PE013IU

Revolutionary Lines of Vietnamese Communist Party

3

3

0

Humanity and Social Science Cluster

 

9

9

0

PE008IU

Critical Thinking

3

3

0

PE014IU

Environmental Science

3

3

0

BM008IU

Bioethics

3

3

0

Physical Training

 

0

0

0

PT001IU

Physical Training 1

0

0

0

PT002IU

Physical Training 2

0

0

0

Introductory Cluster

 

44

39

5

MA001IU

Calculus 1

4

4

0

MA003IU

Calculus 2

4

4

0

MA023IU

Calculus 3

4

4

0

MA024IU

Differential Equations

4

3

1

PH013IU

Physics 1

2

2

0

PH014IU

Physics 2

2

2

0

PH012IU

Physics 4

2

2

0

CH011IU

Chemistry for Engineers

3

3

0

CH012IU

Chemistry Laboratory

1

0

1

CH014IU

Chemistry for BME

3

3

0

BT001IU
BT155IU
BM025IU

Biology

4

3

1

EE051IU
BM053IU

Principles of EE1

3

3

0

EE052IU
BM054IU

Principles of EE1 Laboratory

1

0

1

BM030IU

Machine Design

3

3

 

BM064IU

Applied Informatics

4

3

1

Foundation Cluster

 

10

8

2

BM005IU

Statistics for Health Science

3

2

1

BT163IU

Human and Animal Physiology

3

3

0

BM007IU

Introduction to Biomedical Engineering

4

3

1

Concentration Cluster

 

17

15

2

BM010IU

Biosignal Processing

4

3

1

BM009IU

BME Capstone Design Course

4

3

1

BM011IU

Engineering Challenges in Medicine I

3

3

0

BM012IU

Engineering Challenges in Medicine II

3

3

0

BM013IU

Entrepreneurship in Biomedical Engineering

3

3

0

Technical Elective Cluster (Need to obtain at least 20 credits)

 

20

15

5

EE055IU

Principles of EE2

3

3

0

EE056IU

Principles of EE2 Laboratory

1

0

1

EE090IU

Electronics Devices

3

3

0

EE091IU

Electronics Devices Laboratory

1

0

1

BM060IU

Digital Systems

3

3

0

BM061IU

Digital Systems Lab

1

0

1

BM062IU

Micro-electronic Devices

3

3

0

BM063IU

Micro-electronic Devices Laboratory

1

0

1

BM059IU

BME Design skill

4

3

1

BM089IU

Electronic Devices for Biomedical Design

4

3

1

BM033IU

Information Technology in the Health Care System

3

3

0

BM070IU

Information Technology in the Health Care System Lab

1

0

1

 

Biomedical Photonics

3

3

0

 

Biomedical Photonics Lab

1

0

1

BM058IU

Biomedical Image Processing

4

3

1

 

Computational Model in Medicine

4

3

1

 

Medical Imaging

4

3

1

 

Brain - Computer Interface

4

3

1

 

Computer Aided Diagnosis

4

3

1

BM077IU

Pharmaceutical Engineering 1

4

3

1

BM078IU

Pharmaceutical Engineering 2

4

3

1

BM079IU

Principle of Pharmacokinetics

4

3

1

BM080IU

Nanotechnology for Drug Delivery Systems

4

3

1

BM081IU

Drug Delivery Systems

4

3

1

BM082IU

Biomaterials

4

3

1

BM083IU

Applications of Biomaterials in Regenerative Medicine

4

3

1

BM084IU

Biocompatibility and Biodegradation of Biomaterials

4

3

1

BM085IU

Characterization and Properties of Biomaterials

4

3

1

BM086IU

Methods and Process in Fabrication of Scaffold

4

3

1

Research, Internship, Thesis Cluster

 

20

0

20

BM050IU

Research 1A

1

0

1

BM015IU

Research 1B

1

0

1

BM067IU

Project 1B (replacement for Research 3A from class 2013)

1

0

1

BM016IU

Research 2A

1

0

1

BM017IU

Research 2B

1

0

1

BM018IU

Research 3A

1

0

1

BM068IU

Project 3A (replacement for Research 3A from class 2011)

