Department of Biomedical Engineering curriculum and Admissions

Introducing the Faculty of Engineering Department of Biomedical Engineering curriculum.

This department is unique in that students can simultaneously study engineering subjects such as physics and electronic information, as well as biology and medical subjects. They can acquire the knowledge necessary to develop medical devices and medical systems. Clinical doctors and medical engineers are invited to give courses such as "Introduction to Clinical Medicine" and "Basic Clinical Medicine," which explain cutting-edge medical trends. After lectures, exercises, and experiments with an eye toward medical applications, students are assigned to various laboratories and begin their graduation research.

*Please see the latter half of this page for outline of each lecture subject.

Curriculum policy

In basic subjects, you will learn the basics of biology, in addition to the basics of engineering such as mathematics, mechanics, and chemistry. In the lower grades (1st and 2nd years), students study applied mathematics, electromagnetism, programming, and an introduction to clinical medicine as specialized basic subjects related to the principles and mechanisms of medical devices and measurement/diagnostic technology.

In the second and third years, students learn about medical photonics, medical ultrasound engineering, medical device engineering, medical mechatronics, etc. related to medical applications.

Furthermore, in the basic engineering experiments in the first year and the biomedical engineering experiments in the second year, students will tackle themes that span multiple academic fields, allowing them to not only learn experimental verification methods, but also to develop flexible imagination and application skills.

From the second half of the third year, students join a research lab to conduct their graduation research. Under the detailed guidance of Faculty Member, students will work on research and development of various biomedical engineering technologies.

curriculum

In the lower years, students study mathematics, physics, biology, and other subjects, as well as specialized foundational subjects related to the mechanisms of medical equipment and measurement and diagnostic technologies. In the upper years, students study medical photonics, medical ultrasound engineering, medical device engineering, medical mechatronics, and other subjects related to medical applications. Furthermore, through laboratory experience assignments in the second semester of their third year and graduation thesis writing in their fourth year, students can acquire planning and design skills, research and development skills, and logical communication skills.

Click on the course name to view outline of the course.

Course outline

Specialized Basic Subjects

Common to all Faculty of Engineering

Linear Algebra I (first semester of the first year) The purpose of this course is to learn the properties of matrices and to understand the mathematical content learned in high school in relation to abstract theories. When considering several numbers as a group, matrices can be used to perform calculations effectively. The content learned in linear algebra is essential for describing and analyzing various phenomena in various fields of engineering. Mastering various calculation techniques related to matrices will help students understand more abstract concepts such as vector spaces, so this course will put this knowledge into practice through exercises. The goal of this course is to learn the properties of matrices and acquire concrete calculation techniques. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Linear Algebra II (2nd Semester of 1st Year) In this course, students will learn how to define vector spaces, which are a generalization of planes and spaces, linear mappings between vector spaces, and how to investigate linear mappings. The matrices learned in Linear Algebra I will play an important role in learning this method. Linear mappings are easy-to-use mappings that map lines to lines, and they appear and are used in a variety of situations. In particular, students will learn basic matters such as the bases and dimensions of vector spaces, the image and kernel of linear mappings, and will also deepen their understanding of eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The goal of this course is to understand vector spaces, linear mappings, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, inner products, matrix diagonalization, and the like, and to be able to perform specific calculations. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Calculus I and Exercises (first semester of the first year) Learn about calculus for functions of one variable and its applications. The goal is to understand the concept of limits and acquire advanced calculation skills. First, we explain the basic property of real numbers, continuity, and starting from the concept of limits, we define differentiation and learn how to calculate it. In the process, we also learn about the properties of functions such as trigonometric functions, inverse trigonometric functions, exponential functions, and logarithmic functions. Regarding integration, we explain the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, which states that differentiation and integration are inverse operations, and learn how to calculate indefinite integrals and definite integrals, and as applications, we learn the meaning and calculation methods of the area of figures and the length of curves. Basically, a lecture is given in the first class, and exercises are performed in the next class. Specific achievement standards are as follows. (1) Be able to differentiate and integrate basic functions. (2) Understand how to calculate the maximum and minimum values of functions. (3) Learn how to calculate the area and length of curves. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Calculus II and Exercises (2nd semester of first year) In this lecture, students will learn about the differential and integral calculus of functions of multiple variables. As many natural phenomena are described using functions of multiple variables, the content of this lecture is essential in engineering. This lecture will mainly deal with functions of two variables. First, students will learn about partial differentiation of functions of two or more variables, and as an application, they will learn about how to determine the extreme values of functions. Next, they will learn about double and triple integrals, and as an application, they will calculate the volume of a figure. They will also define line integrals on a plane, and later they will learn about infinite series. The standard for completing this lecture is to understand and learn the various concepts related to the differential and integral calculus of functions of multiple variables, as well as to acquire solid calculation skills through exercises. Basically, the lecture will be given in the first class, and exercises will be given in the second class. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Fundamentals of Biomedical Systems Engineering

