Program Rationale
Bioengineering is the application of engineering principles to the understanding and solution of medical problems. As medical technology has rapidly developed over the past three decades, the demand for qualified bioengineers has dramatically increased. Today, bioengineers are actively involved in research and development work in all areas of medicine, from investigating the physiologic behavior of single cells to designing implants using living and nonliving materials for the replacement of diseased or traumatized body tissues. The continued advancement of medical technology and the many unsolved problems in the understanding and treatment of disease suggest that bioengineers will continue to play a very important role in the development and evaluation of medical care technology.
Career opportunities for bioengineers range from teaching and conducting basic research in academia to research and development work in the growing medical product industry. Employment opportunities are also available in independent research laboratories, hospitals and federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.
Career opportunities for bioengineers range from teaching and conducting basic research in academia to research and development work in the growing medical product industry. Employment opportunities are also available in independent research laboratories, hospitals and federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.
Research Focus
By its nature, bioengineering encompasses several engineering and science disciplines. Thus, bioengineering departments typically specialize in one or two areas of engineering and their respective applications to medically related problems. At Clemson University, the Department of Bioengineering's research emphases are biomaterials, biomechanics, bioinstrumentation and cellular biology, particularly for orthopaedic and cardiovascular applications. Course offerings and research projects lie in the following areas: in vivo performance of biomaterials; biological response to implanted biomaterials; biomechanics of tissue, implants, and the tissue/implant interface; wear and lubrication of joints; spinal mechanics; visualization techniques; CAD/CAM-based custom prostheses design; and biomolecular modeling.
Courses include biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, histocompatibilty, biomaterials implantology, cell-material interactions, tissue engineering, vascular engineering, biopolymers, biomedical design, biomolecular engineering, neurobioengineering, orthopaedic engineering and pathology, human dynamics, nanobiotechnology, biophotonics, advanced biomechanics and applications, genetic engineering, tribology and many others. Specialty courses are taught in the departments of Genetics and Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, and Animal and Veterinary Science and in the College of Engineering and Science.
Courses include biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, histocompatibilty, biomaterials implantology, cell-material interactions, tissue engineering, vascular engineering, biopolymers, biomedical design, biomolecular engineering, neurobioengineering, orthopaedic engineering and pathology, human dynamics, nanobiotechnology, biophotonics, advanced biomechanics and applications, genetic engineering, tribology and many others. Specialty courses are taught in the departments of Genetics and Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, and Animal and Veterinary Science and in the College of Engineering and Science.
Discover the Bioengineering Challenge At Clemson University
We are seeking motivated engineering and life sciences students interested in graduate study in bioengineering. If you are interested in working on an MS or PhD degree in any of the following areas: tissue engineering, vascular engineering, cardiovascular biomaterials, total joint replacement, orthopedic biomaterials, supracellular assemblies, drug delivery, biomolecular modeling or advanced imaging, contact us. We have ongoing collaborations with area medical centers, including the Univ. of S.C., Medical Univ. of S.C., Greenville Hospital System, Emory University, and Carolinas Medical Center. Clemson’s bioengineering program is one of the oldest in the world and widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of biomaterials. Clemson is the state land-grant institution of South Carolina, located in the scenic foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the 1,600-km shoreline of Lake Hartwell, midway between Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA. To learn about the application and admissions process, visit the Information for Applicants page.
