A degree to match current developments of miniaturised medical engineering

The Micromedical Engineering programme meets the demands of future trends in new miniaturised medical technology: the increasing development of the advanced dimensions, "miniaturisation", "computerisation" and "biologicalisation" in medical engineering. It is customised to deal with the long-term trends in medical engineering: the increasing degree of miniaturisation and the increasing use of electronic and microelectronic production processes. Through new coating processes, implant surfaces are ever more intelligently adapted to the biological environment as regards biocompatibility and biostability.

All of these areas of micromedicine which are important for medical engineering will be looked at in this master's programme. According to experts, there is a growing demand for specialists in this area.

Course syllabus

The multidisciplinary focus of the programme makes possible a multi-faceted understanding of innovative technologies and the latest methods and products of micromedical engineering. The sound technical and medical background knowledge necessary for this is also covered in the syllabus.

In the Micromedical Engineering course you will gain both fundamental and advanced knowledge of microtechnology, biomedicine and biocompatible materials (e.g. in Microtechnology, Introduction to Biomedicine, Advanced Medical Technologies and Biocompatible Materials modules). In addition you will be given an understanding of Neurophysiology and Medical Modelling. Various processes and development techniques of micromedical components are also taught.

Building on your previous knowledge, in the Master of Micromedical Engineering degree you will first gain a better understanding of various specialist microtechnology subjects and learn to apply them in the context of micromedical products. This allows you to understand the function of micromedical engineering and its interaction with the human system. Later you will gain in-depth knowledge of the application possibilities and limitations of various microtechnology processes for micromedicine. The interaction with the biological environment, energy supply, telemetry and aspects of micro-optics will also be looked at in more depth. A research internship prepares you for an optional doctorate or a career in R&D. In the third and final semester, you write your master's thesis, which allows for the development and/or application of your own application or research-oriented ideas.

Modules, Programme Content and Areas of Focus

Details of programme (I5130-1)

Introduction to Medical Engineering, Advanced Technical Medicine, Special Areas of Medicine, Microtechnology, Medical Metrology, Telemedicine, Production and Industrial Engineering in Medical Engineering, electives

Programme content and focus:

  • Medical engineering
  • Medical metrology
  • Medical microsystems engineering
  • Microtechnologies
  • Smart systems
  • Medicine in the context of micromedicine
  • Neurophysiology
  • Endoprosthetics
  • Biocompatible materials
  • Coating technologies
  • Intelligent active implants
  • Wireless transmission of energy and signals
  • Therapeutic systems and technologies
  • Biomechanics

Why study Micromedical Engineering at HFU?

Details of programme (I5131-1)
  • Professors with many hundreds of publications in highly ranked, peer-reviewed journals, supervision of several doctoral candidates
  • Cooperative PhD programmes with prestigious universities:
    • University of Freiburg
    • University of Tübingen
  • Project cooperation with industrial firms (e.g. Retina Implant AG) and research institutes (e.g., IMTEK, Hahn Schickard, NMI) active in this field
  • First engineering programme in Germany to focus on the interface between medicine, medical technology and microsystems technology
  • Interdisciplinary oriented programme
  • Research-oriented projects integrated in teaching
  • Small groups, personal support
  • International orientation of teaching and research
  • Well-respected university with many years of medical engineering and biotechnology experience
  • Membership in professional organizations provides initiatives for further development of course content:
    • DGBMT - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Biomedizinische Technik im VDE
    • microTEC Südwest
    • Medical Mountains AG

Clariond Tiogueu, student

The current trend to miniaturization has extended to almost all areas of engineering. In medical engineering especially, we expect that implants not only fulfill the basic requirements of functionality, biocompatibility and biostability, but are also highly functional, small and light.

I also see the future of medical engineering in miniaturization and that was why I decided to take this new course. Because the programme combines elements of microsystems engineering and medical engineering to meet the exact demands of this new international field of work.

Before taking his master's, Clariond Tiogueu studied Biomedical Engineering at the TU Illmenau and Medical Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences in Jena.

Main objectives

Depending on the basic knowledge of your first degree, you will first gain a better understanding of various microtechnology subjects and learn to apply them in the context of micromedicine products This allows you to understand the function of micromedical engineering and its interaction with the human system.

Later you will gain further knowledge of the application possibilities and limitations of various processes of microtechnologies for micromedicine. Also the interaction with the biological environment and energy supply and telemetry as well as micro-optical aspects will be looked at in more depth. A research internship prepares you for an optional doctorate or career in R&D.

In the third and final semester, you write your master's thesis, which allows for the development and/or application of your own application or research-oriented ideas.

Curriculum
Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes - knowledge and skills

  • Use of micromedical knowledge and skills for diagnostic and therapeutic intervention
  • Ability to design, oversee and evaluate the development of complex miniaturized medical products
  • Techniques, flexibility and decision-making skills for cooperation with various medical specialists
  • Comprehensive knowledge of micromedical engineering and closely related medical fields
  • Ability to design appropriate technical solutions taking special aspects of interactions of miniaturized implants with the human body into consideration
  • Ability to assess and include societal, economic and ethical results of insights, decisions and developments, and be aware of the limitations of medical technology applications
  • Ability to learn independently how to use new technologies

Learning outcomes - transferable skills

  • Teamworking, particularly in multidisciplinary, international work, research and development groups
  • Ability to take responsibility for making scientifically based decisions taking into account societal, scientific and ethical results
  • Ability to make fast, confident decisions in critical situations
     

Learning outcomes - employability skills

  • Ability to understand complex, multidisciplinary micromedical engineering relationships at the interface between medicine and technology and find solutions for patients in cooperation with medical specialists
  • Intensive cooperation with medical specialists
  • Ability to talk about complex medical and technical subjects in a clear and understandable way, presentation of research results
  • Scientific work methods and management
  • Responsibility for projects and teams