Introduction to Clinical Medicine (first semester of first year) In order to cultivate engineers who will contribute to the development of medical technology, it is necessary for them to understand the characteristics of various medical departments (internal medicine, surgery (cardiovascular surgery, digestive surgery), neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, etc.), the actual medical field, and the medical technology required. In this course, several medical professionals will be invited from outside the university, with the goal of gaining an understanding of outline of each medical department and each medical field. The standard to be achieved is an understanding of the characteristics of each medical department, conventional medical technology and medical equipment, and the issues and needs of each medical department. The lectures will be in an omnibus format, with a total of 15 classroom sessions. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Physiology (2nd semester of the first year) In order to develop engineers who can contribute to the development of medical technology, it is necessary to understand the functions of the living body that is the target of diagnosis and treatment. In order to learn Biomedical Engineering I in the second year, it is necessary to have a grasp of the basics of physiology in the lower years. In this subject, students will learn about the functional structure of life phenomena and the mechanisms that maintain homeostasis in the living body, and the goal is to understand the relationship between the functions of various organs of living organisms and pathological conditions. The achievement criteria are to understand various laws for understanding vital functions from physical and chemical properties, to understand engineering measurement methods for evaluating vital functions, and to be able to explain the relationship with pathological conditions. There will be a total of 15 lectures, with the first (1st to 5th) covering blood circulation and the intake and excretion of substances, the middle (6th to 10th) covering homeostasis of the internal environment, and the final (11th to 15th) covering the regulation of nerves and biological functions, including practical assignments. (↑ Return to the curriculum table)

Biology (2nd year, second semester) Biology is a different category of study from engineering such as physics, electrical and electronics, and mechanical engineering, but it is essential knowledge for modern engineers, especially medical researchers, and has many commonalities and points of contact with the engineering perspective. This course assumes that students have taken "Introduction to Biology" and provides an overview of biology from the basics to cutting-edge topics in biology. The goal is for students to realize that biology is a science that is close to them and extremely important. The course consists of 15 classroom sessions, with the first half (1-7 sessions) focusing mainly on the depths of genetics, and the second half (8-15 sessions) exploring cell metabolism, such as respiration, and macroscopic biomolecular reactions, which are interactions between cells. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Biomedical Engineering I (2nd year, 2nd semester) In order to cultivate engineers who will contribute to the development of medical technology, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the principles of medical instruments and devices used in various medical departments (internal medicine, surgery (cardiovascular surgery, digestive surgery), neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, etc.), as well as current trends in the medical world. The goal of this course is to understand the diagnostic and treatment technologies and cutting-edge medical equipment that are widely used in the current medical field. The achievement standard is to be able to understand the principles and characteristics of existing or under-developed medical technologies and medical equipment, the background to their development, and the limitations and problems they pose. There will be a total of 15 classroom lectures, with each lecture on one medical technology or medical equipment. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Mathematical Statistics (first half of second year) Mathematical statistics is a very important subject for handling data obtained from medical surveys and experiments. In particular, engineers working in biomedical engineering are required to read the background and trends that arise from the trends shown in the data. This course will teach the meaning of probability distribution, mean, variance, and standard deviation, which are basic concepts of data analysis, and provide the ability to put them into practice. It will also consider the concepts of various estimation methods and testing methods as representative methods of statistical inference. At the same time, the goal is to analyze various examples of medical data as exercises, deepen understanding of these, and become able to put them into practice. The course will consist of 15 lectures, with the beginning explaining random variables and probability distribution, which are basic methods of data organization, the middle explaining details of various estimation methods and testing methods, and the end practicing actual analysis methods centered on exercises. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Fundamentals of Engineering Mathematics (first semester of first year) Mathematics is an extremely powerful tool in understanding and explaining physical phenomena. In this course, students will learn about the basics of differential equations and vector analysis, which are essential for studying physics. The course aims to recognize that mathematics is a convenient, powerful and indispensable tool, and to master the basics of how to use it. The course will consist of 15 lectures, with the first half covering solutions to complex plane and linear upper differential equations, and the second half covering multiple integrals and vector fields. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Applied Mathematics for Engineering (2nd Semester of 1st Year) In this course, students will take a cross-sectional look at mathematical analytical methods using physical phenomena that appear in mechanics, electromagnetism, vibrations and waves, etc., and will understand the relationship to the knowledge learned in mathematics courses such as differential and integral calculus and linear algebra. The goal is to master mathematics as a tool for describing physical phenomena, improve the ability to apply it, and learn concrete methods of expression and calculation methods for describing physical phenomena. The course consists of 15 classroom sessions, with vector analysis covered in the first half and complex function theory developed in the second half. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Fundamentals of Chemistry (first semester of the first year) All engineering is deeply related to materials, and since it is the material world that governs the world of life, chemistry is a very useful taxonomy for systematically grasping the vast knowledge about the material world with a proper context. In this lecture, chemical topics will be explained while incorporating many physical viewpoints so that it is easy for non-chemistry students to approach. The goal is to enable students to think about chemical phenomena rather than just memorize them. There will be a total of 15 lectures, with the early part (lectures 1-5) covering the origins of elements and the environment, the middle part (lectures 6-10) covering the basics of oxidation-reduction and analysis, and the final part (lectures 11-15) developing into chemical reactions and stimulus transmission. (↑ Return to the curriculum table)

