14 graduate courses in the Fall 2026 Graduate Calendar.
BME 601Physiological Systems and Biomedical Design0.50 units
This course surveys the anatomy and physiology of the human body at the cellular, organ and whole-body scale, from a systems biology/physiology perspective. Cell biology and some of the physiological systems (e.g., musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, digestive, renal, nervous and sensory, and immune) and their integration/interactions will be introduced from a quantitative systems perspective. Where applicable, common sources of impairments of each system (e.g., pathologies, aging, etc.) will be presented along with implications for diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative technologies (and universal design). Students will be required to perform engineering design that applies their knowledge in biology and physiology that they have gained throughout the course.
Antirequisites
Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
ECE601 - Foundations of Biology in Engineering (0.50)
BME 602Foundations in Biomechanical Engineering0.50 units
This course focuses on equipping students with foundational knowledge in the biomechanics of human physiology, pathology, and treatment. The overarching aim of this course is to develop students’ literacy in applying biomechanics principles and modern tools towards understanding the human body. The course will build on existing knowledge in mathematics and physics to develop new expertise and hands-on experience in the biomechanical modeling and analysis of physiological systems.
BME 603Engineering Analysis of Living Cells0.50 units
Cell biology has reached a stage where it is in dire need of quantitative understanding. The vast amount of data gathered with the advance of experimental technologies, in the search for a general understanding of the complex cell mechanism at the molecular level, have often made the traditional way of direct interpretation impossible. Therefore, recent years have seen significant efforts made to understand these data with more sophisticated mathematical models, using fundamental physical laws and engineering analytic techniques. This course is an introduction to some of the successful achievements of these approaches, and the exciting potential outcomes of this line of research.
The course covers fundamental topics of biocompatibility of materials in medicine (polymers, ceramics, metals, composites, nano- and bioengineered materials). Fundamental principles of materials science as well as interfacial engineering of materials will be reviewed. Materials response to biological systems such as corrosion, wear, fracture, degradation, swelling, leaching, biodistribution and accumulation will be studied in the context of specific biomedical applications. The importance of properties and their modulation (e.g. surface modification, interfacial engineering, importance of particle size and surface) and how it affects host response (cell adhesion, inflammatory response, coagulation, immunity) will be discussed. Specific examples of material interactions with biological systems such as bone, blood, brain, skin and the eye will be studied. Engineering materials to improve biocompatibility will be discussed extensively during lecture time as well literature discussion and problem-solving sessions. The course will include how to design appropriate toxicity and biocompatibility studies based on the target (nano)material and tissue. This course is taught in part using problem-based learning techniques. In class exercises/discussion/problem solving session will be used throughout the term. Students are expected to have completed the assignments and/or requested reading to participate in the discussion and problem-solving exercise. Where possible, research articles will also be selected to reflect the research topics of the students registered in the course. Students should have background knowledge in physiological systems and materials.
This course introduces the fundamental concepts for medical imaging which include medical image formation (X-ray, CT, MRI, sonography); storage and formats (DICOM, DICOM RT, PACS); visualization, detection and analysis (enhancement, segmentation, registration, compression); safety and regulations for imaging devices & software (IEEE standards, Health Canada Licensing, FDA Clearance).
Antirequisites
Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
BME 651Big Data Analysis: Health and Biomedical Engineering0.50 units
This course will teach students to define data types and apply appropriate statistical methods to analyze them, define statistical significance, identify issues related to sex and gender, identify limitations of analyses, and communicate analysis results through data visualizations, written communication and presentation.
This course focuses on the application of engineering principles to the analysis of sports equipment and their effects on athletic performance. Principles of mechanics are used to understand the motion and forces arising in sports equipment, and their interaction with the musculoskeletal dynamics of athletes. (Held with BME 550. Students in BME 721 will be expected to meet some additional learning objectives.)
This course introduces students to the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system, including motor control and rehabilitation engineering. Multibody models in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) will be used to study the dynamics of normal and pathological motions. Motor control will be included, as well as the identification of body segment parameters and the dynamics of muscles. Applications may include assistive devices, rehabilitation, human gait, occupational biomechanics, and other activities. (Held with BME 551. Students in BME 722 will be expected to meet some additional learning objectives.)
BME 723Mechanics of Biomedical and Biological Materials0.50 units
This course covers select topics fundamental to the study of the mechanical behaviour of biological (e.g., bone, tendon, skin, cartilage, et.c) and synthetic (polymers, ceramics, metals, etc.) biomaterials with a strong emphasis on materials found in medicine (biomedical materials). Topics will include a selection of basics of continuum mechanics, structure-function-property (mechanistic) relationships, linear and non-linear elasticity, viscoelasticity, anisotropy, failure criteria, fracture, fatigue, and fundamentals of mechanical testing in the biomaterials and tissues context.