Biomedical Engineering Education Programme for Double Degrees Postgraduates (QMUL Engineering School, NPU)

1. Programme Introduction

Biomedical Engineering is the comprehensive theory and method of engineering, physics, biology and medicine. It studies the state changes of human body systems at various levels such as cells, tissues and organs, and uses engineering techniques to solve related problems in biology and medicine, so as to protect human health and to provide services for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of diseases.

The Biomedical Engineering of Northwestern Polytechnical University (hereinafter referred to asNPU) was approved in 2010 to award master degrees of secondary disciplines. In 2012, it was approved to award doctoral degrees of first-level disciplines. Combining with the major needs of the national aerospace, aviation and navigation fields, the biomedical engineering discipline is co-built by School of Life Sciences of NPU, School of Automation of NPU, School of Medicine of NPU, and 5 provincial and ministerial level research platforms such as Key National Defense Subject Laboratory of Space Biological Experiment Simulation Technology and Centre for Shaanxi Biotechnology International Talent Training and Innovation Experiment to carry out frontier research in the field of biomedical engineering supported by the basic theories of biology, medicine and engineering technology. Its research interests include biomechanics, surface interface of biomaterials, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, biomedical nanotechnology, biomedical information and medical imaging, etc.

Queen Mary University of London (hereinafter referred to as QMUL), founded in 1887, is a member of Russell Group (a coalition of 24 best universities in research, teaching and social cooperation in the UK). It ranks the 9^thin 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) in the UK, and won the silver award for the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework. It has the accreditation of the top 25 world universities in view of internationalization according to The Times and ranks 119^thin 2019 QS World University Rankings. The Biomedical Engineering programme of QMUL has long been popular in the UK and even worldwide. Its School of Medicine has 200 years’ history and the engineering disciplines are among the most influential disciplines in QMUL, which has been awarded five-star by the British government for many times and ranks first in terms of satisfaction survey sponsored by the National Student Federation in 2011 in the UK. Since 2008, the School of Engineering and Materials Sciences of QMUL has always been the top five in the UK in terms of scientific research ability and its graduate employability ranks the 7^thamong UK universities. It provides elite quality education and excellent professional education for students in the whole process of material organization, structure and performance relationship, and material design, shaping and application in the field of polymers and composites.

In 2016,approved by the Ministry of Education of China, NPU and QMUL have launched a joint educational institutenamed Queen Mary University of London Engineering School, Northwestern Polytechnical University (hereinafter referred to as QMES) in order to providehigh-quality international undergraduate education. On the basis of undergraduate education, relying on high-level scientific research platforms and the international teaching and research teams such as the School of Life Science, the Sino-British Joint Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Structures and Center for Nanotechnology and Energy Research, QMES deeply integrates the superior educational resources and education philosophies of the two universities in the field of materials to carry out the double masters education programme of Biomedical Engineernig so as to enhance the education level of Sino-foreign joint education. The aim is to cultivate students to become the international innovative talents with solid natural science foundation and profound engineering technology knowledge, international perspective and international competitiveness, and innovative thinking and ability, capable of independently doing scientific research or undertaking engineering technology related work in the field of biomedical engineering fields.

2. Educational Aims

(1)Be equipped to become a qualified builder and reliable successor of the Socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era with a strong sense of love for nation and family and social responsibility, good academic ethics and professionalism, physical and mental health, and high comprehensive quality.

(2)Be equipped to have the basic knowledge of biomedical engineering, as well as the solid basic theory and system expertise in the field of this subject; be equipped with skills of biomedical material preparation, analysis and testing, and doing experiments; to have the ability to do interdisciplinary research and solve scientific and engineering problems in the subject..

(3)Be equipped with the fluently skills in English listening, speaking, reading and writing, global international perspective, innovative consciousness and ability, rigorous scientific research style, good spirit of cooperation, and the ability of self-learning and lifelong learning.

