Teaching

BIOE-498/598 Preclinical Molecular Imaging

Instructor: Prof. Wawrzyniec L. Dobrucki
Semester: Fall (3 credit hours)
Type of instruction: lecture, laboratory tours, group discussions, invited talks
Prerequisites: CHEM 102 or equivalent, BIOE 205

Course focus:
The goal of this course is to provide an educational foundation for bioengineering students in preclinical molecular imaging and impart a vision of future developments in the field.

Synopsis:
This course will provide a solid educational foundation in the principles and practice of preclinical molecular imaging such that students can build on their own prior education, training, and experiences to drive the field in new directions and advance their professional goals.  The course will focus on key areas of knowledge such as: (1) imaging physics and instrumentation, (2) molecular probes and contrast agents, (3) cell and molecular biology, (4) biologic model systems, (5) pharmacology, and (6) translation to the clinical imaging of disease.  Key areas will be integrated through four themes: basics (fundamental sciences critical to molecular imaging), methodology (use of basic sciences to explore methods to highlight biologic analyses), utility (usefulness of the methods), and translation (moving the preclinical methods from bench-top to the bedside).  Students will learn about practical aspects of preclinical molecular imaging including: technology review with the focus on nuclear imaging techniques (PET, SPECT) and hybrid multimodal systems, development and evaluation of molecular probes, use of imaging protocols, image processing and analysis, imaging applications in oncology, neuroimaging and cardiovascular system, ethical aspects of preclinical imaging, and domestic and international regulatory issues and polices.

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BIOE/ECE-414 Biomedical Instrumentation

Instructor: Prof. Wawrzyniec L. Dobrucki
Semester: Spring (3 credit hours)
Type of instruction: lecture, group project
Prerequisites: BIOE 205, ECE 205 or ECE 210

Course focus:
Introduction to engineering aspects of the detection, acquisition, processing, and display of signals from living systems; biomedical sensors for measurements of biopotentials, ions and gases in aqueous solution, force, displacement, blood pressure, blood flow, heart sounds, respiration, and temperature; therapeutic and prosthetic devices; medical imaging instrumentation.

Learning objectives:

  • Understand the limitations of instrumentation in terms of accuracy, resolution, precision, and reliability.
  • Analyze and design operational amplifier and instrumentation amplifier circuits to amplify biosignals.
  • Analyze and design filter circuits to filter unwanted signals from biosignals.
  • Understand the origin of cardiac and muscle biosignals and how they are acquired using ECG and electromyogram electrodes.
  • Understand electrode circuit models and how they effect signal acquisition.
  • Understand they physical modes of operation of various biosensors (amperometric, enzymatic, optical, resistive, capacitive).
  • Describe and compare methods and instrumentation needed to measure pressure and flow in the body.
  • Determine and characterize the factors that limit medical imaging methods in biological tissue.
  • Describe the requirements and limitations of bioinstrumentation in the clinical environment.
  • Function and interact cooperatively and efficiently as a team member in completing a project.
  • Present work in both written and oral reports.