Introducing Bionanotechnology Into Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering

As a part of the NSF-funded Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education Program, we have developed and implemented a new upper division elective course in Biomedical Engineering titled “Introduction to Bionanotechnology Engineering”. The pilot course included five handson “Nanolab” modules that guided students through specific aspects of nanomaterials and engineering design in addition to lecture topics such as scaling effects, quantum effects, electrical/optical properties at nanoscale, self-assembly, nanostructures, nanofabrication, biomotors, biological designing, biosensors, etc. Students also interacted with researchers currently working in the areas of nanomedicine, self-assembly, tribiology, and nanobiomaterials to learn first-hand the engineering and design challenges. The course culminated with research or design proposals and oral presentations that addressed specific engineering/design issues facing nanobiotechnology and/or nanomedicine. The assessment also included an exam (only first offering), laboratory write-ups, reading of research journal articles and analysis, and an essay on ethical/societal implications of nanotechnology, and summative questionnaire. The course exposed students to cross-disciplinary intersections that occur between biomedical engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, and biology when working at the nanoscale. We will also discuss the lessons learned and changes made between the first and the second time the course was offered.