Undergraduate Courses

The aim of the department is to train undergraduate students to become Biomedical Engineers to help solve the health needs of the people of Ghana and other parts of the world. The programme combines engineering design skills with the physical, chemical, biological and medical sciences to train students to acquire knowledge in medical device and instrumentation, regenerative engineering, medical imaging techniques and image processing, biomaterials processing, bioinformatics and other approaches for diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients. This is achieved through our different course offerings and specialisations.

 

Course Code Title
BMEN 400 Project

Credit Hours - 6

Objective

This course is designed for students’ practical experience on the systematic procedures involved in conduction in carrying out a research project. Students can choose from one of two options. The options are pure research projects and engineering design projects, but work under the supervision of a supervisor. 

Content

This is a yearlong course, which involves selection of a research topic, literature review, experiments or gathering of data, analysis, interpretation and writing of a report. Students doing engineering design projects will are expected to use the engineering design process in addition to the research conduction procedures to do their project.

Reading list
  • Cowan, G., (1998). Statistical Data Analysis (4th Ed.). Clarendon Press.
  • DePoy, E. & Gitlin L., (2016). Introduction to Research (5th Ed.). Elsevier. 
  • Haik, Y., Sivaloganathan, S. & Shahin, T. M., (2018). Engineering Design Process. Cengage Learning.
  • Heumann, C., Schomaker, M. & Shalabh., (2016). Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis. Springer. 
  • Williman, N., (2011). Your Research Project: Designing and Planning Your Work (3rd Ed.). SAGE. 
BMEN 411 Medical Physics

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

By the end of the course, students should be familiar with light matter interaction and the consequences, know the different spectroscopic techniques and relevant concepts involving fluorescence and fluorescent microscopy, describe types of radiations and the effects when these radiations interact with matter, describe the mechanisms of various effects in the interaction of ionizing radiations with matter such as Photoelectric Effect, Compton Effect, and Pair production, know the clinical importance or relevance of these mechanisms and understand the concepts of Radiotherapy, Brachytherapy and nuclear medicine.

Content

This is an introductory course to key physical principles as applied to Medical Physics and Radiation Therapy. This course covers aspects of radiation physics necessary for understanding modern radiation therapy and biological predictions of therapy outcomes and brachytherapy. The course is intended to provide comprehensive knowledge of radiation therapy physics enabling the student to grasp current researches in the fields of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine. Topics taught in the course include, but not limited to, medical radiation engineering, electromagnetic and particulate radiation and its interaction with matter, the physics of radiation therapy and nuclear medicine.

Reading list
  • Podgorsak E. B., (2016). Radiation Physics for Medical Physicists. Springer International Publishing Switzerland.
  • Maqbool M., (2017). An introduction to medical Physics. Springer International Publishing
  • Brown B. H, Smallwood R. H, Barber D. C, Lawford P. V, Hose D. R., (1999). Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering. Taylor & Sons, New York.
  • Morgan A. S. A. & MacDougall N., (2012).  Physics for Clinical Oncology. Oxford University Press. Oxford. U K.
  • Eltayeb H., El-Metainy A. Y., (2012). Genetic Effect of Ionizing Radiation on Antirrhium Majus L. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
  • Peter S., (2010). Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields: Mechanisms, Modeling, Biological Effects, Therapeutic Effects, International Standards, Exposure Criteria. (2nd Edition) Springer. 
BMEN 413 Bioelectronics

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

To introduce the modernized electrical circuit development technologies applicable to recording physiological parameters and discovering the recent developments of manufacturing in biomedical sensors. 

Content 

Bioelectronics deal with the design and fabrication of medical devices for measurement of biological signals. This course is designed to teach students the advanced principles of operation of electronic devices used to develop and design electro-mechanical systems to measure physiological signals process the signal and interpret the signal for biomedical or medical use.

Reading list
  • Cao, H. C, T., Hsiai, T. K., & Khademhosseini, A., (2020). Interfacing bioelectronics and biomedical sensing. Springer.
  • Cromwell, L., Weibell, F. J. & Pfeiffer, E. A., (1990). Biomedical Instrumentation and Measurements. Prentice Hall.
  • Paul, S. (2019). Biomedical Engineering and its Applications in Healthcare. Springer. 
  • Veerakumari, L., (2019). Bioinstrumentation. MJP Publishers. 
  • Webster, J. G., (2009). Medical Instrumentation: Application and Design (4th Ed.). Wiley. 
BMEN 414 Biophotonics

Credit Hours - 3

Objective

The objective of this course is to train students on the generation of photons and application of the photons on the human body; and how to manipulate and detect the trajectory of the photons in the body to track cell dynamics or drug delivery.

