Welcome from the Chair

Since our founding in 1997, the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU BME) has combined excellence in research and teaching to advance knowledge and new technology to improve the global quality of life.

Our department sits within the McKelvey School of Engineering on the historic Danforth Campus, which is now enjoying tremendous growth with the addition of Jubel and McKelvey halls in 2019. With 28 core faculty and more than 130 affiliated faculty in the School of Medicine and the College of Arts & Sciences, as well as other departments of engineering, WashU BME is a vibrant and engaging community for your continued studies, research translation and career development.

Our more than 200 undergraduates and 140 doctoral students participate in mentored research opportunities and take courses across multiple disciplines. Our community participates in symposia, seminars and partnership programs of key interdisciplinary centers including Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, the Musculoskeletal Research Center, the Center for Science & Engineering of Living Systems, the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders and the Institute for Materials Science that together create a remarkably fertile environment for learning.

Many of our doctoral students participate in interdisciplinary learning pathways supported by institutional training grants, or design their own path to a PhD degree that supports their personal career goals. Our Master’s of Science in Biomedical Engineering provides opportunities for students to learn strategies for independent research or biotechnology development, in a mentored experience.

With complete access to all resources of a No. 18 ranked undergraduate institution, our undergraduate students benefit from strong student-faculty interactions and ample opportunities for independent research in laboratories of the schools of engineering, arts & sciences and medicine.

We invite you to explore these pages to learn more about WashU BME and welcome you to join our committed and passionate group of faculty and student scholars at Washington University!