Introduction to Biology (first semester of the first year) This course aims to provide students with a foundation for studying life phenomena in depth in classes on biology, physiology, biochemistry, and other subjects offered by the department, after reviewing the content of high school biology. Students will learn about biology in general, including the connections from molecules to cells and individuals, the gene expression, development, and reproduction necessary for their formation, and the shapes and functions of animals and plants. This course consists of 15 lectures and exercises, with the first half (1-5th lessons) covering the basics of living organisms and cells, the middle half (6-10th lessons) covering the details of heredity and genes, and the final half (11-15th lessons) developing into specific topics such as adaptation and homeostasis in the evolutionary process of living organisms, and ecosystems. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Mechanics I (2nd semester of 1st year) Students will learn about the motion of objects (classical mechanics) based on the three laws of motion. Specifically, they will cover one-dimensional and circular motion of a mass point, the motion of a system of mass points, and the translational and rotational motion of a rigid body. Mechanics is the most fundamental subject in physics and engineering, and the aim of this course is to learn how to think about and approach physical things. The achievement criteria are the ability to formulate the motion of a mass point using differential equations, understand the concept of angular momentum, and be able to formulate the circular motion of a mass point. Lectures will be interspersed with exercises. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Mechanics II (2nd year second semester) in preparation. (↑ Back to curriculum table)

Electromagnetism I and Exercises (2nd semester of the first year) Electromagnetism is one of the foundations of technology and research in science and engineering. This course aims to impart basic knowledge of electromagnetism necessary for the specialized field of biomedical systems engineering. Rather than simply memorizing formulas and cultivating the ability to solve given exercise problems, the aim is to develop the ability to understand the essence of electromagnetic forces and interactions, and to model and think for oneself in concrete applications in actual bioengineering. The achievement criteria are to understand the definitions and meanings of electromagnetic physical quantities that are essential for bioengineering, to be able to explain the concepts of electric field gradient, divergence and rotation using vector calculus, and the physical meaning of Maxwell's equations, and to be able to explain electrostatic field phenomena using appropriate formulas, diagrams and graphs. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Preparation Electromagnetism II and Exercises (first half of second year)for  is underway. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Thermostatistical Mechanics (first half of second year) In order to develop measurement and diagnostic technologies related to medical care, it is necessary to understand the functions and mechanisms of living organisms from a physical perspective and apply them to device development and other applications. In this course, students will learn the basic concepts of thermostatistical mechanics and aim to be able to use these concepts to understand biological functions and phenomena in everyday life. The achievement standard is to be able to explain phenomena around us by going back to the basic principles of thermodynamics, and to be able to explain atomic and molecular level motion based on the basic concepts of statistical mechanics. The course will consist of 15 lectures, including small group discussions and presentations. In the first half (1st to 7th lectures), students will learn about the concepts and applications of thermodynamics, and in the second half (8th to 15th lectures), students will learn about the concepts and applications of statistical mechanics. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Vibrations and Waves (2nd Year, 2nd Semester) In order to develop human resources who will develop medical technology, students are required to understand the principles of measuring devices and physical phenomena occurring within the body. The goal of this course is to provide a comprehensive understanding of physical phenomena related to light, radio waves, and sound waves as wave phenomena. The standard for achievement is to have an understanding of the basics of wave phenomena and their relationship to measurement technologies related to light, radio waves, and sound waves. The lectures will consist of 15 classroom sessions, with the first half (1-7 sessions) explaining the basics of vibration and wave phenomena, and the second half (8-15 sessions) explaining the theories of light, radio waves, and sound waves. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Programming I and Exercises (first semester of the first year) The use of computers is indispensable in modern science and technology. In particular, programming to operate computers is an essential skill for researchers and engineers. In this course, students will learn about C/C++, which is widely used for computer simulations and controlling experimental equipment. They will learn the grammar of C/C++ and learn basic program creation techniques. In particular, they will understand the characteristics of C/C++, which allows programming that is closely related to computer hardware. In addition, they will understand the concept of object-oriented programming and be able to handle recent programming environments. The achievement standard is that students will have acquired the ability to create basic programs on their own. The course consists of 15 lectures and exercises, and students will learn about computer hardware (1 session), data types, operators, and expressions (2 sessions), control flow (3-4 sessions), functions and program structure (5-6 sessions), pointers and arrays (7-8 sessions), handling strings (9 sessions), structures (10 sessions), input/output (11-12 sessions), object orientation (13-14 sessions), and handling images (15 sessions). (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Programming II and Exercises (first half of second year) This course develops the C/C++ program creation techniques learned in "Programming I and Exercises" and aims to enable students to comfortably handle complex programming, including data processing and image processing. Students will gain experience in basic computational tasks such as mathematical problems that are difficult to find analytical solutions to and numerical simulations. They will also learn programming techniques for handling data such as pointers and structures. This course consists of 15 lectures and exercises, with the early part (1-5th session) covering graphics including image processing, the middle part (6-10th session) covering pointers and string handling, and the final part (11-15th session) developing into applications to various simulations, including exercise assignments. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Electrical Circuits (first semester of second year) Electrical circuits are always involved in biomedical measurement and medical equipment, and if you want to work in their development in the future, it is essential that you master the basics of electrical circuits. In this course, the goal is to learn about DC and AC circuits consisting of resistors, capacitors, and coils, and to be able to derive their responses. The goal is to understand the laws related to electrical circuits and be able to analyze DC and AC circuits. There are a total of 15 lectures, with exercises interspersed where appropriate. In the first half (1-7th lecture), you will learn about circuits with simple configurations, and even handle analysis using complex numbers. In the second half (8-15th lecture), you will learn the basics of circuit network analysis based on the content of the first half. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Electronic Circuits (2nd Year, 2nd Semester) In order to cultivate engineers who will contribute to the development of medical technology, it is necessary to have basic knowledge of the electronics that underpin modern society. In this course, students will learn the basics of electronic properties in semiconductors, and then understand the principles of diodes and transistors. The course also aims to teach the basics of analog and digital electronic circuits. There will be a total of 15 classroom lectures, with the first half (1st to 7th lessons) covering the band structure of solids and the basics of semiconductors, and the second half (8th to 15th lessons) understanding the principles of semiconductor elements and developing them into analog and digital electronic circuits. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Specialized subject

