Sharon Hanks
Grand Valley State University will offer a master's program starting in August in biomedical engineering, a welcome addition that supports efforts to grow the Medical Mile along Michigan Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids.
Associate professor John Farris and assistant professor Samhita Rhodes from GVSU's School of Engineering were awarded $699,997 from the National Science Foundation to develop the program. It will apply mathematics, science and engineering expertise to medicine and health to help increase understanding of areas from molecules to organ systems. That knowledge is vital to develop innovative approaches for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease for patient rehabilitation and for improving health.
Rhodes says the foundation courses will include human physiology, engineering principles that apply to problems in medicine and health, medical device design and research opportunities that will employ methods that translate ideas from concept to bedside. The 38-credit program will take two years to complete
"We're looking forward to students applying," says Rhodes, adding that the program will help diversify the skills set in West Michigan that for so long has been dominated by the automotive industry. "It's a nice new offering. We have wonderful faculty and research."
Students interested in the program will find more information at the School of Engineering's website that will soon be updated with additional details, she says.
Source: Samhita Rhodes, Grand Valley State University, Allendale
Sharon Hanks is innovations and jobs news editor at Rapid Growth Media. Please send story ideas and comments for the column to Sharon at [email protected]. She also is owner of The Write Words in Grand Rapids.
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