The BME undergraduate program focuses on human biology, medicine, and health technologies. Biomedical Engineers work in areas ranging from medical imaging to the design of artificial organs. Students often secure employment in companies that manufacture medical assist devices and human tissue products. For example, heart valves, drug delivery devices, and replacement tissues including skin, synthetic cartilage, and bone. Jobs also exist in hospitals, national laboratories and universities. BME advances fundamental medical concepts; creates knowledge from the molecular to the organ systems levels; and develops innovative biologics, materials, processes, implants, devices, and informatics approaches. These approaches are applied to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Recent advances include the left ventricular assist device (LVAD), artificial joints, kidney dialysis, bioengineered skin, angioplasty, computed tomography (CT), and flexible endoscopes.

Choose Biomedical Engineering if (i) you want to be an engineer AND (ii) you are interested in working at the interface between engineering and biomedical sciences. All students in Biomedical Engineering are required to meet rigorous engineering requirements (Math & Physics), including design and quantitative analysis. If you are interested in attending medical school but not in engineering, you should consider a non-engineering major. See College of Biological Sciences below.

Biological Systems Engineering: http://bae.engineering.ucdavis.edu

Biotechnology specialization

Core engineering courses are combined with training in genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular biology. This area of industrial growth needs engineers to transfer laboratory developments to large scale production. Present industrial activities include the production of genetically altered plants, plant materials and food products, production and packaging of bio-control agents for plant pests and diseases, microbial production of biological products, tissue culture, and bioremediation.

Biomechanics/Pre-Medicine/Pre-Veterinary Medicine specialization

The focus is on the biomechanics of humans and animals, with emphasis on the physical, chemical, and biological factors affecting motion and function. Combined training in mechanics, material properties, and ergonomics allows graduates to work in industry on the design, evaluation, and application of medical devices as well as worker health and safety. This is also good training for Medical and Veterinary school and graduate work in Biomedical Engineering.

Biochemical Engineering: http://chms.engineering.ucdavis.edu

This program prepares students for careers in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries where they will be involved in the design, optimization, and regulatory compliance of fermentation and cell culture processes, as well as the downstream processes involved in the recovery and purification of biologics (e.g. proteins, antibodies, vaccines) and pharmaceuticals. Training in both engineering and biological sciences is necessary to develop proficiency in conceiving, designing, and operating these manufacturing processes.

College of Biological Sciences: http://biosci.ucdavis.edu

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, Cell Biology, Evolution and Ecology, Exercise Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, Plant Biology

Biotechnology: http://www.biotech.ucdavis.edu

Biotechnology helps industries improve their products by making the manufacturing process easier, cleaner and more cost effective in industries such as agriculture, food and beverage, health care, chemical, pharmaceutical and biochemical, and environmental and bioremediation. Graduates can also do advanced research in molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, medicine, and plant and animal sciences. For the first two years, students will learn genetics, molecular biology, cell biology and recombinant DNA technology, then for their upper division coursework, they can choose one of four specializations: Animal, Plant, Microbial or Bioinformatics.