Biomedical Engineering II (3rd year, first semester) In order to develop engineers who can contribute to the development of medical technology, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the principles of medical imaging diagnostic equipment used in various medical departments (internal medicine, surgery (cardiovascular surgery, digestive surgery), neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, etc.), as well as current trends in the medical world. The goal of this course is to understand medical technologies currently under development that are expected to be necessary in the medical field of the future. We will also touch on multimodal technology that combines different imaging diagnostic methods and theranostic technology that performs diagnosis and treatment simultaneously. The standard for achievement is to be able to understand the principles and characteristics of medical imaging diagnostic technologies and equipment that exist or are in the development stage, the background to their development, and limitations and problems. There will be a total of 15 classroom lectures, with each lecture on one medical technology or medical equipment. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Bioethics (3rd year, first half) The background to the establishment of bioethics is the urgent concern of how to respond to the major changes in the view of life and death that come with the progress of science and technology, especially medicine. In this lecture, we will concretely consider various issues based on the meaning of bioethics for humans and animals, which is necessary especially for becoming a medical engineer. The achievement standard is to understand the contemporary significance of the academic field of bioethics and to be able to cultivate a healthy awareness of the magnitude and seriousness of the influence brought about by science and technology. The lectures will be a total of 15 classroom sessions, with the first session (1-5) covering the reasons for the birth of bioethics and the characteristics of bioethics, the middle session (6-10) covering specific topics such as the beginning of life, the selection of life, and the right to live, and the final session (11-15) mainly raising the issue of the end of life to cultivate a view of life. (↑ Return to the curriculum table)

