Postgraduate Courses
- BEHI 5001Data Science in Bioengineering[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)CBME 6000FDescriptionThis course will introduce the basic concept in data science, as well as the application of several data science technologies in the study of biomedical problems. It will include principles in network biology, machine learning and statistical analysis, and basic methods for sequencing data processing. Students will be evaluated based on group projects and student presentation.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Obtain a basic understanding of data science.
- 2.Identify high-throughput biomedical data.
- 3.Become familiar with the most popular computational methods.
- 4.Apply computational software to solve practical problems.
- 5.Enhance the ability to mathematically model scientific questions.
- 6.Enhance the ability in writing and presentation.
- BEHI 5002Biomaterials Engineering[3-0-0:3]DescriptionThe course covers fundamentals of material science and its interface with medicine. The design principles of biomaterials will be described for different applications, ranging from implants to drug carriers and tissue regeneration. Latest technologies to advance biomaterials design and fabrication will be taught. Considerations in regulatory approval process, manufacturing, and commercialization will be discussed.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the roles of biomaterials in advancing modern medicine.
- 2.Identify the methods for preparation and assessment of biomaterials.
- 3.Outline design principles for major applications of biomaterials.
- 4.Appreciate the regulatory hurdles for commercialization of biomaterials.
- 5.Identify the GMP principles for manufacturing biomaterials.
- 6.Communicate knowledge learnt from class via oral presentation and written report.
- BEHI 5003Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering[3-0-0:3]BackgroundStudents are expected to have a background in basic chemistry, biochemistry (incl. topics such as proteins, DNA, RNA, etc.), and familiar with the use of a programming environment such as MATLAB or Python, or an equivalent programming language.DescriptionThis course will introduce the fundamentals in the molecular and cellular bases of life from an engineering perspective. Topics include analysis and engineering of biomolecular structure and dynamics, enzyme function, molecular interactions, metabolic pathways, signal transduction, synthetic biology, and cellular mechanics, etc. The lectures will be complemented by tutorials in protein engineering, AAV preparation, bioinformatics and machine learning, and structure visualization.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe and be familiar with biomolecular terminologies, molecules, cellular mechanisms, and networks.
- 2.Perform quantitative analysis in biological systems using a programming language (MATLAB, R, Python, etc.).
- 3.Apply modern-day machine learning tools for biomolecules (protein, virus) prediction and design.
- 4.Analyze and critique literature in related research areas and write professional report in the style of a journal article.
- 5.Apply problem solving and experimental thought processes in a wide range of settings.
- 6.Communicate scientific knowledge via oral presentation and written reports.
- BEHI 5004Fundamentals and Applications of Sensing Technology in Healthcare[3-0-0:3]Exclusion(s)BIEN 5060BackgroundStudents are expected to have prior knowledge on general chemistry, physics, and biology.DescriptionThe course will introduce the basic concepts in detection of biosignals. Students will learn about the biosensing components, transduction mechanisms, novel materials in sensing, and analytical techniques to capture diverse health information. The course will also touch upon the physical and chemical sensors used for healthcare applications. We will also discuss about the emerging flexible, wearable technology toward personalized healthcare. Students will have opportunities to design and propose biosensors and bioelectronics at the end of the course.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain how a biosensor work.
- 2.Identify the necessary components and their functions in a biosensor.
- 3.Describe different methods of biosignal determination.
- 4.Evaluate biosensors performance.
- 5.Identify the roles of nanomaterials in biosensors.
- 6.Visualize the biosensing market in diverse applications.
- 7.Propose biosensors for real world applications.
- BEHI 5005Bioimaging and Bio-signal Analysis[3-0-0:3]DescriptionThis course introduces various bioimaging methods and their data analysis approaches, including optical coherence tomography, fluorescence microscopy, nonlinear microscopy, super-resolution microscopy, ptychographic microscopy, and photoacoustic tomography. Students will be able to understand, design, and evaluate those imaging techniques. This course requires basic knowledge of linear algebra, calculus, and geometry. Familiarity with a programming language such as MATLAB is needed.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the working principles of widely used bioimaging technologies.
- 2.Design and evaluate the imaging techniques that can acquire biological information.
- 3.Identify how the bioimaging technologies can address clinical needs in practice.
- 4.Identify the ways to process imaging data.
- 5.Analyze the processed imaging data and understand their associated important clinical outcomes.
- 6.Present professionally both in writing and orally.
