Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical engineering is an emerging research focus. Researchers in this theme are leveraging our proximity to Australia's foremost biomedical sciences and clinical research precinct to pursue research and development opportunities where engineering expertise is essential to address clinically meaningful problems.
We are working to deliver leading research in the areas of bio-informatics, computational modelling, biomechanics and medical imaging to address such issues as immune system function, spread of infection, epilepsy and cancer treatment. These projects are pursued via collaborations with institutions such as National ICT Australia (NICTA's ICT for Life Sciences program), Hugh Williamson Gait Analysis Laboratory at the Royal Children's Hospital, Bio21, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Ludwig Cancer Institute, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, the Howard Florey Institute and the Bionic Ear Institute.
Key areas within this research theme include:
- Biomechanics - application of the principles of mechanics to understanding function of cell and whole organ systems in their healthy and diseased states;
- Biosignals - the development of software and technology to monitor physiological activity such as brain activity (EEG and neuroimaging), heart rate (ECG) and muscle activity (EMG);
- Computational Bioengineering - uses computational technology to model, investigate and provide medical solutions to biological systems;
- Biomaterials - the materials that form part of a living structure. Research in this area looks at the creation of biomedical structures and devices to replace a biological function;
By fully integrating medicine, biology and engineering principles, biomedical engineering aims to provide a better understanding of the body and how to treat diseases. For example, researchers are working on a model to accurately assess knee joint stress in people with and without knee osteoarthritis. The accurate prediction of joint loads will assist in the management of disease and inform physiotherapy and surgical treatment. Other applications of this technology include evaluating the performance of total joint replacements so that biomedical engineers can improve on current implant designs.
Another project that demonstrates a truly interdisciplinary research approach focuses on the prediction of epileptic seizures. This could be used to activate an implantable device that can prevent or abort epileptic seizures or to target drug delivery to the site of the seizure. The exact cause of epileptic seizures in the brain is not well understood, and researchers in this group are trying to understand the underlying causes of epilepsy through both physiological experiments and neural modelling.
Other research interests in this MERIT theme involve areas related to biotechnology. Bones, muscles, blood vessels and skin all contain proteins. Proteins have chain molecules which assemble and fold into very particular shapes to serve their intended purpose. Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes and heart disease are all associated with abnormalities in protein behaviour, such as proteins not assembling or folding properly. Protein therapeutics is the fastest growing area in biotechnology but some apparently good treatments are rendered useless by protein misfolding. The objective of our research is to understand the key factors that cause these protein therapies to not work as expected; this is critical to the successful commercialisation of these treatments.
An alphabetical listing of Biomedical Engineering Projects is now available.
Research Group information within the Biomedical Engineering Research theme is currently being updated and includes:
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Biomolecular Engineering
- Computational Biology
- Neuroengineering
- Tissue Engineering