IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, and the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (IEEE EMBS) , today published a detailed position paper on the field of biomedical engineering titled, “Grand Challenges at the Interface of Engineering and Medicine.” The paper, published in the IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology (IEEE OJEMB), was written by a consortium of 50 renowned researchers from 34 prestigious universities around the world, and lays the foundation for a concerted worldwide effort to achieve technological and medical breakthroughs.
"What we’ve accomplished here will serve as a roadmap for groundbreaking research to transform the landscape of medicine in the coming decade,” said Dr. Michael Miller, senior author of the paper and professor and director of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. “The outcomes of the task force, featuring significant research and training opportunities, are poised to resonate in engineering and medicine for decades to come.”
The position paper was the result of a two-day workshop organized by IEEE EMBS and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University and the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California San Diego. Through the course of the workshop, the researchers identified five primary medical challenges that have yet to be addressed, but, by solving them with advanced biomedical engineering approaches, can greatly improve human health.
One of the participants in the workshop was Paolo Bonato, PhD, director of the Motion Analysis Laboratory at Spaulding Rehabilitation , a member of Mass General Brigham, and associate professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School.
“This manuscript is a unique contribution by 50 key players in the field of biomedical engineering highlighting areas of future technical developments that are expected to enable advanced precision medicine interventions,” said Bonato. “The future of medicine is expected to heavily rely on advances in biology and technology and we can achieve this goal by collecting an unprecedented amount of high-quality data that will inform digital twin models, and hence, develop patient-specific therapy plans or even predict and prevent the development of diseases.”
"This paper represents a major milestone in the advancement of biomedical engineering, which could only have been achieved through close collaboration rather than the work of many siloed individuals,” added consortium member Dr. Metin Akay, founding chair of the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Houston and Ambassador of IEEE EMBS. “We have a shared commitment to advancing patient-centric technologies, and healthcare efficacy and accessibility – which extends beyond academic institutions – and elevating healthcare quality, reducing costs and improving lives worldwide.”
By focusing on these five medical challenges facing biomedical engineering, the consortium has laid out a roadmap for future research and funding:
“These grand challenges offer unique opportunities that can transform the practice of engineering and medicine,” remarked Dr. Shankar Subramaniam, lead author of the taskforce, distinguished professor, Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at the University of California San Diego and past President of IEEE EMBS. “Innovations in the form of multi-scale sensors and devices, creation of humanoid avatars and the development of exceptionally realistic predictive models driven by AI can radically change our lifestyles and response to pathologies. Institutions can revolutionize education in biomedical and engineering, training the greatest minds to engage in the most important problem of all times – human health.”
This position paper was published in IEEE OJEMB, and can be accessed at this link .
*This press release was modified from an original posted by IEEE EMBS , available here .
About the IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology
The IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology covers developing and applying engineering concepts and methods to biology, medicine, and health sciences to effectively solve biological, medical, and healthcare problems. For more information about OJEMB, please visit www.embs.org/ojemb .
About the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
The IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) is the world’s largest international society of biomedical engineers. With more than 12,000 members residing in some 97 countries around the globe, IEEE EMBS is a truly global connection, fostering fellowship and providing access to fascinating people, best practices, new information, innovative ideas, and a variety of expert opinions from one of science’s fastest growing fields: biomedical engineering. From formalized mathematical theory through experimental science and from technological development to practical clinical applications, IEEE EMBS members support scientific, technical, and educational activities as they apply to the concepts and methods of the physical and engineering sciences in biology and medicine. By working together, we can transform and revolutionize the future of medicine and healthcare. For more information about the IEEE EMBS, please visit www.embs.org .
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About Spaulding Rehabilitation
A member of the Mass General Brigham Health System, Spaulding Rehabilitation includes Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, with a main campus in Charlestown the 2nd ranked in the nation for rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report , along with Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cambridge, Spaulding Rehabilitation Nursing and Therapy Center Brighton, and over 25 outpatient sites throughout Eastern Massachusetts. An acclaimed teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and home to the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding is recognized as a top residency program in the U.S. in the Doximity Residency Navigator. Spaulding also was recognized by the 2023 Disability Equality Index as a “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.” For more information, visit www.spauldingrehab.org .
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IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology
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Grand Challenges at the Interface of Engineering and Medicine
21-Feb-2024