- BEHI 5006Synthetic Biology[3-0-0:3]Exclusion(s)BIEN 5070DescriptionSynthetic biology, which echoes the assertion “What I cannot create, I do not understand” made by Richard Feynman, has been hailed as a revolution for modern science and technology. Unfledged as it is, the field, arising from the synergistic combination of chemistry, biology, engineering, data science, and information/control theory, has already shown great promise in addressing energy and health-related global challenges. This course aims to expose students with diverse backgrounds to this highly interdisciplinary field and furnish them with necessary guidance and ideas for taking on synthetic biology projects.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain the basic technical concepts, scientific and engineering principles in synthetic biology.
- 2.Describe the ramifications of synthetic biology for real-world problems.
- 3.Analyze the impacts of synthetic biology on other research areas such as materials science, developmental biology, and regenerative medicine.
- 4.Identify the key elements contributing to synthetic biology.
- 5.Recognize, evaluate, and criticize research topics in synthetic biology.
- 6.Communicate technical ideas more effectively.
- BEHI 5007Genomics, Proteomics and Metabolomics[3-0-0:3]BackgroundUndergraduate-level introductory chemistry and biology/biochemistryDescriptionThis course will introduce the theory and practice of omics technologies for the high-throughput characterization of complex mixtures of biomolecules, including DNAs, RNAs, proteins and metabolites. Applications of omics approaches in life science research and clinical practice will also be covered.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the basic principles of information flow in biology, and the molecular basis of biological information.
- 2.Describe the working principles behind high-throughput technologies for nucleic acid sequencing.
- 3.Describe the working principles of biological mass spectrometry for the high-throughput identification and quantification of proteins and metabolites.
- 4.Discuss the benefits and challenges of various omics analysis, and evaluate the applicability of each technology to a particular biological problem.
- 5.Analyze and interpret data generated from omics experiments with sound statistical principles.
- 6.Formulate experimental strategies for leveraging omics technologies to address biological questions, and to design omics experiments with appropriate controls and quality control measures.
- 7.Develop an appreciation of omics technologies’ impact on life science research and clinical practice, as well as the possibilities of the future.
- BEHI 5008Pharmaceutical Engineering[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)CBME 5900, CBME 6000BDescriptionThis course aims to equip students with broad knowledge in pharmaceutical engineering. The topics span from early drug discovery to late commercial manufacturing. Theory and practice of the chemical synthesis and the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), solid-state characterization of APIs, and formulation of various pharmaceutical dosage forms are covered. The course also introduces students to some of the main challenges in current pharmaceutical research and development related to selected topics such as continuous manufacturing and advanced process analytical technologies.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain key mechanisms for drug action, measurement, and administration routes.
- 2.Explain the SELECT criteria for commercial API synthesis and workup.
- 3.Classify and identify different solid forms of APIs and explain their importance for the manufacture and product quality of drugs.
- 4.Design and analyze pharmaceutical crystallization processes and workup steps.
- 5.Describe several key trends of innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.
- 6.Synthesize and explain the formulation of various liquid-dosage forms.
- 7.Synthesize and explain formulations of oral solid-dosage forms and design a process sequence for tablet manufacturing.
- 8.Synthesize and explain the main formulation strategies and the manufacture of controlled-release formulations.
- BEHI 5009Protein Engineering[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)CBME 5920, CBME 6000EExclusion(s)CENG 5610DescriptionThis course introduces fundamentals of protein science and common approaches for protein engineering. It will provide students with the basic knowledge of protein structure and function. The protein engineering part will cover two important approaches—computational design and directed evolution—toward protein engineering. The course will involve several case studies to illustrate the use of modern computational tools for designing protein molecules including catalysts, biosensors, biomaterials, etc. The course will also cover the topics concerning directed evolution, including theoretical basis of of biomolecular evolution, concept of fitness landscapes, important applications.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain the basic technical concepts, scientific and engineering principles in protein engineering.
- 2.Describe the impacts of protein engineering on health and energy related real-world problems.
- 3.Analyze the influence of protein engineering on other emerging fields such as synthetic biology and genome engineering.
- 4.Identify the key components contributing to protein engineering.
- 5.Recognize research topics in protein engineering.
- 6.Communicate technical ideas more effectively.
- BEHI 5010Advanced Biochemical Engineering[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)CBME 5610Co-list withMCEE 5610Exclusion(s)MCEE 5610DescriptionThe course will cover the advanced concepts of bioprocessing, including fermentation, bioreactor design, and product recovery. It will explore the production of bioenergy from renewable sources, such as biomass, biogas, and biofuels. Students will gain an understanding of the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of bioproducts and bioenergy production.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the principles of bioprocess engineering and bioenergy production.
- 2.Explain how microorganisms and biochemical processes can be applied for various bioproducts and bioenergy.
- 3.Select, compare or design a reactor, fermentation processes or bioseparations used for various products, based on cost, safety, operability, etc.
- 4.Evaluate the production and potential of bioenergy from economic and environmental aspects.
