What is biomedical engineering? It's the scientific discipline responsible for such extraordinary innovations as:

• Synthetic organs that operate outside the body to process the blood of a patient awaiting a liver transplant
• The procedure of generating chest cartilage in a child born without any
• Artificial arteries grafted to cells during heart surgery that eventually transmogrify into actual living blood vessels
• The implantation of insulin-creating cells in diabetics with pancreatic failure
• Oxygen generators for the temporary support of patients with chronic lung disease
• Electronic devices that monitor the vital functions of premature infants
• Materials that mimic the composition of bone so well that they can be used in the reconstruction of defective bone tissue
• Personal computers designed for people whose carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive stress injury prohibits them from using a keyboard
• Electronic systems that allow the stimulation and control of paralyzed muscles
• For people who have difficulty seeing, retinal implants with one solar- powered microchip that processes images taken by a tiny camera installed near the patient's eyes, and another chip that translates the data and sends visual signals to the brain.

Biomedical engineering, sometimes called bioengineering, is the newest branch of engineering, and a rapidly growing one. Biomedical engineers (BMEs) integrate the principles and techniques of all the classic engineering disciplines, as well as technology, medicine, life sciences, and physical sciences, to solve problems encountered in living systems.

They conduct research and experimentation and perform design tasks in the field of healthcare. They devise hand-held instruments for performing surgery, create artificial organs and artificial limbs, and develop computer network and electronic systems that will update and improve healthcare technology and hospital, laboratory, and clinical procedures. Their work assists with accurate diagnosis, disease prevention and treatment, health monitoring, therapeutic drug delivery, and rehabilitation of the disabled.

Biomedical engineers have created a diathermy unit to generate heat in tissue, machines used to experiment with cloning, blood substitutes, artificial heart valves, replacement joints for knees and elbows, prosthetic limbs, blood-gas analyzers, computer-directed physiological monitoring devices, defibrillators, electrocardiographs, heart-lung bypass machines, intra-aortic balloon pumps, automatic biosensors for rapid gene sequencing, surgical lasers, and so much more. In other words, this is a very broad and interdisciplinary field, so wherever your interests lie, as long as you have the skills (an aptitude for math and science, definitely) and are prepared for many years of formal education, there's very likely a niche for you in this exciting profession.

This report profiles the bold and pioneering work performed by biomedical engineers. You'll learn about the history of this fairly recent addition to the domain of engineering. We'll tell you where most BMEs work, identify the specialties that have been established, and describe the work done by biomedical engineers in each of the main specialties that currently exist. Interviews with aspiring and practicing biomedical engineers will give you first-hand accounts of what it's like to work in this occupation on a daily basis. We'll tell you what's great and not so great about being a biomedical engineer; and you'll learn how to start preparing for this career right away.