PhD in Biomedical Engineering - Biomedical Imaging and Instrumentation in Ithaca United States | Cornell University

The program offers extensive, cross-disciplinary research and educational pathways culminating in a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. It combines engineering principles with life sciences to equip graduates for varied professional paths in academia, industry, and public service. The curriculum addresses both molecular and large-scale aspects of biomedical engineering, spanning five key research domains: biomedical instrumentation, drug delivery systems, metabolic design, biomaterials, computational and systems biology, and medical biomechanics. Students gain access to cutting-edge facilities such as the Cornell Nanofabrication Facility, the NSF STC in Nanobiotechnology, the Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), the Cornell Theory Center, the Cornell Center for Advanced Technology in Biotechnology, and resources within the Department of Biomechanics and Biomaterials at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Cornell Medical College's orthopedic partner.

Prospective Biomedical Engineering students are expected to possess prior academic credentials in an established engineering specialization. The program provides comprehensive training in biomedical research methodologies. Candidates must complete Ph.D.-level coursework for a secondary focus in a conventional engineering field and an additional minor in life sciences. Core curriculum includes a year-long Foundations of Biomedical Engineering sequence, advanced biological systems analysis, at least one additional bioengineering elective, and mandatory seminars. Additionally, Ph.D. candidates undertake a six-week intensive medical research and clinical rotation at Weill Medical College and fulfill teaching responsibilities. Master's students complete the Foundations course, two seminar terms, and typically four to five supplementary courses in engineering and life sciences. These academic standards may be updated periodically.

Groundbreaking research into disease pathology and critical medical diagnostics depends heavily on advanced imaging technologies engineered by specialists. Cornell fosters exceptional collaborative environments where engineers, physical scientists, life scientists, and medical professionals work together to innovate and refine these technologies. BME faculty specialize in multi-scale biological imaging and measurement, examining structures from macromolecular assemblies to entire organisms, with temporal analysis spanning milliseconds to years, and spectral analysis covering radio waves to x-rays.