It's been a busy few weeks with the start of the new semester. I currently lead an undergrad module called 'Engineering Replacement Body Parts', and I've been busy giving lectures, sorting out the admin and generall getting the students set up for the course ahead of them.

This module is an 'interdisciplinary' module - also known as Curriculum Innovation. The idea is that these courses are open to students across different faculties, and should have material in them that crosses the boundaries of particular degree courses.

Yoyu can find out more about the module here but in short it's a module to explain what biomedical engineering is about, and how biologists, engineers, chemists and even lawmakers and ethicists work together to develop the next generation of medical technology.

This year there are students participating whose degrees include Biomedical Sciences, Biology, Psychology, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, Law, Physics and Chemistry.

As you can imagine it's a pretty broad subject, so the idea is not to go into massive technical detail, but instead ot introduce general principles.

In week one we learned how to use the module blog (private at the moment, I'm afraid) and did some teambuilding stuff. Here's a vid of the result (they had to work in teams to make a drinking straw structure supporting a book):

Later on, I've given lectures on stem cells and tissue engineering, and the students have visited the CHDSCR labs at the hospital. Here's Camelia, introducing the students to growing mammal cells:

Most recently the students got the chance to visit the Centre for Learning Anatomic Sciences and to participate in a workshop led by the amazing Scott Border . This session lets the students see biomedical implants actually in situ in human cadavers, and so gives a really amazing perspective on how these devices function (eg artifical hips and knees).

Fun times are ahead, with Alex Dickinson teaching the students on Thursday, but for now my our part is over.