Measurement and Control (2nd Year, 2nd Semester) High reliability is required for measuring devices used in medicine, but no matter what device is used, there will always be some error in the measurement results. In this course, students will learn various measurement methods and become able to plan their own measurement methods to obtain the required measurement accuracy. In recent years, the number of electronic and automated measuring devices has increased, so students will also aim to understand the basic theory of automatic control, such as state feedback control. The achievement criteria are to understand the probabilistic handling of measurement results, be able to predict the magnitude of error, and understand state feedback control. There will be a total of 15 classroom lectures, with measurement engineering taught in the first half (1st to 7th lectures) and control theory taught in the second half (8th to 15th lectures). (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Medical Imaging Engineering (2nd year, 2nd semester) In recent years, cameras have been installed in all electronic devices, such as mobile phones, and digital images have become all too familiar. In addition, image diagnosis is an essential element in the field of biomedical systems engineering. In this course, as basic knowledge for handling images, lectures will be given on how to handle imaging devices as hardware and image processing programming algorithms as software. The achievement standard is that students will have acquired not only basic knowledge of images, but also the ability to build algorithms for given tasks. The course will consist of 15 classroom sessions, with the first session (1-5) covering the basics of images and outline of input/output devices, the middle session (6-10) covering the basics of image processing represented by pattern recognition, and the final session (11-15) covering applications using medical images, including exercises. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Introduction to AI (2nd year, 2nd semester) Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have been remarkable, and its use is also expanding in the medical field. In this course, students will learn the basic concepts of AI based on deep neural networks, and the basics for understanding the latest AI technology. First, students will learn about Python, a programming language often used in AI programming, and then about basic algorithms used in deep learning. Students will also learn how to use recent AI tools. The achievement standard is that students will understand the basic concepts of deep learning used in AI. The course will consist of 15 classroom sessions, and students will learn about Python programming (1 session), perceptrons (2 sessions), neural networks (3 sessions), network learning (5-6 sessions), deep neural networks (7 sessions), convolutional neural networks (8-9 sessions), recurrent neural networks (10-11 sessions), autoencoders (12-13 sessions), and AI software (14-15 sessions). (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Chemical Physics (3rd year, first semester) In order to understand chemical reactions and state changes in living organisms, it is important to apply thermostatistical mechanics to describe the state. In this course, the achievement standard is to understand state changes from the perspective of thermostatistical mechanics and to apply it to living organisms. The lectures consist of 15 lectures, with the first half (1st to 7th lectures) starting with a review of the statistical mechanical definition of entropy and learning about the direction of state change. In the second half (8th to 15th lectures), free energy is introduced to understand the direction of state change and equilibrium states under conditions of constant temperature and pressure, and applications to chemical equilibrium and phase equilibrium. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Preparation for Mechanics of Materials (first half of third year) ?(↑ Return to curriculum table)

Optoelectronics (first half of third year) Light is used in a variety of fields, including measurement, communication, and imaging, and has recently been increasingly used in the medical field. Light has a wide range of applications, as it has properties as a ray, wave, and particle. In this course, students will understand the properties of light in the order of ray, wave, and particle. Specifically, students will learn about geometric optics, reflection and refraction, interference, and diffraction as light in space. Next, students will learn about polarization, crystals, and optical fibers as light in matter. Finally, students will learn about LEDs, semiconductor lasers, and photodetectors as light that interacts with electrons. The standard for achievement is that students will have acquired the basics to properly understand modern optical technology from the perspectives of rays, waves, and particles. The course will consist of 15 lectures, with light in space being taught in sessions 1-5, light in matter being taught in sessions 6-10, and light interacting with electrons being taught in sessions 11-15. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Introduction to Quantum Technology (3rd year, first semester) In order to develop human resources who will develop medical technology, it is necessary to understand the principles of measurement equipment and medical devices. In this course, based on the quantum mechanics learned in the second year, the goal is to model and understand various quantum phenomena in biomolecules and solid-state devices. The achievement criteria are to be able to describe quantum states in complex vector space and to understand the interactions between light and radio waves and atoms, molecules, and solids. There will be a total of 15 lectures, with the first (1st to 5th) covering complex vector space and quantum states, the middle (6th to 10th) perturbation theory in quantum mechanics, and the last (11th to 15th) using MRI and other topics to provide an overview of the relationship between quantum mechanics and medical measurement. (↑ Return to the curriculum table)

Medical Ultrasound Engineering (3rd year first semester) Ultrasound refers to high-frequency sound waves above the audible range, and in the medical field, it is an indispensable physical phenomenon in all departments as a tool to obtain information inside the body. In particular, ultrasound is limited to images used in fetal diagnosis. Furthermore, ultrasound can increase heat locally and generate radiation force by concentrating its energy spatially, so it is used not only for diagnosis but also for treatment. In this lecture, the course assumes that students have taken "Wave Physics" and that they have fully understood the characteristics of ultrasound and have acquired the knowledge necessary for experiments using ultrasound. The lecture consists of 15 lectures, with the first (1st to 5th) covering the basics of medical ultrasound, including the Doppler effect and acoustic impedance, the middle (6th to 10th) covering diagnostic techniques using contrast agents such as microbubbles, and the final (11th to 15th) covering therapeutic applications such as HIFU and their mechanisms. (↑ Return to the curriculum table)