Content 

Biophotonics is the application of optical techniques, such optical imaging to the study of biological tissues, cells and molecules. This course is therefore designed to train students the basic principles of photonics and the practical application of photonics in biomedical engineering. The course will focuses on the interactions between biological media or biomaterials and photons and the creation of radiation as a result of these interactions.

Reading list
  • Keiser, G., (2016). Biophotonics: Concepts to Applications (Graduate Texts in Physics) (1st Ed.). Springer.
  • Mitrofanis, J., (2019). Run in the Light: Exploring Exercise and Photobiomodulation in Parkinson's Disease (IOP Series in Photomedicine and Biophotonics), IOP Concise Physics.
  • Popescu, G., (2011). Quantitative Phase Imaging of Cells and Tissues (1st Ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Popp, F. &  Beloussov, L. V., (2013). Integrative Biophysics: Biophotonics, Springer.
  • Wang, R. K. & Tuchin, V. V., ( 2016). Advanced Biophotonics: Tissue Optical Sectioning (Series in Optics and Optoelectronics) (1st Ed.). CRC Press.
BMEN 416 Telemetry and Telemedicine

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

The objective of this course is to teach biomedical engineering students about the science of telemetry and how to use it to provide remote patient care, which will help reduce crowds, costs, and time spent by patients and healthcare workers in hospitals. To better understand the basic requirements for telemedicine service delivery and to execute formal training in areas of technology applicable to healthcare, such as computer sciences and communications technologies, in order to promote telemedicine implementation in remote areas.

Content

Telemetry and telemedicine involve the acquisition and delivery of patient healthcare information at a remote point and the automatic transmission of the data to receiving equipment for monitoring. Through collaborative virtual care including video conferencing it connects patients, physicians, advance registered nurse practitioner and remote medical specialist (telehealth). The topic covered includes Patient vital signs, conditions and clinical data, continuous collection of patient data, monitoring technologies, picture archiving and communication system, Cyber medicine and cyber security. 

Reading list
  • Darkins, A. W. & Cary, M. A., (2000). Telemedicine and Telehealth: Principles, Policies, Performance and Pitfalls. Springer.
  • Carden, F., (1995). Telemetry Systems Design. Artech House. 
  • Carden, F., Jedlicka, R. P. & Henry, R., (2002). Telemetry Systems Engineering. Artech House.
  • Gogia, S., (2019). Fundamentals of Telemedicine and Telehealth (1st Ed.). Academic Press. 
  • Nikita, K. S., (2014). A Handbook of Biomedical Telemetry. Wiley & Sons.
BMEN 417 Nanotechnology

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

The objectives of this course are to introduce students to nanotechnology, its principles and the application of nanotechnology in medicine and biomedicine.

Content 

Nanotechnology is a broad, interdisciplinary subject that includes subject areas such as materials science, biochemistry, electrical engineering etc. Some of the topics that are taught in this course are, nanomaterials, the fundamental principles behind nanotechnology and the applications of nanomaterials in nanotechnology. The course will also treat the role of chemistry and physics in nanotechnology and will discuss tools such as surface probe and atomic force microscopy, nanolithography and molecular electronics which are vital in the field of nanotechnology.

Reading list
  • Aguilar Z., (2012). Nanomaterials for Medical Applications, First Edition. 
  • Yasir B. P. S. T., Nandakumar K., Y. G.& Vanja K., (2019). Nanomaterials Synthesis: Design, Fabrication and Applications, First Edition. 
  • Donglu S., (2014). Nanomaterials and Devices, First Edition.
  • Campbell M. K., & Farrell S. O., (2013).  Biochemistry, Eighth Edition
  • Malkiat S. J., & Lewis E. J., (2018). Understanding Nanomaterials (Textbook Series in Physical Sciences), Second Edition. 
  • Russel K. H. & Bradley J. R., (2015). Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology, Fifth Edition. 
  • Malcolm H. L., (2004). Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Second Edition. 
BMEN 418 Rehabilitation Engineering

Credit Hours - 3

Objective

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the application of engineering principles to develop technological solutions to assist people with disability or to help patients recover from physical or psychological injuries.