3. Research Interests

Research interests	Main contents
Biomechanics	1)Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Motor Systems 2)Cellular Molecular Biomechanics 3) Exercise Rehabilitation Biomechanics
Biomaterial Surface Interface	1)Surface Modification of Biological Materials 2)Surface Structure and Function of Biomaterials 3)Interactions between Biomaterials and Biological Systems
Biomedical Nanotechnology	1)Nanoparticles and Their Biological Effects 2)Nanoparticals Drug Delivery System
Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine	1）Bone, Cartilage, and Skin Tissue Engineering 2）Preparation and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Scaffolds 3）Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine
Biomedical informatics and medical imaging	1)Intelligent Processing and Analysis of Biomedical Images 2) Physical Health Monitoring and Evaluation

4. Qualification and Degree Certificate

Schooling years:3 years including no less than 9 months studying in QMUL, at least 28 credits needed for taught modules.

Degree:After completing the whole education process and successfully defensing the dissertation, the postgraduate students will be awarded diploma by NPU, MEng degree by NPU and MSc degree by QMUL.

5.Modules and Credits/Hours,13Modules in Total with28 Credits

uPublic modules (3 modules), 6 credits/108 hours;

uFundamental modules (1 module), 3 credits/60 hours;

uTechnical core modules (8 modules), 17 credits/340 hours;

uComprehensive module (1 module), 2 credits/40 hours;

Except for ideological and political theory modules (3 credits), 16 credits taught by QMUL and 9 credits taught by NPU with fully English teaching. 7 introduced modules include English for Science and Engineering,Professional Engineering Methods,Advanced Polymer Synthesis and other 5 technical core modules,satisfying the requirement ofRegulations of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Cooperation in Running Schools, which are:

◆numbers of introduced modules (7) take 53.8% of numbers of total modules (13);

◆numbers of introduced major core modules (5) take 62.5% of numbers of total major modules (8);

◆numbers of QMUL teaching major core modules (5) take 38.5% of numbers of total modules (13);

◆class hours of QMUL teaching major core modules (220) take 40.1% of class hours of total modules (548).

Module distribution in details is as below:

(Module code reference: Modules beginning with Code Q are taught by QMUL. Modules beginning with Code N are taught by NPU in English. Modules beginning with Code M are the compulsory modules taught by NPU in Chinese according to MoE regulations.)

(1)Public modules (3 modules, 6 credits)

(2)Fundamental modules(1 module, 3 credits)

(3) Technical coremodules(8 modules, 17 credits)

(4)Comprehensive module (1 module, 2 credits)

Curriculum Modules and Credits Table

Module

Module Code

Module Name

Hours/ Credits

Exam/Assessment

Allocation of Hours

Exam √

Assess √

Lecture

Experiment

Sem 1st

Sem 2nd

Sem 3rd

Sem 4th

Sem 5th

Sem 6th

Public Modules

Public Modules

M13G11001

Research on the Theory and Practice of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

36/2.0

√

36

18/1.0

18/1.0

M13G11002

Dialectics of Nature

18/1.0

√

18

18/1.0

QXU7111

English for Science and Engineering

54/3.0

√

54

54/3.0

Total

108/6.0

Fundamental Modules

Fundamental Modules

NXC7103

Mathematical Statistics

60/3.0

√

60

60/3.0

Total

60/3.0

Technical Core Modules

Technical Core Modules

NXC7106

Protein Engineering

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

QXU7033

Advanced Polymer Synthesis

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

NXC7221

Biomedical Materials

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

NXC7222

Biomechanics

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

QLU7303

Nanomaterials and Nanomedicine

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

QLU7304

Advanced Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

QLU7405

Ethics and Regulatory Affairs

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

QLU7406QLU7407 QLU7408

Science of Biocompatibility（option A） Physiology for Medical Engineers (option B) Chemical and Biological Sensors (option C)

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

Total

340/17.0

Comprehensive Modules

Comprehensive Modules

QXU7211

Professional Engineering Methods

40/2.0

√

40

40/2.0

Total

40/2.0

Total hours / total credits:548//28.0

Reference: Modules beginning with Code Q are taught by QMUL. Modules beginning with Code N are taught by NPU in English. Modules beginning with Code M are the compulsory modules taught by NPU in Chinese according to MoE regulations..

6. Education Plan

TheAcademic Committeeof QMES is in charge of supervising and guaranteeing the education process of double master degree, teaching quality and the viva examination of the final dissertation/project.

