The following research projects focus on the behavior of living systems and their interaction with engineered materials and devices.

Faculty and students in Engineering collaborate with faculty in Computer Science, Mathematics, and the College of Medicine on studies involving bioinformatics, data mining, and bioengineering studies of neurological systems.

Application Areas

Application areas include:

  • Biomechanics
  • Bio-imaging
  • Bioinformatics
  • Neurological Systems
  • Systems and Synthetic Biology

For more information, see the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program.

Example projects

Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Mechano-Biology

Investigating degeneration, regeneration, and tissue engineering on scales ranging from cellular biosynthesis to tissue-level bioengineering and full-joint mechanics

Biomechanics of Human Movement

Investigating how human movement is coordinated and controlled. Bio-inspired locomotion robots are designed, constructed, and analyzed.

Biomechanics of the Lung

Investigating how the mechanical properties of the lung are linked to its structure and how they are altered in various pulmonary diseases. In collaboration with the Vermont Lung Center.

Biomechanics of the Vascular System

Investigating how vascular structure influences function, both physiologically and pathologically. A collaboration between the Mechanical Engineering program and the departments of Pharmacology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Neurology.

Bio-Imaging and Signal Processing

Faculty and students involved in the bio-imaging and signal processing area work on topics involving multidimensional, multiresolution signal processing. The goal is to map conduction of electrical activity in the heart to aid in procedures for destroying diseased tissue.

Control Systems in Molecular Biology

Organisms use feedback to respond to changing conditions, optimize the use of resources, and maintain homeostasis. Our goal is to understand how feedback provides robust, predictable regulation by engineering novel genetic control systems in single-celled microorganisms.