Medical Mechatronics (3rd year, first semester) In recent years, measuring devices have become increasingly computerized and automated. In the past, blood samples taken from many patients during health checkups were examined one by one by a human, but in recent years, it has become possible to use a robotic arm to measure blood samples little by little from a large number of test tubes lined up and automatically send them to a measuring device. The goal of this course is to learn the technology required for automating and robotizing medical measuring devices. The achievement criteria are to understand the mechanisms of mechanical parts such as liquid delivery pumps and motors used in medical measuring devices, and to understand how to design and control robots. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Biofunctional Engineering (3rd year, first semester) The development of measurement and diagnostic technologies related to medical care requires a biological and physical understanding of the functions and mechanisms of living organisms, and the ability to quantitatively discuss them from an engineering perspective. In this course, students will learn about biological functions from the perspectives of mechanics, fluid mechanics, electromagnetism, and thermostatistical mechanics, and the goal is to be able to quantitatively explain biological functions. The goal is to be able to quantitatively explain biological functions from biological and physical perspectives. Lectures will consist of 15 classroom sessions, including small group discussions and presentations, with each session covering density, viscosity, diffusion, thermal properties, electrical resistance, and sound and light. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Fluid Mechanics (2nd Semester of 3rd Year) In order to physically understand blood flow, cell deformation, cell mechanosensing, etc., it is effective to consider the living body as a molecular assembly, focus on its macroscopic physical properties, and consider it as a continuously distributed medium. In this course, the achievement standard is to learn the basics of how to handle such continuums and apply them to living bodies. The course consists of 15 lectures, with the first half (1st to 7th lectures) designed to help students understand how to express the deformation and flow of continuums, and the concept of tensors that link forces, while the second half (8th to 15th lectures) will help students understand the basic equations and develop them to express blood flow and the equilibrium shape of cells. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Medical Measurement and Equipment (3rd Year, 2nd Semester) Technology in biomedical measurement and medical equipment is evolving rapidly, and various methods are being developed. This course will focus on the principles of medical measurement based on electrical and optical methods, and the equipment that applies them. Through lectures, the goal is to acquire the basics for developing new medical measurement technologies and equipment in the future, and to cultivate awareness of issues. The goal is to have a correct understanding of the basic principles of various measurement methods, as well as the scope of application, advantages, and disadvantages of each device. There will be a total of 15 lectures, with the first half (1st to 7th lectures) focusing mainly on electrical measurement methods, which have been established. The second half (8th to 15th lectures) will focus on optical methods, which have recently been the subject of active research. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Biophotonics (3rd year, second semester) Currently, the importance of optics (photonics) in the development of medical diagnostic and therapeutic devices is increasing. In order to apply photonics to diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, it is important to understand the interactions between biological tissue and light (absorption, light scattering, fluorescence, etc.). In this course, students will learn about measurement, analysis, treatment, and bioregulation using the interactions between light and biological tissue, and the goal is to understand the principles of medical diagnostic and therapeutic devices. The achievement criteria are to be able to understand the relationship between the optical properties of biological tissue and physiology, biochemistry, and pathology, to be able to theoretically and numerically handle the propagation of light in the body, and to be able to explain the effects of light on the body (thermal, acoustic, mechanical, chemical, and tissue regeneration promotion, etc.). The lectures will consist of 15 lectures, with the first part (lectures 1-5) covering the interaction between light and biological tissues, the relationship between optical properties and in vivo functional pigment proteins and tissue/cell structures, the middle part (lectures 6-10) covering the effects of light on living organisms, and the final part (lectures 11-15) including practical assignments, providing an understanding of in vivo light propagation analysis. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Medical Device Engineering (2nd semester of 3rd year) In today's society with a declining birthrate and aging population, "sensors that can detect biomolecules with high sensitivity" are needed to detect diseases early in hospitals and at home, so that people can live healthy and safe lives. The aim of this course is to learn the basics of biosensors and then understand topics in device engineering related to medical use. There will be a total of 15 classroom sessions, with the first half (1st to 5th sessions) covering the basic concepts and classification of biosensors, and the second half (6th to 15th sessions) covering the structure and function of electrochemical sensors for detecting glucose and antigens, and developing them into the latest biosensors. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Scientific English Seminar (first half of second year) Scientific and technological results are reported and discussed in English, the global common language. Students will learn accurate English expressions related to science and technology in order to correctly understand science and technology and present their own results. In particular, the goal is to read papers related to biomedical systems engineering and be able to explain their contents in a presentation. There will be a total of 15 exercises, in the form of a seminar in which each Faculty Member will take charge of small groups. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Antibody Immunology (first half of second year) Our bodies have an immune system that works to keep us healthy and avoid getting sick by eliminating foreign substances that invade from the outside or that occur inside the body. This course aims to help students understand the structure, function and diversity of immune molecules, with a focus on antibody molecules, starting with basic knowledge of amino acids and proteins. There will be a total of 15 classroom sessions, with the first half (sessions 1-7) covering defense reactions against bacterial infections and viruses, and the second half (sessions 8-15) covering the structure, function and diversity of immune molecules, progressing to the mechanisms of immunity and disease. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Clinical Medicine Basics I (first half of second year) This course assumes that students have taken "Introduction to Clinical Medicine" and explains the medical knowledge required in the medical field as a medical technician. In Clinical Medicine Basics I, the goal is to understand what biological tissues are, the types of cells that make them up, and the structure and characteristics of organs that are made up of the functions and interactions of each cell, mainly focusing on the academic field known as histology. The course consists of 15 classroom sessions, with the first session (sessions 1-5) covering epithelial tissue and muscle tissue, the middle session (sessions 6-8) covering nervous tissue and lymphatic vessels, and the final session (sessions 9-15) covering organs such as the digestive system, respiratory system, urinary system, and reproductive system. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Basic Clinical Medicine II (2nd year, second semester) This course assumes that students have taken "Introduction to Clinical Medicine" and explains the medical knowledge required in the medical field as a medical technician. In Basic Clinical Medicine II, students learn about the normal external morphology and internal structure of higher animals at the macroscopic level. Students mainly learn about the morphology of organs related to animal functions, namely the locomotor system, sensory organs, nervous system, and integument. The goal is to be able to explain the outline of these. There are 15 lectures in total, with bones and joints explained in the early part (1-5th lecture), sensory organs such as the visual and auditory organs explained in the middle part (6-10th lecture), and mainly brain functions explained in the final part (11-15th lecture). (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Biochemistry (first half of second year) This lecture will provide an overview of the structure, properties, functions and analytical methods of various substances that make up living organisms, as well as substances involved in the many reaction mechanisms that sustain life. Although there are many different living organisms with a wide variety of shapes and movements, from a biochemical perspective, they are all made of the same substances, and the structures and properties of the enzymes that control the reactions that occur in the body are essentially the same in all living organisms. The minimum goal is to understand the structure and function of basic substances and their roles in the body. The lecture will consist of 15 lectures, with the first half (1-7) covering the structure and function of amino acids and proteins, and the second half (8-15) covering the properties of carbohydrates and enzymes and the metabolic mechanisms in the body, including reaction kinetics. (↑ Return to the curriculum table)