Dual tutors mechanism is adopted in this double master programme. Respectively coming from NPU and QMUL, two tutors play a leading role in the cultivation process and will be decided when postgraduates are registered. The final dissertation/project is co-directed by dual tutors.

Schooling years are 3 years including no less than 9 months studying in QMUL.

Taught modulesenjoy the important part of the education plan for the postgraduates who are required to complete enough credits, satisfying the credit requirements of both NPU and QMUL, before the viva examination.

1) Taught modules

(1)Students study public modules, fundamental modules, comprehensive modules and part of technical core modules in NPU, and decide their choices on research interests and complete the literature review for their dissertations under the guidance of dual tutors.

(2)Students study all the technical core modules in QMUL, and start their academic research work and submit their dissertation plans supervised by the dual tutors.

(3)Students continue their research work in NPU and QMUL and complete all the requirements, pass mid-term dissertation assessment, finish writing their dissertations and pass the final viva examination under the instruction of their dual tutors.

(4)The contents of Professional Engineering Methods include: scientific ethics and academic norms, intellectual property rights, problem solving methods, project management, psychology, career planning, academic literature review, academic paper writing guidance and so on.

(5)Students should complete the comprehensive industrial/social practice in NPU. It focuses on cultivating the comprehensive abilities of postgraduates by means of attending activities such as teaching practice, scientific and technological innovation, social service, cultural training, taking a temporary post and volunteer activities. After the practice students need to complete the form titledFeedback on the Industrial/Social Practice for NPU Postgraduateswith their NPU tutors’remarks and comments from the organizations where students have done their practice, which is kept in their files.

2) Project/dissertation scheme

(1) Literature review

Dual tutors will be decided when postgraduates are registered and supervise students to choose their research interests. Students should submit the literature review before the end of the 1^stacademic year.

(2) The opening report review

The final project/dissertation starts with the opening report review which should demonstrate the scientific significance, background, research content, expected objectives, research methods and conditions of the topic. The opening report review should be reported to the Academic Committee for comments no later than the 3^rdsemester.

Those who pass the review shall be allowed to continue the final project/dissertation. Those who fail to pass the review shall be warned and asked to revise it within a specified time period. They shall submit the report again for review. Those who fail to pass the review again shall terminate the programme or find other cultivating ways.

(3) Mid-term review

Students should submit a mid-term progress report about 6 months after the opening report passed. The progress report shall include whether the work of the project/dissertation is carried out according to the scheduled content of the opening report and the progress of the project/dissertation plan, the completed research content, the summary of scientific and academic research participated, the existing or anticipated problems, the proposed solutions, subsequent work plan and research content, etc.

During the progress students are allowed to make necessary adjustments to the project/dissertation (title,content, research plan, etc.). However, the main content of project/dissertation should be basically consistent with the content of mid-term progress report when students having the viva examination of the final project/dissertation.

A review team can be established under the consent of the Academic Committee. It should consist of at least three associate professors and above (excluding tutors) with a team leader to give evaluation opinions on students’submitted projects/dissertations.

Those who pass the review shall be allowed to continue the final project/dissertation. Those who fail to pass the review shall be warned and asked to revise it within a specified time period. They shall submit the report again and pass the review. Those who fail to pass the review again shall terminate the programme or find other cultivating ways.

(4) The final project/dissertation writing

The final project/dissertation is the summary of independent and systematic academic research work completed by postgraduate students under the guidance of tutors. It should have good academic technicality and considerable workload. It solves the scientific problems of the subject by using existing or innovative theories and methods, carries out necessary theoretical analysis and obtains correct results. Specific requirements shall be implemented in accordance with theRegulations on Degree Thesis Writing of NPUandCriteria for Master's Degree Dissertations of QMUL.

(5) The viva examination

A Viva Examination Committee shall be established under the consent of the Academic Committee to evaluate students’projects/dissertations in accordance with the provisions of the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee of both NPU and QMUL.

7. Enrollment Requirements for Double Degrees Master Students

1) Participate in the Unified National Postgraduate Entrance Examination, reach the basic score line of postgraduate interview of NPU, and pass the interview organised by QMES who select the best examinees.

