Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering lies at the intersection of the physical and life sciences, incorporating principles from physics and chemistry to understand the operation of living systems. As in other engineering fields, the approach is highly quantitative: mathematical analysis and modeling are used to capture the function of systems from subcellular to organism scales. An education in Biomedical Engineering, and engineering more broadly, enables students to translate abstract hypotheses and scientific knowledge into working systems (e.g., prosthetic devices, imaging systems, and biopharmaceuticals). This enables one to both test the understanding of basic principles and to further this knowledge, and it places this understanding in the broader context of societal needs.  Visit the Biomedical Engineering Department Website

In recognition of the pivotal importance of the life sciences and the technologies they inspire to our society, Harvard is committed to broadly educating engineers who will become leaders in the developing field of Biomedical Engineering (BME). The objectives of BME include providing students a solid foundation in engineering, particularly as applied to the life sciences, within the setting of a liberal arts education. The concentration is flexibly structured for a diversity of educational and professional objectives and covers a broad range of skills and attitudes drawn from the humanities, social sciences and sciences, in addition to engineering, which enhance engineering knowledge and which will contribute to future leadership and technical success.