| Department Theme: Biomedicine |
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| Theme Focal Group: Biomechanical Engineering (BME) |
Where Mechanics and Biomedicine Meet
With over 200 medical device companies within twenty miles and three top-tier hospitals within walking distance, the Stanford campus provides a unique setting for medical innovation. Engineers within the Biomechanical Engineering Group combine an understanding of biology and strong mechanical skills to solve challenging problems and create cutting-edge solutions. Investigations in this group range from exploring how proteins fold and interact to designing the next generation of medical equipment. Biomechanical Engineering research encompasses not only fundamental scientific questions but also the endeavors which will bring discoveries to hospitals, clinics, and society as a whole to improve general health, well-being, and quality of life.
The Biomechanical Engineering Group is central to the department's efforts in exploring the mechanics-biomedicine interface and developing innovative solutions for this rapidly growing area.
Modeling & Simulation Exploration
Mathematical and computational models are required to understand the extreme complexity of living systems. Creating models with sufficient complexity to replicate these systems is a difficult challenge but can provide insight into problems which would otherwise not be possible. New computational methods and programs are often required to model and simulate these systems. Researchers within the Biomechanical Engineering Group play a strong role in not only creating these methods but also making them available to fellow researchers and organizations.
Medical Device Design
Research projects and coursework within the Biomechanical Engineering Group aid in the effort to create the next generation of medical devices, often partnering with local medical device companies. Taking ideas from concept to clinical device is critical for continuing to improve health care and patient quality of life.
Collaboration for Innovation
The success of biomedical pursuits depends upon close collaboration and cooperation between a broad team of physicians, engineers, scientists and therapists. Only through tight teamwork can the complex systems be explored and understood. The Biomechanical Engineering Group plays a key role in extending an open hand to all of these communities and an open environment for collaboration to occur. Engineers with expertise in biology, mechanics, computation, and the design process are protagonists in many local corporations and hospitals. The ongoing interaction with these corporations is a key strength of Biomechanical Engineering Group and the Mechanical Engineering Department as a whole.