Contribute to better healthcare by designing and developing medical innovations for improved diagnostics, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention and a better quality of life.
Can you think of friendlier, less painful or less harmful methods to detect breast cancer, or to perform an endoscopy? Can you pave the way for animal-free drug testing by developing mini organ-on-a-chip models, that can mimic an actual human organ, like a heart or liver? And what about detecting complex diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s at an early stage, or developing an exoskeleton to train paralysed patients to walk? Advances in technologies are at the heart of innovation within healthcare. Are you eager to develop medical innovations that contribute to better care? If so, the Master’s in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Twente might just be right for you!
In this two-year, English-taught Master’s, you will learn to research, design, and develop innovative products and processes that will benefit the healthcare sector. With your expertise, you can contribute to the improvement of diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation, but also to prevention and better quality of life. You will combine engineering skills in disciplines such as chemistry, physics, nanotechnology, electrical engineering and/or mechanical engineering with in-depth knowledge of biology and medicine. As a biomedical engineer, you can bridge the gap between healthcare and engineering, as you understand both contexts, thanks to the interdisciplinary character of this Master’s.
Start date
You can start your studies in September or February. However, the specialisation Bioengineering Technologies only starts in September. In case you need to follow the Pre-Master’s first, you can start in September and continue with the Master’s afterwards.
Choose a specialisation
You have a lot of freedom to tailor your Master’s in Biomedical Engineering to your interests and ambitions. Do you want to become an expert in medical imaging, or in measuring brain signals? Or do you want to contribute to the development of bionic prostheses or the creation of artificial (mini) organs from biomaterials? You will build your own expertise within one of the specialisations. Your choice determines which courses you will follow and the type of research you will engage in during your master’s thesis. You can choose from five different specialisations:
Bioengineering Technologies
The specialisation in Bioengineering Technologies focuses on the development of technologies that mimic or restore the function of diseased organs and damaged tissues, such as the heart, the kidney, cartilage and/or blood vessels. You will learn to develop and improve advanced technologies such as organs-on-chips or tumours-on-chips, implants based on biomaterials and living tissue and targeted (nano)medicine. What about developing a heart-on-a-chip that can mimic an actual heart, or regenerating cartilage for people with arthritis?
2 yearsFull-time
Biorobotics
Are you interested in designing, implementing, and improving robots and other mechatronic systems that can be used to benefit the healthcare sector? The specialisation in Biorobotics enables you to measure human signals and model the human body to improve the human-robot interaction for robots that are used to support either patients or clinicians.
2 yearsFull-timeEnglish
Imaging & In Vitro Diagnostics
How can you detect diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s at an early stage? Are there friendlier, painless and more reliable ways to detect breast cancer? Within the specialisation in Imaging & In Vitro Diagnostics, you will develop new strategies and improve existing techniques for visualising the human body and detecting abnormalities in cells and tissues in order to detect diseases and monitor health.
2 yearsFull-timeEnglish
Medical Device Design
What does it take to design an ankle prosthesis, an artificial kidney, or a robotic surgery tool? The types of devices might differ, but in many cases, you will follow similar design processes. While other specialisations focus on a specific area within the field of biomedical engineering, the specialisation in Medical Device Design will familiarise you with the whole design process of different types of medical devices, from ideation to fabrication to (clinical) testing and verification.
2 yearsFull-time
Physiological Signals & Systems
If you specialise in Physiological Signals & Systems, you will learn how to develop technological solutions for health and clinical problems in which human body systems are dysfunctional due to trauma or disease – for example: chronic pain, brain damage after stroke or Parkinson’s disease. You will gain expertise in (ambulatory) sensor technology to measure physiological signals and behaviour, in interpreting such information and in applying these insights for improved prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation in clinical and home/self-care setting.
2 yearsFull-time
Innovate in the TechMed Centre
As a student in Biomedical Engineering, you will have unique access to state-of-the-art labs and other medical facilities on our high-tech campus. The programme is closely associated with UT’s renowned TechMed Centre, a leading institute that aims to improve healthcare through personalised technology. You have the opportunity to work with leading scientists and other experts from industry and clinical practice. It is a great environment for network building and gaining hands-on experience for your future career!
Career perspectives
Due to our ageing society, not only the number of patients seeking help for their health problems is increasing, but the health problems they report are also more complex. On many levels, healthcare is moving towards more automated processes in order to keep care efficient, effective, and more advanced (think of e.g. computer-aided diagnostics). In addressing this and virtually any other global health challenge, innovations in biomedical technologies are indispensable. As a biomedical engineer, you will be a key player in developing and advancing medical devices and clinical services, making you a highly sought-after professional on the job market. That’s why graduates of this Master’s find a job soon after graduation.
Programme overview
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