Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering - Biomaterials and Biomechanics

SUNY Stony Brook University

Biomaterials combines both material sciences and biomedical aspects. A biomaterial replaces a part or a function of the body in a safe, reliable, economic and physiologically acceptable manner. A variety of devices and materials are used in the treatment of disease or injury. Common examples include sutures, needles, catheters, plates, implants, artificial skin, implantable devices and tooth fillings. A biomaterial is a synthetic material used to replace part of a living system or to function in intimate contact with living tissue. A biomaterial deals with the design, synthesis and applications of both living and non-living materials for temporary and permanent replacement of human tissues.Biomechanics implements broad knowledge of mechanical and civil engineering in solving biomedical problems. Biomechanics has a long history and has built a foundation for modern biomedical engineering. Mechanics is the engineering science that deals with studying, defining, and mathematically quantifying "interactions" that take place among "things" in our universe. Our ability to perceive the physical manifestation of such interactions is embedded in the concept of a force and the "things" that transmit forces among themselves are classified for purposed or analysis as being solid, fluid or some combination of the two. What alters mechanics into the field of biomechanics is the fact that biomechanics is the science that deals with the time and space response characteristics of biologic solids, fluids and viscoelastic materials to imposed systems of internal and external forces. The principles of biomechanics have been applied and used for monitoring physiologic function, processing the data thus accumulated, theories to explain the data, diagnosing why the human "engine" malfunctions as a result of disease, aging and ordinary wear, repairing and rehabilitating body parts and supporting ailing physiologic organs.