1

0

1

BM019IU

Research 3B

1

0

1

BM069IU

Project 3B (replacement for Research 3B from class 2011)

1

0

1

BM020IU

Internship

3

0

3

BM003IU

Pre-Thesis

1

0

1

BM004IU

Thesis

10

0

10

Free Elective Cluster (Need to obtain at least 6 credits)

 

6

x

x

 

Free Elective 1*

3

x

x

 

Free Elective 2*

3

x

x

Academic English Cluster

 

8

8

0

EN007IU

Writing AE1

2

2

0

EN008IU

Listening AE1

2

2

0

EN011IU

Writing AE2

2

2

0

EN012IU

Speaking AE2

2

2

0

Total

144

x

x

*Free Electives can be any courses

Learning schedule

Freshman Year

Semester 1

Semester 2

MA001IU

Calculus 1

4

MA003IU

Calculus 2

4

PH013IU

Physics 1 (Mechanics)

2

CH011IU

Chemistry for Engineers

3

PH014IU

Physics 2 (Thermodynamics)

2

CH012IU

Chemistry Laboratory

1

PE008IU

Critical Thinking

3

PH012IU

Physics 4

2

EN007IU

Writing AE1

2

BT155IU

Biology + Lab

4

EN008IU

Listening AE1

2

EN011U

Writing AE2

2

BM014IU

Research 1A

1

EN012IU

Speaking AE2

2

PT001IU

Physical Training 1

0

BM067IU

Project 1B

1

 

 

 

PT002IU

Physical Training 2

0

Total Credits

16

Total Credits

19

Summer Semester

 

PE011IU

Principles of Marxism

5

 

 

 

Total Credits

5

 

 

Sophomore Year

Semester 1

Semester 2

MA023IU

Calculus 3

4

MA024IU

Differential Equations

4

CH014IU

Chemistry for BME

3

BM007IU

Introduction to Biomedical Engineering

4

BM064IU

Applied Informatics + Lab

4

___ ___IU

Technical Electives 1

4

EE051IU

Principles of EE I

3

PE014IU

Environmental Science

3

EE052IU

Principles of EE I Laboratory

1

BT163IU

Human and Animal Physiology

3

BM052IU

Research 2A

1

BM017IU

Research 2B

1

PE012IU

Ho Chi Minh's Thoughts

2

PE013IU

Revolutionary Lines of Vietnamese Communist Party

3

Total Credits

18

Total Credits

22

Summer Semester

 

 

Military Training

0

 

 

 

Total Credits

0

 

 

Junior Year

Semester 1

Semester 2

BM005IU

Statistics for Health Science

3

___ ___IU

Free Elective 1

3

BM010IU

Biosignal Processing

4

BM008IU

Bioethics

3

BM030IU

Machine Design

3

 

 

 

BM013IU

Entrepreneurship in Biomedical Engineering

3

___ ___IU

Technical Electives 3

4

___ ___IU

Technical Electives 2

4

___ ___IU

Technical Electives 4

4

BM068IU

Project 3A

1

BM069IU

Project 3B

1

BM011IU

Engineering Challenges in Medicine I

3

BM012IU

Engineering Challenges in Medicine II

3

Total Credits

21

Total Credits

18

Summer Semester

 

BM020IU

Internship

3

 

 

 

Total Credits

3

 

 

Senior Year

Semester 1

Semester 2

___ ___IU

Free Elective 2

3

BM004IU

Thesis research 

10

BM009IU

BME Capstone Design + Lab

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

___ ___IU

Technical Electives 5

4

 

 

 

BM003IU

Pre-thesis

1

 

 

 

Total Credits

12

Total Credits

10

Total: 144 credits (2 Free Elective Courses, 5 Technical Elective Courses)

9. Personnel

 

Professor Ph.D.

Ph.D. in Science or Technology

Ph.D. in Pharmacy

MS. MD.

Total

BME Department

1

4

2

1

8

 

10. Contact

Biomedical Engineering Department
Room O1.405
Telephone: (84-8) 37244270 Ext: 3236
E-mail: bme@hcmiu.edu.vn
Website: http://www.hcmiu.edu.vn/bme

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