Content

Rehabilitation engineering is concerned with the use of scientific and engineering principles to design and/or develop devices or solutions that are meant to assist people with disabilities and to help with their physical or cognitive recovery from a disease or injury. This course is therefore designed to train on the application of science and engineering to design, develop, test, evaluate, apply and distribute technological solutions to problems faced by people with disabilities.

Reading list
  • Encarnacao, P. & Cook, A., (2017). Robotic Assistive Technologies: Principles and Practice (Rehabilitation Science in Practice Series)(1st Ed.). CRC Press. 
  • Cheng, T. Y., 92009). Rehabilitation Engineering. IntechOpen. \
  • Cooper, R. A, Ohnabe, H. & Hobson, D. A., (2006). An Introduction to Rehabilitation Engineering (Series in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering) (1st Ed.). CRC Press. 
  • Najafi, L. & Conan, D., (2018). Handbook of Electronic Assistive Technology. Elsevier. 
  • Szeto, A. Y. J., (2014). Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation Engineering. IGI Global. 
BMEN 419 Health Technology Assessment

Credit Hours - 3

Objective

To understand the theory and practice of health technology assessment. Critically reviewed health technology assessment studies in order to judge their validity and applicability in clinical environment.

Content

Health Technology Assessment is an aspect of biomedical engineering that concerns with a systematic evaluation of the direct and indirect effects or consequences of a health technology, intended to bridge the gap between research and decision-making. This course is therefore designed to train students on the basics of health technology assessment and how to systematically assess existing as well as future health technologies that will help in decision making in terms of acquirement of medical technology, choice of use of specific medical technology over other technologies and quality of life after treatment.

Reading list
  • del Llano-Señarís, J. E. & Campillo-Artero, C., (2015). Health Technology Assessment and Health Policy Today: A Multifaceted View of their Unstable Crossroads. Springer International Publishing.
  • Hopkins, R. B. & Goeree R., (2015). Health Technology Assessment: Using Biostatistics to Break the Barriers of Adopting New Medicines (1st Ed.). CRC Press.
  • Improta, G.,  Fratini, A. & Triassi, M., (2012). Health Technology Assessment: An Essential Approach to Guide Clinical Governance Choices on Risk Management.  Intechopen.com
  • Sampietro-Colom, L. & Martin, J., (2016). Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment. Springer.
  • Hoen, E., Pulsrikarn, C., Abanilla, A., Karen, P. & Khan, A. G., (2011). Health technology assessment of medical devices. World Health Organization.  

 

BMEN 421 Bioinformatics

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

The objective of this course is to introduce students to bioinformatics databases and how to retrieve data to generate novel inferences; to be able to give detailed explanation on the applications of big data in biomedicine including genomics. At the end of the course, students should also be able to do database searches and critical interpretation of retrieved sequences and analysis; and they should be able to apply biomedical text mining for information retrieval, extraction, and hypothesis generation

Content

The course content includes but not limited to biological databases, genomic sequence analysis, biomedical text mining, structural bioinformatics, and biocomputing. It also involves computational analysis and interpretation of disease-associated genes using custom-made bioinformatics software and web-based applications. The course combines hands-on practical experiences and lectures with direct applications in computational bioengineering, drug and vaccine design, and diagnostic biomarker discovery.

Reading list
  • Benson, D. (2018). GenBank. Nucleic Acids Research, 46(1), 41-47. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkg057
  • Byron, K., Herbert, K., & Wang, J. (2016). Bioinformatics database systems (1st ed.). CRC Press.
  • Chen, C., Huang, H., & Wu, C. H. (2017). Protein Bioinformatics Databases and Resources. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 1558, 3–39. 
  • Lesk M., (2014). Introduction to bioinformatics. Fourth Edition. Oxford University Press
  • Kihara, D. (2017). Protein function prediction: methods and protocols. New York, N.Y: Humana Press Springer
  • Sharma, S., Ciufo, S., Starchenko, E., Darji, D., Chlumsky, L., Karsch-Mizrachi, I., &Schoch, C. (2018). The NCBI Bio Collections Database. Database, 2018. doi: 10.1093/database/bay006 
  • Wei, D., Qin., Zhao, T. & Dai, H. (2015). Advances in structural bioinformatics. Dordrecht: Springer.
BMEN 422 Orthotics and Prosthetics

Credit Hours - 3

Objective

The objective of this course to train students on the application of engineering principles to develop and fabricate artificial body parts or devices to replace natural body parts or to assist/support natural body parts to function well or to recover from injuries.

