Biotransport in Biomedical
Engineering Course at UPRM
Rubén E. Díaz-Rivera, Ph.D.
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez
Course Info
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INME 5015/6065: Principles of Biomedical Engineering
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3 credit hours, professional elective in ME
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Advanced undergraduate/graduate level course
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Popular with student in ME, EE, & ChemE
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Typical enrollment: 15-20 students
Course Objectives
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Describe several sub-areas of Biomedical Engineering and
the principles and applications that drive these sub-areas
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Recognize the challenges and directions of the most
dynamic core areas in Biomedical Engineering
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Apply mechanics concepts (e.g. transport phenomena) to
biological or medical problems
Course Textbook
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Multiple textbooks
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“Introduction to Biomedical Engineering”, J.
Enderle et al.
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“Biomaterials: The intersection of Biology and
Material Science”, J.S. Temenoff & A.G. Mikos
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“Transport Phenomena in Biological
Systems”, G.A. Truskey et al.
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“Bioimpedance and Bioelectricity”, S.
Grimmes & Ø.G. Martinsen
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“Introduction to Bioengineering”, S.A. Berger
et al.
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“Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer”, F.P.
Incropera et al.
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“Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach”,
Y.A. Çengel & M.A. Boles
Topics
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History of biomedical engineering
FDA and ethical issues
Basic biology
Biomaterials
Biomechanics
Biofluid mechanics
Heat Transfer and Thermodynamics in Bio-systems
Mass Transfer in Bio-systems
Bioelectric Phenomena
Educational Strategy
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Lectures
Homework
Plant tours
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Zimmer, Boston Scientific,
Medtronic, Life Scan
Group Project
Educational Strategy
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Group Project
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The purpose of the group project is to select a product from a
recognized Biomedical Engineering company, compare it against
similar products on the market, and develop an improved
device based on the students engineering background and the
engineering fundamentals learned in class.
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The project is divided into several tasks
Improvement of Drug Eluting Stents

Manufactured by
Cordis LLC, San
German, Puerto
Rico
Device Class
3
Product Code
NIQ
Submission Type
PMA
Objectives

Analyze the of mass
transport of the Drug
Eluting Stent manufactured
by Cordis (CYPHER)
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Improve mass transport by
proposing polymeric
nanoparticles as an
alternative for drug release
M. Alvarez-Berríos, M. García-Jiménez, Chemical Engineering at UPRM
Improvement of Drug Eluting Stents
Release Rate (ng/s)
0.07
0.06
0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
Radius (mm)
Release rate concentration as a function of radius
and length
Concentration profile for the drug in the blood a
function of time when using the stent (Co = 0.0226
g/cm3)
M. Alvarez-Berríos, M. García-Jiménez, Chemical Engineering at UPRM
Outcomes
Positive
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This course puts the students
right outside their comfort zone,
which stimulates their creativity
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The students get to tackle real life
problems (or close to it)
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Students realize that they can
solve biological/medical related
problems w/ their engineering
background
Negative
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Some students are not used to
have such freedom in selecting the
appropriate problem to solve and
end up missing the relevance of
the assignment
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Most of the biotransport material
is covered late in the semester
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Undergrads feel they don’t have
the appropriate tools (e.g.
COMSOL Multiphysics) to solve
some of the proposed problems
Thanks!