Our laboratory is involved in teaching the courses in the Biotransport, Biomechanics and Design domains. We are actively involved in the implementation of interactive learning approaches in biomedical engineering curriculum, including experimental and computer labs, journal clubs, and flipped classroom. For example, we have implemented the experimental lab section in "BMEN 3420/6420: Transport in Cells and Organs", where students are trained in the use of parallel-plate and microfluidic flow systems to study transport of living cells and nonliving particulates such as drug delivery systems. In "BMEN/COSC 6600: Computational Modeling of Biomedical Systems", we have developed computer labs, where students learn to use Matlab and other computational tools to analyze experimental data and numerically solve various biomedical problems. Many our lectures are "flipped" or in the form of journal clubs. Our flipped classroom approach is video lectures that students watch outside the classroom combined with classroom discussion of video lectures, involving active participation of students. We use journal clubs (informal classroom discussion of research papers) to teach a new material not readily available in textbooks.

Dr. Khismatullin, the PI of the laboratory, is a member of the Education Committee of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). He is involved in the organization of BMES workshops and other activities that promote the development and use of innovative teaching tools in biomedical engineering education. In 2014-2015, Dr. Khismatullin was a chair of the American Society for Engineering Education Gulf Southwest (ASEE-GSW) Section. He organized the 2014 ASEE-GSW Annual Conference in New Orleans on April 2-4, 2014. This conference was devoted to "Interactive Learning in Engineering Education".

The courses we developed include:

BMEN 6060. Biomedical Acoustics

This course introduces students to the basics of physical, psychological and physiological acoustics and the use of acoustic devices for medical imaging, diagnosis and treatment. Topics covered include vibrations and oscillations; propagation, reflection and transmission of acoustic waves; sound absorption and dispersion; harmonic generation; acoustic radiation forces and acoustic streaming; acoustic levitation; acoustic cavitation and sonoluminescence; ultrasound transducers; ultrasound imaging; photoacoustics and acousto-optics; acoustic resonance spectroscopy; acoustic focusing and time-reversal acoustics; focused ultrasound and itsapplications for cancer treatment and tissue regeneration; shock-wave lithotripsy; and auditory perception and physiology of speech production.



BMEN 3420/6420 and CENG 6420. Transport in Cells and Organs

Fundamental principles of fluid mechanics and mass transport are applied to biological systems at the cellular, tissue, and organ levels. The topics of this course are the cardiovascular and respiratory systems; cell adhesion and migration; intracellular, transmembrane and transvascular transport; drug transport and pharmacokinetics; and transport-related pathological conditions (inflammation, atherosclerosis, thrombosis and embolism, sickle cell disease, cancer metastasis). The lab section of the course, offered to students registered for BMEN 3420 or BMEN 6420, provides training in measurement and analysis of cell and particle transport in parallel-plate and microfluidic flow systems.



BMEN 6630. Cell Mechanics

Fundamental principles of continuum mechanics are applied to problems of biomechanics at the cellular level. Topics covered include structure of mammalian cells, cell membrane mechanics, mechanics of the cytoskeleton, models of cell viscoelasticity, cell adhesion, active cell processes, flow-induced deformation of blood cells, and experimental techniques (micropipette aspiration, biointerface probe, atomic force microscopy, magnetic twisting cytometry, optical tweezers, and flow chamber assays).



BMEN/COSC 6600. Computational Modeling of Biomedical Systems

The objective of this graduate course is to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary for computational modeling of biological and physiological systems and interpretation and analysis of biological data using computational techniques. The course covers elements of programming, computational biostatistics, regression analysis, algorithms of bioinformatics, and the numerical solution of algebraic and differential equations including optimization methods and Monte Carlo algorithms. Most lectures are accompanied by computer labs. The course is concluded by the final lab project devoted to a specific biomedical application such as protein-protein docking, neural dynamics, cell signaling, biological transport, or biomechanics.