We offer seven defined concentrations for students:

Biomaterials
Biomaterials can be classified as synthetic or natural materials intended to either augment, analyze, detect, direct, replace, repair or regenerate organs, tissues, or cells. The field of biomaterials employs the combination of concepts and experimental techniques used in materials science and engineering, as well as the biological sciences, to address the structure-property-performance relationships of biomaterials and the devices that employ them. Traditionally, biomaterials have been critical components of medical devices and diagnostics, hospital products, biosensors, and processing and separation equipment for pharmaceuticals. More recently the scope of the field has broadened to include natural tissues, cellular structures, and biomacromolecules, sometimes collectively referred to as biological materials. The biomaterials field has also rapidly expanded to incorporate additional interdisciplinary elements of the biomedical and physical sciences. Biointerfaces, bio-microdevices, controlled drug delivery, tissue engineering, and efforts to apply knowledge from cell and molecular biology to regenerate tissues and organs are now at the leading edge of biomaterials research. This track will educate students on the selection, function, and processing of materials used in the ever expanding field of biomaterials.

Biomechanics
This track develops and applies scaling laws and the methods of classical and statistical mechanics to biomechanical phenomena over a range of length scales, from molecular to cellular to tissue or organ level. The students will gain insight and experience in the following topics:

(i) Molecular biomechanics: mechanics at the nanoscale; intermolecular forces and their origins; single molecules; thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; formation and dissolution of bonds- mechanochemistry; motion at the molecular and macromolecular level; experimental methods at the single molecule level – optical and magnetic traps, force spectroscopy, light scattering.

(ii) Cellular biomechanics:
Static and dynamic cell processes; cell adhesion, migration and aggregation; mechanics of biomembranes; the cytoskeleton and nucleus; microrheological properties and their implications; mechanotransduction; experimental methods – passive and active rheology, motility and adhesion assays.

(iii) Tissue biomechanics:
Elastic (time independent); viscoelastic and poroelastic (time-dependent) behavior of tissues; continuum and microstructural models; constitutive laws; mechanical and physicochemical properties of tissues; physical regulation of cellular metabolism; experimental methods – macroscopic rheology.

Biomedical Devices
Biomedical Devices (BioMEMS) focus on the development of new biomedical technology for life science research and advanced health care. This track provides training in fundamental aspects of cell biology and physiology in addition to traditional areas of mechanical and electrical engineering as applied to biotechnology and medical devices. Students will have the opportunity to take advanced courses that include medical instrumentation, drug delivery systems, biosensors, bioMEMS (Biomedical Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), microfluidic devices, biophotonics, biologically inspired devices & systems, biomedical monitoring with wireless communications, biomolecular/cellular analysis lab-on-a-chip, and bionanotechnology.

Cell & Tissue Engineering
Tissue engineering aims to restore and regenerate tissue and organ functions by creating biological substitutes that include cells and scaffold materials as part of their construction. This is a multidisciplinary field that integrates anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, and biological knowledge with engineering design. The fabricated tissues are designed to function as replacements for damaged tissues and cultured to promote desirable behavior from the cells, leading to enhanced effectiveness inside of the body and, potentially, remodeling of the implant into healthy tissue without the biocompatibility or rejection issues experienced with current alternatives. Besides differentiated cells, stem cells have tremendous potential as a cell source for various tissue constructions. How to control and direct stem cell differentiation and use stem cells for tissue engineering is a frontier in cell engineering.

Computational Bioengineering
The simultaneous revolutions of molecular biology and scientific computing has given rise to the new multi-disciplinary area of Computational Biology. The Bioengineering undergraduate program aims to provide students with the background necessary either for graduate work in this area or for jobs in pharmaceutical or biotech companies.

The program covers the component disciplines of computational science, mathematics, and physical science broadly defined, in addition to traditional biology and engineering. This type of training provides preparation for a broad range of careers in science and engineering that reflect our future working world, which is increasingly becoming more interdisciplinary through greater complexity in bioengineering research activities.

Those who take up the challenges presented by computational biology will study topics in the following foundational areas:

-- Introductory Computational Biology, Programming and Statistics
-- Molecular Biophysics and Molecular Design
-- Molecular Evolution, Phylogenetics, and Optimization of Function
-- Cellular Biophysics and Cellular Design
-- Functional Genomics and Statistical Genetics
-- Tissue and Organismal Biophysics and Design

The goals of this series are to give a computational biology education with a coherent engineering slant, where each course builds upon the last. The course covers topics in Bioinformatics and Genomics, Computational Biophysics, Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology, which opportunities for upper division undergraduate research.

Since Computational Biology is one of Berkeley's Strategic Initiatives, undergraduate students can also take advantage of the greater scientific community working in this area in numerous departments across campus, attending monthly seminars and participating in research projects.

Imaging
Biomedical Imaging focuses on developing technology and applications for life science research and advanced medical imaging systems. This thrust area includes the fundamentals of biomedical imaging instrumentation and systems analysis. Specifically, we learn to analyze imaging systems with quantitative assessments of resolution, contrast, signal to noise ratio, based on convolution, Fourier Transforms, and noise analysis of these systems. Specific technologies include optical microscopy for cellular imaging, quantum dot imaging, as well as SPECT, PET, Scintigraphy, X-ray, ultrasound, CT, and MRI for both medical and life science research applications. Emerging biomedical trends, including targeted therapy (the gamma knife or IMRT), smart contrast agents and targeted molecular and cellular imaging are also introduced. This thrust area is designed to prepare students for the thriving biomedical imaging industry, medical school, or graduate studies in diverse areas of biomedical research.

Pre-Med
New technology has always played an important role in fueling advances in both the biomedical sciences and the practice of clinical medicine. Increasingly, clinical practice demands the ability to understand and assimilate tools developed by engineers, such as sophisticated implantable devices, high-resolution imaging methods, and bioanalytical diagnostic systems. Undergraduate study in bioengineering offers outstanding preparation for a career in modern medicine.

The Bioengineering Pre-Medical track enables students to take all courses commonly required for admission to medical school while completing a B.S. in Bioengineering. This includes one year of biology (with laboratory), one year of general/inorganic chemistry (with laboratory), one year of general physics (with laboratory), one year of organic chemistry (with laboratory), and six semesters (19 credits) of humanities and social sciences. In addition, students have the opportunity to take advanced technical electives in areas of biology, chemistry, and bioengineering that provide preparation for careers in medicine, including physiology, immunology, biochemistry, biomedical devices, and much more.

Check out our Pre-Med Information page for more details about doing Pre-Med at Berkeley.