- 5.Communicate biochemical engineering concepts through the use of engineering media, verbally and in writing.
- BEHI 5011Artificial Intelligence and Medical Imaging[3-0-0:3]Exclusion(s)COMP 5423DescriptionNowadays medical imaging is rapidly growing and plays an indispensable role in healthcare. Recent advances of deep learning techniques have made significant breakthroughs in medical imaging applications. This course will cover fundamental knowledge of medical imaging and various medical image analysis tasks, including computer-aided detection, segmentation, diagnosis and prognosis. State-of-the-art deep learning methods for solving these tasks will be introduced and discussed. This course will equip students with practical knowledge of medical imaging and analysis with deep learning techniques.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain the different medical imaging techniques and various medical image analysis tasks.
- 2.Obtain the fundamentals in deep learning methods with application to medical imaging and analysis.
- 3.Explain and apply the skills of deep learning technologies in medical image analysis tasks, including computer-aided detection, diagnosis and prognosis, etc.
- 4.Identify and explain the state-of-the-art deep learning approaches for medical imaging applications.
- 5.Gain the current research and development trends in both academia and industry in the domain of medical imaging and analysis.
- BEHI 5012Regulation, Ethics, Innovation, and Career Development in Biotechnology Industry[3-0-0:3]DescriptionThis course offers weekly seminars from various industrial and academic speakers to broaden students’ understanding of industrially relevant topics in the biotechnology industry and its drivers for innovation. Students will engage with regulatory cases and will be briefed on ethical subjects in biotechnology industry. Furthermore, industrial and academic speakers will discuss important innovative trends in biochemical engineering and health informatics. Overall, this course aims to better prepare students for a career in biotechnology industry.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize and engage in professional discussions on pressing ethical issues in biotechnology industry.
- 2.Define and discuss several regulatory approval processes in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.
- 3.Recognize and explain drivers for innovation in biotechnology industry.
- 4.Identify career paths in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.
- 5.Develop the skills to concisely communicate the outcome of a group project in a report and presentation.
- BEHI 5013Equilibrium Behaviors, Rate Processes, and Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems[3-0-0:3]DescriptionMany physical, chemical and biological processes in nature and biological systems could be better described and appreciated by engineering and quantitative principles commonly used in chemical and biological engineering discipline. This course is intended to equip students with fundamental and integrated knowledge of core principles in thermodynamics, reaction engineering and transport processes that can be used to interpret some exemplary biological processes and provide mechanistic understanding of commonly known biological and physiological systems.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe a biological process or system using engineering intuition.
- 2.Apply engineering principles and conservation equations for better understanding of biological processes.
- 3.Acquire basic knowledge for quantitative analysis of a physical or biological process.
- 4.Describe a biological process or system in a quantitative way.
- 5.Acquire quantitative skills to make mechanistic interpretation of a biological process.
- 6.Delineate a biological process using engineering expressions.
- 7.Enhance soft skills, including communication in oral and writing.
- BEHI 6000Special Topics[3-0-0:3]DescriptionSpecial topics in biomolecular engineering and health informatics. May be repeated for credit if different topics are covered.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify the most recent progress in biomolecular engineering and health informatics.
- BEHI 6101Independent Project[3 or 6 credits]DescriptionAn independent research project carried out under the supervision of a faculty member. May be graded PP.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Acquire and process data from experiments or computations in the realm of biomolecular engineering and health informatics.
- 2.Develop practical skills of modern analytical, experimental, and computational techniques in biomolecular engineering and health informatics.
- 3.Develop the skills to concisely communicate the outcome of a research project in a report and presentation.
- 4.Effectively utilize academic literature and gathered knowledge to support a research project.
- 5.Critically reflect on observations and data to solve open-ended problems.
- 6.Engage in professional discussions with peers on topics in biomolecular engineering and health informatics.
- BEHI 6102Integrated Design Project[3 or 6 credits]DescriptionA design project on a topic in the realm of biomolecular engineering and/or health informatics carried out as a team effort under the supervision of a faculty member. It focuses on design thinking and getting hands-on experience with the engineering design process in a broad sense, and aims to accommodate students with more industry-oriented interests. May be graded PP.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Develop design skills by performing a conceptual design of a chemical process and/or product in biomolecular engineering and/or health informatics.
- 2.Acquire and process data from experiments or computations for the purpose of design.
- 3.Develop the skills to concisely communicate the outcome of a design project in a report and presentation.
- 4.Acquire practical skills and knowledge required for biomolecular process/product design or health informatics through self-learning.
- 5.Critically reflect on observations and data to solve open-ended design problems.
- 6.Communicate and cooperate effectively in a team.