Content

The orthotics is a field of biomedical engineering that involves with the design of externally applied devices meant to modify the structure or function of the skeletal or neuromuscular system, while prosthesis is concerned the design and development of artificial devices that are meant to replace missing body parts. This course is therefore design to train biomedical engineering students to acquire the requisite knowledge in orthotic and prosthetic engineering.

Reading list
  • Chinnathurai, R., (2009). Short Textbook of Prosthetics & Orthotics (1st Ed.). Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.
  • Chui, K. C.,  Yen S., Jorge M. & Lusardi M. M., (2019). Orthotics and Prosthetics in Rehabilitation (4th Rev.). Saunders.
  • Lusardi, M. M., Jorge, M. & Nielsen, C. C., (2012). Orthotics and Prosthetics in Rehabilitation (3rd Ed.). Saunders.
  • May, B. J. & Lockard, M. A., (2011).  Prosthetics & Orthotics in Clinical Practice: A Case Study Approach (1st Ed.).  F.A. Davis Company.
  • Murphy, D., (2013). Fundamentals of Amputation Care and Prosthetics (1st Ed.). Demos Medical. 
BMEN 423 Biophysics

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

Biophysics is a broad subject area and the course intends to examine several topics based on the interest of the subject Lecturer. The objectives of this course are to explain biological cells, organs and systems using mathematics and physics to delineate and understand organ functions and energy distribution.

Content

The course will cover a wide range of topics, applying physical principles and techniques to different problems in biology. There will be a number of projects for students to collaborate on. Varied backgrounds in a team, such as biology, and physics, will enhance the learning experience. The following topics will be covered: Chemical Forces including Chemical Potential and Chemical reactions, Electrophoresis, Self-assembly, micelles, cell membranes. Cooperative transitions including Helix coil transition, stretching of macromolecules, Protein folding and Unzipping of DNA. Other topics will include Machines in membranes, Nerve Impulses and Physical Techniques and related biology as well as Nerve impulse.

Reading list
  • Campbell M. K., & Farrell S. O., (2013). Biochemistry, Eighth Edition.
  • Weaver R. F., (2012). Molecular Biology. Fifth Edition. 
  • T. A. Brown., (2016). Gene Cloning and DNA Analysis, Sixth Edition. 
  • Hobbie R. K., & Roth B. J., (2015). Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology, Fifth Edition. 
  • Lund A., Shiotani M., Shimada S., (2011). Principles and Applications of ESR Spectroscopy. 
  • Levitt M. H., (2004). Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Second Edition.
BMEN 424 Healthcare Facility Planning and Design

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the concept of healthcare facility planning and how to use Lean, innovation and evidence-based approaches to professional design healthcare facilities.

Content

Health facility planning and design deals with the planning and design of healthcare facilities based on a professional point of view, that takes into consideration evidence gathered from research, from project evaluations and evidence from operations of existing healthcare facilities. This course is therefore designed to give biomedical engineering skill help in the planning and design of healthcare facilities, focusing on patient safety and improved clinical outcomes.

Reading list
  • De Syllas, J., (2015). Integrating Care: the Architecture of the Comprehensive Health Centre. Alibris. 
  • Gewig, K., (2014). Green Healthcare: How Hospitals Can Heal the Planet. Oxford University Press.
  • Grunden, N., (2012). Lean-Led Hospital Design: Creating the Efficient Hospital of the Future. Alibris.
  • Lindahl, G., (2012). Innovations in Hospital Architecture. Construction Management and Economics. Taylor Francis
  • Miller, R. L., Swensson, E. S. & Robinson T. J., (2012). Hospital and Healthcare Facility Design (1st Ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.
BMEN 425 Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems Mechanics

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

At the end of the course, students can explain how the cardiovascular system works, in engineering point of view and be able to estimate important flow parameters of the system to differentiate normal systems from abnormal ones. The primary objective of the course is to teach students how to model blood flow and mechanical forces in the cardiovascular system, to calculate the mechanical forces that act on the cardiovascular system and model pulsatile to turbulent flow of blood.

Content

This course treats the various structures of the blood system of the cardiovascular and reparatory systems and how the structures influence the distribution of blood and air through the body. It also concerns with the application of mechanics for the estimation of important physiological parameters of the system. The course also covers the design and application of assistive devices of the cardiovascular system. Topics covered include are basic principles of biofluid mechanics - generation of flow in the cardiovascular system, flow in elastic vessels, laminar, pulsatile and turbulent flow, mucociliary and peristaltic flow, and cardiac valve mechanics.

