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What is bioengineering?

By combining biology and engineering, bioengineers can help improve the health and quality of life for thousands of people. Whether they’re developing new medical tools or improving existing technologies, bioengineers work at the intersection of innovation and impact, producing real‑world solutions.

Bioengineering is an interdisciplinary field that applies engineering principles to biology and medicine. Bioengineers use their knowledge of engineering, life sciences, and technology to create solutions that support healthcare, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

For students like Lindsay Benage, bioengineering offers a pathway to turn personal motivation into meaningful impact. Inspired by people living with chronic orthopedic injuries, . By studying how these tissues adapt — and sometimes fail — under repeated strain, she is helping advance knowledge that could lead to better treatments and improved recovery for patients.

Bioengineers might:

• Design equipment that helps doctors monitor patients
• Create devices that replace or support parts of the human body
• Build systems that analyze medical data to improve decision‑making

By blending technical expertise with an understanding of biological systems, bioengineers play a key role in advancing modern medicine.

What jobs do bioengineers have?

Bioengineers work across a wide range of industries and settings, often collaborating with physicians, scientists, and other engineers. They are employed in manufacturing, research facilities, and a variety of other organizations. Many work in medical device companies, research labs, universities, or healthcare‑related industries.

Alex Melville, B.S. bioengineering ‘22, . Through involvement in student clubs and internships, Alex gained hands‑on experience that prepared her for careers spanning medical devices, research, and advanced study. She is currently an immunotherapy specialist at leading biotechnology company Genentech. Alex’s path shows how an education in bioengineering equips graduates to move seamlessly across disciplines and apply their skills wherever human health is involved.

Medical devices and equipment

Many bioengineers design and improve medical devices and equipment used to diagnose, monitor, or treat patients. This can include prosthetics, implants, imaging systems, and other technologies that support patient care.

Adam Higgins, professor of bioengineering, is working to improve technologies that allow human organs to be preserved for transplantation. By applying machine‑learning tools to identify better cryoprotectant chemicals, his team is advancing medical technologies that could make organ storage safer and more effective.

¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ State engineers are also creating wearable medical electronics that help monitor health conditions and support patient care outside traditional clinical settings. These devices are designed to improve accessibility, reduce costs, and provide healthcare professionals with better data for decision‑making.

Research and development

Some bioengineers focus on research — studying biological systems and developing new technologies that interact with the human body. They may evaluate new materials, explore how devices perform in real‑world conditions, or help move innovations from the lab into the real world.

Kaitlin Fogg, associate professor of bioengineering, is using bioengineering to address a historic neglect of women’s health in medical research and improve treatment for life-threatening diseases such as cervical and ovarian cancer.

Software and computer systems

Bioengineers also design computer systems and software used in healthcare and medical research. These systems can support medical imaging, data analysis, and other tools that help healthcare professionals make informed decisions.

Morgan Giers, assistant professor of bioengineering, uses predictive modeling, machine learning, and advanced imaging to bring precision and personalization to spine surgeries.

Led by Peter Jacobs, the James and Shirley Kuse Chair in Chemical Engineering, ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ State researchers are developing AI‑powered tools to help guide treatment decisions for patients with type 1 diabetes. These computational systems support healthcare professionals by analyzing data to improve the success of islet cell transplants.

How much do bioengineers make?

Bioengineering offers strong earning potential and demand for bioengineers continues to grow. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for bioengineers and biomedical engineers was $106,950 as of May 2024 and employment of bioengineers and biomedical engineers is projected to increase 5% to 7% through 2034.