The Masters of Science in Biomedical Engineering prepares students to conduct research involving the application of engineering to biological systems. Examples of research projects are sensors to detect specific biological molecules or pathogens in food or water, understanding cell membranes in terms of signaling and transport of molecules, imaging of cells or proteins, conformation of biological molecules at membrane surfaces, controlling the interaction of bacteria and cells with surfaces as well as environmental risk assessment modeling. Alliances with several governmental agencies and other organizations, such as the Institute of Molecular Biophysics, the Jackson Laboratory and Maine Medical Center Research Institute, increase research opportunities related to genetics and biomedical issues in engineering. Cooperation with the Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies gives access to tools related to surface analysis.

Research Facilities

Standard equipment for cell growth and characterization, near IR, confocal microscope, mechanical testing of biological materials and other tools are available. Specialized equipment is also available related to individual projects.

Financial Aid

Graduate Research Assistantships are available on a competitive basis for externally funded research projects.

Applying

Applications for entry into the program for either the fall or spring semesters must be received at least three months prior to the start of the semester.  For fall semester, it is recommended that applications be received by March of that year.  Applications are available online at the Graduate School.

Correspondence:

The Graduate School
5775 Stodder Hall, Room 42
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469-5755
207-581-3291
graduate@maine.edu

Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering
117 Jenness Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469-5737
207-581-2277
bousfld@maine.edu
 

Requirements

The M.S. degree requires 30 semester hours of graduate work which must include two seminars and 18 credits of courses in addition to the thesis. Required core courses are BEN 502 (Advanced Materials in Bioinspired Engineering),  BEN 503 (Advanced Instrumentation in Biomedical Engineering) and BEN 580 ( Computational Methods in Biomedical Engineering).  Three technical electives courses are required of which one needs to be 500 level or above.  
 

Graduate Faculty

Douglas W. Bousfield, Ph.D. (California at Berkeley, 1986), Calder Professor. Fluid mechanics, rheology, numerical methods, coating processes, modeling of coating and absorption processes.

Albert Co, Ph.D. (Wisconsin, 1979), Associate Professor. Transport phenomena, fluid mechanics, polymeric fluid dynamics, rheology, applied numerical methods.

William J. DeSisto, Ph.D., (Brown, 1989),  Professor. Advanced material, sensors.

Caitlin Howell, Ph.D. (University of Heidelberg, Germany, 2011) Assistant Professor. Biological interfaces, bacterial biofilm growth and control, surface-mediated tissue engineering, dynamic materials design.

John J. Hwalek, Ph.D. (Illinois, 1982), Associate Professor. Process information systems, heat transfer.

Michael D. Mason, Ph.D. (California at Santa Barbara, 2000), Professor.  Photophysics of nanoparticles and molecular nanoprobes, single molecule imaging, time-resolved single photon spectroscopic imaging techniques.

Paul J. Millard, Ph.D., (University of Maryland, 1984), Associate Professor. Microbial biosensors, physiological genomics systems, fluorescence technology.

David J. Neivandt, Ph.D. (Melbourne, 1998), Professor. Conformation of interfacial species, surface spectroscopies/microscopies, binary polymer/surfactant solutions and lipid membrane structures.

Hemant P. Pendse, Ph.D. (Syracuse, 1980), Professor and Chair. Colloidal phenomena, paper manufacture, fluid particle systems, and instrument/sensor development.

Thomas J Schwartz, Ph.D. (Wisconsin, 2015), Assistant Professor.  Heterogeneous catalysis, reaction kinetics, in situ spectroscopy, biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals.

Adriaan Van Heiningen, Ph.D. (McGill, 1982), J. Larcom Ober Professor. Forest products biorefinery, chemical reaction engineering in wood pulping and pulp bleaching, black liquor gasification and direct causticization with titanate.

G. Peter van Walsum, Ph.D. (Dartmouth College, 1998), Associate Professor. Renewable energy, fuels and chemicals, bioprocessing, process engineering.

Sarah Walton, Ph.D. (U. Maine, 2009), Lecturer

M. Clayton Wheeler, Ph.D.(Austin, 1997),  Professor. Chemical Sensors, fundamental catalysis, surface science, and selective sensor materials.