Pathology and Pharmacology (3rd year, second semester) In order to develop engineers who can contribute to the development of medical technology, students are required to understand the basic principles of the development of diseases that are the subject of diagnosis and treatment, and the mechanism of action of drugs. In order to promote research on biomedical systems engineering from the third year onwards, it is important to have a grasp of the basics of pathology and pharmacology. In this course, students will learn what diseases various pathologies cause, as well as the interactions between the organism and substances inside and outside the organism, and the goal is to understand the relationship between the tissue structure of each organ and the pathology, and the phenomena that result from the interactions between drugs and the organism. The achievement criteria are to understand the classification of diseases based on the cause, the structural basic units of diseases, histological changes in various pathologies, the basics of major diseases and their pathologies. Students will also be able to explain the basics of drug receptors, intracellular signal transduction systems, and ion channels. There will be a total of 15 lectures, with the first half (1st to 7th) covering pathology and the second half (8th to 15th) covering the basics of pharmacology. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Special Seminar I (first semester of the first year) This is aimed at students who entered through the SAIL entrance exam, and allows them to experience research activities in a laboratory. Specifically, students will participate in seminars, take part in discussions, and assist with experiments, providing experiences that cannot be gained through classroom learning. The goal is for students to understand research trends in biomedical systems engineering and grasp the objectives of the laboratory to which they are assigned. Students will visit laboratories a total of 15 times and conduct research activities. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Special Seminar II (first half of second year) This is aimed at students who entered through the SAIL entrance exam, and allows them to experience research activities in a laboratory. Specifically, they will participate in seminars, take part in discussions, and assist with experiments, giving them experiences that they would not be able to get through classroom learning. The goal is for students to understand research trends in biomedical systems engineering and grasp the objectives of the laboratory to which they are assigned. They will visit laboratories a total of 15 times and conduct research activities. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Biomedical Systems Engineering Experiment I (2nd year, 2nd semester) In the 2nd year Biomedical Systems Engineering Experiment I, one theme is taught every 4 weeks, for a total of 6 themes throughout the year. Students are divided into groups of roughly 10 people and assigned an experiment theme, but within each theme they are further divided into smaller groups of 4-5 people and work simultaneously or alternate between smaller themes of slightly different content. The achievement criteria are a comprehensive judgment of whether students can understand the experimental content and conduct the experiment appropriately, analyze experimental data and draw conclusions, make scientific observations about the results, properly summarize the above in a report, and present the content overall. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Biomedical Systems Engineering Experiment II (3rd year, first semester) In the 3rd year Biomedical Systems Engineering Experiment II, one theme is taught every 4 weeks, for a total of 6 themes throughout the year. Students are divided into groups of roughly 10 people and assigned an experiment theme, but within each theme they are further divided into smaller groups of 4-5 people and work simultaneously or alternate between smaller themes of slightly different content. The achievement criteria are a comprehensive judgment of whether students can understand the experimental content and conduct the experiment appropriately, whether they can analyze experimental data and draw conclusions, whether they can scientifically consider the results, whether they can properly summarize the above in a report, and whether they can give a comprehensive presentation of the content. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Special Seminar on Biomedical Systems Engineering I (First Semester of Fourth Year) In the first semester of the fourth year, students will carry out exercises under the guidance of Faculty Member in each laboratory, building the basic elements that can be reflected in the content of their graduation thesis. The standard for achievement will be a comprehensive assessment of whether students have devoted sufficient time to their daily lives to working on the assignments with enthusiasm, tenacity, and sincerity, whether they have clearly understood the purpose of the research based on academic and social backgrounds, and whether they have conducted their investigations through trial and error. