Neuroscience, Engineering and Informatics

With diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s disease and cardiovascular diseases imposing an increasing social and economic burden nationally, there is a critical need for a coordinated cross-disciplinary approach to the development and application of cutting edge bio-imaging technology.

The University of Melbourne has recently funded a committee to investigate and develop cross-disciplinary research applications, and educational opportunities that combine Engineering, Neuroscience and Informatics.

The committee currently includes:

Gary Egan (Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne)
Iven Mareels (School of Engineering, University of Melbourne)
Tony Burkitt (Bio-signals and Bio-systems, School of Engineering, UniMelb)
David Smith (Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, UniMelb)
Subhash Challa (Electrical and Electronic Engineering, UniMelb)
Leigh Johnston (Electrical and Electronic Engineering, UniMelb)
Terry O'Brien (Department of Medicine, UniMelb)
Trevor Kilpatrick (Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne)
Neil Killeen (Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne)
Mark Cook (Department of Neurology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne)
Jonathan Manton (School of Engineering, University of Melbourne)
Alan Connelly (Brain Research Institute)
Steve Patrous (Howard Florey Institute)
Bruce Gardiner (Civil and Environmental Engineering, UniMelb)
John Furness (Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medicine, UniMelb)
David Grayden (Electrical and Electronic Engineering, UniMelb)

The committees goals include:

Transfer of knowledge between University of Melbourne engineering and medical researchers and post-graduate students in the application of engineering and informatics to neuroscience,
Strengthened partnerships between the University and key government and industry bodies working in the areas of neurodegenerative diseases and informatics,
Access for Victorian researchers and clinicians to international and national leaders in imaging analysis techniques such as signal processing,
Dissemination to the public of information on advances in technology and analysis processes through an education website and workshops with school aged students, and
A detailed action plan to continue and grow the collaboration over the next five years

Upcoming workshops and conferences

Tertiary Courses

University of Melbourne: Bachelor of Engineering (Biomedical)
Students gain an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of biomedical science (biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics and physiology) and the physical sciences in addition to undertaking specialist studies in engineering modelling, measurement, research and design. The integration of science and engineering enables students to address health-care specific problems from a unique perspective.

www.eng.unimelb.edu.au/courses/ugrad/courses/bebiomed.html

University of Melbourne: Masters of Biomedical Engineering (course work)
The discipline aims to train engineers to analyse a problem from both an engineering and biological perspective. It provides engineers with the tools to anticipate special difficulties in working with living systems and to evaluate a wider range of possible approaches to problem solving.

www.eng.unimelb.edu.au/courses/pgrad/courses/mbiomedical.html

Monash University Centre for Biomedical Engineering