Reading list
  • Cengel, Y.A. & Turner, R.H., (2001). Fundamentals of Thermal Fluid Sciences, McGraw-Hill Custom readings.
  • Fung Y.C., (1984). World Scientific Biodynamics: Circulation, Springer- Verlag.
  • Li J.K-J., (2004). Dynamics of the Vascular System. 
  • Baskurt O. K., Hardeman M. R. Rampling M. W. & Meiselman H. J., (2007). Handbook for Hemorheology and Hemodynamics, IOS Press. ISBN: 978-1-60750-263-0
  • Waite, L. & Fine, J., (2007). Applied Biofluid Mechanics, McGraw-Hill. 
BMEN 427 Medical Signal and Image Processing

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives

The main objective of this course is to teach students the fundamentals of medical digital signal acquisition modalities and how medical signals are processed and transformed into images for biomedical and clinical applications. 

Content

The clinical usefulness of medical images/signals depends solely on the quality of the raw data acquired using an image device and the data processing techniques used. The course is designed to introduce students to the theoretical background of techniques of image data acquisition; and the basic approaches of displaying one-dimensional, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional medical image data, using relevant software tools. Topics covered include the basic principles of medical imaging devices, operational principles, de-noising, filtering, Fourier and other mathematical transformations, image data reconstruction and artefact mitigation.

Reading list
  • Semmlow, J. L., (2004). Biosignal and Medical Image Processing (Signal Processing and Communications, 22) (1st Ed.). CRC Press.
  • Gopi, E. S., (2013). Digital Signal Processing for Medical Imaging Using Matlab. Springer-Verlag New York. 
  • Bankman, I., (2008). Handbook of Medical Image Processing and Analysis (2nd Ed.). Academic Press. 
  • lai, K. W. & Dewi, D. E. O., (2015). Medical Imaging Technology. Springer Singapore.
  • Reddy, D. C., (2005). Biomedical Signal Processing: Principles and Techniques. McGraw-Hill Education.
SENG 401 Law for Engineers

Credit Hours - 3

Objective

The course is to provide students with an introduction to law-knowledge and skills relevant to the operations of an engineering-based organization.

Content

The course covers discussions on contracts (formation, performance, breach, and termination), corporations and partnerships, insurance, professional liability, risk management, environmental law, torts, property law, evidence and dispute resolution. The course emphasizes those principles necessary to provide engineers with the ability to recognize issues which are likely to arise in the engineering profession and introduces them to the complexities and vagaries of the legal profession. Students will gain knowledge and skills in the legal systems relevant for engineering: contract law, intellectual property and tort.

Reading list
  • Marston, D. L. (2016) Law for Professional Engineers 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Madison, WI.
  • Abraham, Nax W. (2005) Engineering Law and the ICE contracts 4th Edition. E&FN SPON (Chapman and Hall, London.
  • Rockman, Howard B. (2004) Intellectual Property Law for Engineers and Scientists John Wiley and Sons, New York.
  • Bayo, Edwin A. (2016) Law and Rules governing the Practice of Engineering.
  • Goldstein, Avery N. (2005) Patent Laws for Scientists and Engineers Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, FL.
SENG 402 Principles of Management and Entrepreneurship

Credit Hours - 3

Objective

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the definition of management and the evolution and perspectives of management: classical human relations and management science. 

Content

The course discusses the hierarchy of management, managerial roles and management styles will be introduced to students. Inside and outside an organization: adapting to change and understanding the environment. Management functions: Planning and decision making, organizing, leading, and communicating. The entrepreneurial process and types of business, creating new products/services and business plans.

Reading list
  • Naylor J., Management, Second Edition, Prentice Hall, UK, 
  • Bauer, T., Erdogan, B. & Short, J. (2018). Principles of Management, V.4.0, Flat World, Boston.
  • James A. F Stoner, R. Edward Freeman, Daniel R. Gilbert (1996), Management, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall of India.
  • Bright, D. S., Cortes, A. H. et al. (2019). Principles of Management, OpenStax, Houston.
  • Hisrich, R., Peters, M. & Shepherd, D. (2019). Entrepreneurship. 11th Ed. McGraw-Hill Education, NY.