BIOE 301/362 - Bioengineering and World Health

Learning Units

Each unit explores fundamental topics in Biotechnology and World Health. Please click on each unit to find out about some of the helpful resources. If you are having trouble viewing the following page, please click on the printable formatted webpage.

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UNIT 1: What are the major health problems worldwide?
What is Health?
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

How are data about health used to improve health?
BME 301 Digital Guest Lecturers:

  • Peace Corp Volunteer

Conditions in developing countries
Web Resources:

Global attitudes about health differ dramatically throughout the world
Causes of Mortality
Activities Message
Web Resources:

UNIT 2: Who pays to solve problems in healthcare?

University Student
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

Variety of issues to consider
US Vendor Payor System
Activities Message
BME 301 Digital Guest Lecturers:

  • Insurance Industry Representative

Complex mosaic allows for technology development

Somebody has to pay
Additional Web Resources:

Comparisons (Canada, Angola, India, Germany)
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

Technology diffusion is affected by payment system

UNIT 3: How can technology solve healthcare problems?

Science Drives Engineering
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

Science vs. Engineering

Role of FDA
BME 301 Digital Guest Lecturers:

  • Guest speaker from Sulzer

Additional Written Sources:

  • Gene Therapy Trials: Time

Additional Web Resources:

Testing Designs (Neonatal Treatments, HRT, Organ Transplants, Burns)
Activities Message
Additional Written Sources:

  • Incubator Baby Slideshows

Technology Assessment and Diffusion
Additional Web Resources:

Ethics of Clinical Trials
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

A clinical trial is a planned experiment to test a hypothesis

Humans have not always treated each other humanely in the interest of gathering knowledge. These rights are protected today.

Role of IRB, SRC

Informed Consent Process

Additional Written Resources:

  • The Belmont Report
  • Guinea Pigs in Prison: Austin Statesman
  • Desperate Measures: The New Yorker May 2003
  • Trials Ad
  • How Medical Testing Has Turned Millions of Us Into Human Guinea Pigs: Time

Additional Web Resources:

Considering Outcomes (PSA, HIV, BRC)
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

  • Role of chief medical officer – do you screen for PSA?
  • Role of NIH reviewer – which to fund?

Diagnostic vs.Therapeutic

Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value – screening

Alternatives and Choices

Determining Cost/Benefit

Sample Size and Imaging Technologies (MRI, CT, NMR, Ultrasound, Optical Diagnostics, Confocal Imaging)
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

Additional Written Sources:

  • Detecting Breast Cancer, An Image Problem
  • Testing Ovarian Cancer: Newsweek

Additional Web Resources:

The Value of Setting
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

  • Home testing

Cost Effectiveness and Resource Availability (PTCA)
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

Solving a moving target problem

UNIT 4: How are healthcare technologies managed?
MRI
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

  • Interview with Dr. Narriana and Dr. Hazel- MRI
  • Role of CEO of technology company – where do you market your new imaging technology?

Laparoscopic Cholecystetomy
Activities Message
BME 301 Interactive Resources:

  • Role of physician – what do you recommend? If you are part of PPO your choice may be different than an HMO. Specialist referrals may mean a lower rate of pay for your services

Check out the Beyond Traditional Borders Initiative:www.btb.rice.edu
Rice University | Department of Bioengineering
Funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute