Course Catalogue

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This course provides later year undergraduate and MSc engineering students with the basic knowledge required for biomedical engineering.  The course is broadly divided into two halves.  In the first, the students gain an understanding of the structure and function of cells and tissues and the generation of electrical signals in cells.  In the second part of the course, the students are introduced to the basic concepts of biomedical engineering including fluid mechanics, imaging modalities and sensors.

2 lectures per week

Mandatory Entry Requirements

None

Recommended Entry Requirements

None

None

None

Assessment

70% Examination

20% Project work

10% Coursework

Reassessment

In accordance with the University's Code of Assessment reassessments are normally set for all courses which do not contribute to the honours classifications. For non honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students, and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions are listed below in this box.

It is not possible to offer reassessment in group project work in this course. Students failing to complete the group project work, without good cause, will be receive a Credit Refused (CR) grade and will be required to re-attend the course the following year.

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The aims of this course are to:

■ introduce engineering students to the structure and function of DNA and RNA and the basis by which genetic information is encoded within our genes;

■ introduce engineering students to the structure and function of proteins and the basis by which genetic information encoded within our genes leads to protein expression;

■ introduce engineering students to the structure of membranes, cells and tissues;

■ introduce engineering students to the role of the membrane in the generation and transmission of the action potential;

■ describe the nervous system and how muscular contraction and reflex responses occur;

■ describe the sensory organs including the eye and the ear;

■ describe the vascular system and the unique role of fluids in the body;

■ introduce imaging methods to visualise healthy and diseased cells and tissues.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ evaluate the relationship between the structure and function of DNA and RNA and how they encode for proteins;

■ evaluate the relationship between the structure and function of proteins and explain how they are encoded by the genetic code;

■ apply the knowledge of the molecular structure and function of DNA, RNA and proteins to explain the basis of healthy cells and disease;

■ apply the basic principles underlying the structure of the cell membrane and proteins to describe the nature of electrical excitability in cells;

■ describe the basis of the nervous system in the context of muscle contraction and the reflex response;

■ apply the knowledge of the structure and function of the eye and the ear to explain the sensory function of these organs;

■ evaluate the relationship between the role of biological fluids and their function in the context of their mechanical properties;

■ apply the knowledge of imaging methods to describe techniques to visualise healthy and diseased cells and tissues.

Students must attend the degree examination and submit at least 75% by weight of the other components

of the course's summative assessment.

Students must attend the timetabled laboratory classes.