Purdue News

August 27, 1999 Engineering the next generation of medical devices WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue is launching a new graduate education and research program in biomedical engineering that could help steer Indiana toward its goal of becoming a nationwide leader in the field. The newly created fellowships in therapeutic and diagnostic devices will allow engineering and science students with an interest in biomedical engineering to earn advanced degrees that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. The program is funded by a $2.7 million Integrated Graduate Education, Research and Training grant from the National Science Foundation. Purdue was one of 21 universities nationwide and the only university in Indiana to receive funds from the NSF's hallmark graduate education program for promoting interdisciplinary training in all fields of science and engineering. "Our new Ph.D. program has the potential to become a premier national source of well-educated engineers in the field of biomedical devices, including those with expertise in artificial organs, controlled-release devices and tissue-engineered constructs," said Nicholas Peppas, the Showalter Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering who directs the new program and was the principal investigator of the NSF grant. He noted that the field has enormous potential for growth worldwide and is the target of several major economic development initiatives across the state of Indiana. "Purdue's Schools of Engineering have always produced graduates with strong engineering skills, but with relatively little life science background. Similarly, our life science and pharmacy graduate students traditionally have been exposed to few engineering principles. This program in therapeutic and diagnostic devices will ensure that students are well-educated in both areas. We know the needs of the biomedical industry demand the types of uniquely trained researchers this program will produce." As an example, Peppas cited developing new implantable drug-delivery systems that could automatically adjust the dosage based upon patients' needs; replacing worn tissues in joints with engineering constructs that out-perform the body's original parts; and creating a next-generation of implantable electric devices with improved battery power that can last a lifetime. "Imagine the impact such devices will have on the lives of those people who could benefit from these types of implantable therapies for their medical conditions," Peppas said. "But such devices haven't been developed yet in part because bioengineering hasn't developed a large enough core of researchers with advanced training in both engineering and life science. Our program is going to begin to change that." Purdue's grant will fund 18 fellowships per year for five years. Each fellowship provides tuition, a stipend of $17,500 per year, all travel expenses to major scientific conferences, and $5,000 annually for supplies and expenses related to research. All fellows must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents working toward a Ph.D. Peppas says all students will work under two faculty advisers, typically from diverse research fields to ensure the highly interdisciplinary nature of the training experience. The new program is receiving significant support from faculty in the Schools of Chemical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering, the new Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, and the Department of Veterinary Basic Medical Sciences on Purdue's West Lafayette campus, as well as the School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Source: Nicholas Peppas, (765) 494-7944, peppas@ecn.purdue.edu Writer: Sharon Bowker, (765) 494-2077; sharon_bowker@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page