Biomedical Engineering Merges with Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

September 21, 2015

The Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (MME) has integrated Biomedical Engineering (BME) Program into its domain officially changing its name to the Department of Metallurgical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering.

"Through the merger of the two strands, the metallurgical and biomedical engineering programs, we are primarily extending the metallurgy legacy to the frontiers of biomedical materials applications, technologies and innovations," said Devesh Misra, Ph.D., Chair and Professor of the MME department.

A great deal of interaction and interdisciplinary research already occurs between MME and BME faculty and students.

Metallurgical and Materials engineering plays a major role in the development of biomedical devices and biomaterials. MME researchers frequently assist with the creation of implant materials using the University's 3-D printing facilities in the W.M. Keck Center for 3-D Innovation. They also focus much of their time on tissue printing.

Faculty expect the two fields will complement one another well and that the integration of MME and BME will result in greater research enterprise, interdisciplinary work and shared resources.

"The integration of MME and BME shows how the boundaries between disciplines are fading," said Carlos M. Ferregut, Ph.D., College of Engineering Interim Dean. "Engineering future challenges can only be addressed successfully through multidisciplinary collaboration. This integration will give BME and MME faculty and students the opportunity to learn about those challenges and work together innovative solutions that will make the world a better place to live".