Students in the Department of Bioengineering Program have access to a thorough assortment of laboratory, classroom and research facilities because of the working relationship between and among UTA, UTSW and other medical institutions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Laboratories (UTA) Ten fully equipped laboratories for biomedical engineering research are available to students and faculty. These are for general biomedical engineering, computers, polymer synthesis, sensory and motor function, automated drug infusion, stent and vascular graft fabrication, and gait analysis. In addition, students may use laboratory facilities and equipment of other departments and programs within the College of Engineering, such as the Materials Science Program. Engineering laboratories of importance to BE students include microwaves and antennas, integrated circuit development, work physiology, human performance, biofeedback, computer development/simulation, materials science, stress analysis, turbulent flow, and heat transfer. Significant computational facilities are available at both institutions and both institutions also have full electronics and machine shops.
Students also have complete access to a complete range of analytical instrumentation in the Department of Chemistry. Of interest to BE students are ESCA, Fourier transform surface IR, atomic force microscopy, laser-induced matrix desorption mass spectroscopy, solid- and liquid-phase NMR, and analytical gel permeation chromatography.
Laboratories (UTSW) A $3.5 million upgrade of research space and facilities gives BE students direct access to excellent facilities in the Department of Surgery for cell culture, analytical instrumentation and experimental animal surgery resources. BE students and faculty interact on a regular basis a wide range of sophisticated instrumentation in a number of basic and clinical sciences laboratories. Among these are: Anesthesiology, Biochemistry, Cardiology, Cardiopulmonary/Internal Medicine, Cell Biology, General and Cardiovascular Surgery, Genomics, Physiology, Pathology, Radiology, and Urology.
Related laboratories in Orthopedics are located in the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. The Laser Surgery group at the Baylor Research Foundation (Dallas) also welcomes BE students. Other facilities are available at local industries.
Students have access to an excellent set of electron and optical microscopes, including laser confocal microscopy and scanning force microscopy. Lab equipment in the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development and the Human Genome Center includes banks of automated sequencers, imaging stations, custom robotics, Biomek robots, confocal microscope, fluorescence activated cell sorter, atomic force microscope, standard biological apparatus (ultracentrifuges, thermal cyclers, etc.). The Molecular Cardiology Laboratory is fully equipped for studies of the molecular biology of eukaryotic cells. Additional space is available for dedicated tissue culture studies of the growth and characterization of recombinant viruses.
Optical Medical Imaging Lab
The Bill and Rita Clements Advanced Medical Imaging Building features 18 specially-designed bays for clinical and research imaging devices. The largest of these houses one of the nation’s first 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging devices for human studies. The Medical Imaging Center’s state-of-the-art equipment will provide a catalyst to major collaborative projects involving UT Arlington and UT Dallas and UT Southwestern faculty members and clinicians who will occupy offices and laboratories in the building.
