Biomedical Engineering or Medical Engineering is the application of the principles and problem-solving techniques of engineering to biology and medicine. This is evident all over healthcare, from diagnosis and evaluation to treatment and recovery, and has arrived at the public conscience through the proliferation of implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers and artificial hips, to additional advanced technologies for example stem cell engineering and 3-D printing of biological organs.
Important Fields of Application: Medical engineering has the following applications
1. Fundamental biomedical research: Cell biology, molecular biology: understanding of life processes, and also the origin and genesis of diseases, on a cellular and molecular level.
2. Laboratory tests, point of care diagnostics: Analysis of body liquids Eg: in allergology, immunology, hematology, cardiology, epidemiology,endocrinology, medical microbiology; Optical sensing, Eg: Optical oximetry.
3. Pharmacological research: Drug development Eg: Target evaluation, High-throughput screening of drug candidates, drug delivery.
4. Environmental monitoring, food safety: On-site testing and monitoring of harmful compounds in the air, water, and food, for example, pathogens, fine dust, pollen, chemicals.
5. Process control: Controlling composition, quality of pharmaceuticals, nutrition, and cosmetics.
6. Regenerative medicine: Stem cell research, tissue engineering, transfection of genetic material.
7. Security applications: Detection of harmful biological and chemical substances and weapons.