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Special Seminar on Biomedical Systems Engineering II (2nd semester of 4th year) In the 2nd semester of the 4th year, students will conduct seminars under the guidance of Faculty Member in each laboratory, building the basic elements that can be reflected in the content of their graduation thesis. The achievement criteria will be comprehensively judged based on whether students have devoted sufficient time to their daily lives, worked on the assignments with enthusiasm, tenacity and sincerity, and whether they have clearly understood the purpose of the research based on academic and social backgrounds, and whether they have conducted their investigations through trial and error. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Special Experiment in Biomedical Systems Engineering I (first half of fourth year) In the first half of the fourth year, students will conduct experiments under the guidance of Faculty Member in each laboratory, and clarify the direction of their research for their graduation thesis based on the results. The achievement criteria will be determined by comprehensively assessing the following elements: - Spending sufficient time from their daily lives to tackle the assignments with enthusiasm, persistence and sincerity. - Having a clear understanding of the purpose of the research based on academic and social backgrounds. - Conducting trial and error to consider research methods that correspond to the purpose. - Taking concrete steps to achieve the purpose. - Being able to summarize the results obtained in the form of a thesis and explain them carefully and clearly. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Special Experiments in Biomedical Systems Engineering II (Second semester of fourth year) In the second semester of the fourth year, students will conduct experiments under the guidance of Faculty Member in each laboratory, and based on the results, clarify the direction of their research for their graduation thesis. The achievement criteria will be judged comprehensively based on the following elements: - Students have spent sufficient time from their daily lives working on the assignments with enthusiasm, persistence and sincerity. - They have a clear understanding of the purpose of the research based on the academic and social background. - They have used trial and error to consider research methods that correspond to the purpose. - They are taking concrete steps to achieve the purpose. - They can summarize the results obtained in the form of a thesis and explain them carefully and clearly. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Laboratory Experience Assignment (2nd semester of third year) As a preliminary step to full-scale research activities in a laboratory, students will understand the content of the specific issues being tackled in each laboratory and prepare to smoothly proceed with their graduation research from the next year onwards. They will apply the understanding of research content cultivated in Biomedical Systems Engineering Experiments I and II, and the development up to the derivation and consideration of conclusions, to the practical stage. Students will also be evaluated on their ability to interact, cooperate and discuss with seniors already affiliated with the laboratory. Students will also be required to participate in regular report meetings held within the laboratory. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Graduation Thesis (first half of fourth year and second half of fourth year) Students are assigned to a research lab and tackle specific issues to acquire peripheral knowledge and skills for problem solving, contribute to medical technology, and develop the ability to become independent engineers who can compete not only in Japan but also on a global scale. In addition to regular presentations held within the lab, the department as a whole holds a midterm presentation in the fall and a final presentation at the end of the academic year to evaluate students' level of proficiency. (↑ Return to curriculum table)

Qualifications that can be obtained

• Museum Curator

For details, please see the course registration guide.

Diploma policy

1. Acquire basic academic skills and knowledge related to physics, electronic information engineering, etc., which are the basis of measurement and diagnostic technology in modern medicine.

2. Based on the basic academic skills and knowledge acquired, students acquire the ability to comprehensively understand engineering technology related to biomedical care.

3. Students will acquire the ability to understand the complex and diverse needs of the medical field and conduct research and development of medical technology based on flexible ideas that are not bound by conventional academic systems.

4. Students will acquire the communication skills and knowledge to be able to bridge the interdisciplinary fields of engineering and biology/medicine in biomedical engineering technology, and to contribute to the international development of this technology.

Admission policy

1. Those who are interested in research and development of medical technology using an engineering approach and have the desire to learn engineering technologies such as physics and electronic information engineering in an integrated manner to create new biomedical engineering technologies.

2. Those who have sufficient academic ability in science subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology, as well as basic subjects such as mathematics, English, and Japanese.

Admissions

Department of Biomedical Engineering conducts the following individual assessments. For more information, please see here.
In addition, please click here for important information regarding the entrance examination.
For more information on third-year transfers, please click here.

Faculty information session

Please see here for the event schedule.