2) Candidates who meet the exam-free requirements of NPU postgraduates shall apply for their intended programme through MoE “national information disclosure and management service system for recommending outstanding undergraduates to study postgraduate programmes” and pass the interview organized by QMES.

3) English requirements: have achieved a score of 6.0 or above in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a score in writing of 5.5 or above; or achieved a score of 60 or above in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score in writing of 18 or above; or have, within 5 years prior to entry to the JEI, graduated from a degree that was studied in English, where the transcript of the degree clearly shows that the degree was taught and examined in English.

8. Student Management of Double Degrees Master

QMES is responsible for postgraduate enrollment, student registration, student management, academic management and student cultivation. The School of Life Science assist the selection of tutors, academic guidance and to provide research platforms.

Teacher list

Tutor List

No.	Tutor’s Name	Gender	Title	Research field
1	Yin Dachuan	Male	Professor	Biological material; strong magnetic field effect; protein crystallization; protein material
2	Shang Peng	Male	Professor	Magnetic biology/spatial biology
3	Qian Airong	Female	Professor	Committed to musculoskeletal biomechanics, bone metabolism disease epigenetics and nucleic acid drugs, as well as special environmental ergonomics and health engineering research.
4	Lu Tingli	Female	Professor	Nanobiomaterials and their applications, 3D bioprinting, Biomaterial interface
5	Shi Junling	Female	Professor	Microbial synthesis and application of nanomaterials
6	Yang Hui	Female	Professor	Stem cell proliferation, differentiation regulation, Cell-Molecular Biomechanics, Biomaterials and tissue engineering
7	Xu Huiyun	Female	Professor	The dynamics of the motor system (force), Special environmental biology direction
8	Qi Zhenhui	Male	Professor	Antioxidant protein compounds containing selenium, Microbial corrosion and protection
9	Zhang Lianbing	Male	Professor	Design, synthesis, catalytic mechanism and applied research of nanozymes
10	Guo Lei	Male	Professor	Medical image analysis, brain functional imaging analysis
11	Shang Li	Male	Professor	Development of multifunctional fluorescent nanop. In situ study of nano biological effects
12	Wen Dan	Female	Professor	Development of electrochemical biosensing
13	Niu Weining	Male	Professor	Biocatalytic synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates; preparation of medical diagnostic enzymes
14	Shi Jianyu	Male	Professor	bioinformatics
15	Zhang Chenyan	Female	Associate Professor	Breast cancer treatment; protein crystallisation
16	Yang Pengfei	Male	Associate Professor	Biomechanics
17	Ye Yajing	Female	Associate Professor	Biomedical materials, multifunctional protective materials
18	Ren Li	Female	Associate Professor	Accurate drug efficacy and toxicity screening.
19	Huang Qingsheng	Male	Associate Professor	The mechanism of weight loss effect of immune cells
20	Lu Huimeng	Male	Associate Professor	Bioinformatics and bionic biology
21	Shao Dongyan	Female	Associate Professor	The nano drug delivery system
22	Li Chenrui	Female	Associate Professor	Mechanism of bone loss and natural drug protection
23	Xu Chunlan	Female	Associate Professor	Biosynthesis of nano-selenium and its application in biomedicine
24	Zhao Wen	Female	Associate Professor	Biomaterials - cell interactions; Tissue repair materials
25	Hou Hai	Male	Associate Professor	Structural biology, molecular biophysics
26	Niu Yinbo	Female	Associate Professor	Cellular molecular mechanism of bone loss; Prevention and treatment of bone loss
27	Wu Xianglong	Male	Associate Professor	Preparation of drug synthesis and drug-loaded biological materials
28	Li Jingbao	Male	Associate Professor	The mechanism by which cells perceive microgravity and other special mechanical environments
29	Shang Xiaoya	Female	Associate Professor	Separation and purification of active polysaccharides, structural modification, structure-activity relationship
30	Sun Yulong	Male	Associate Professor	Anti-inflammatory drug molecules
31	Tian Ye	Female	Associate Professor	The prevention and treatment of bone metabolic diseases (osteoporosis, bone tumors, etc.).
32	Hu Lifang	Female	Associate Professor	The mechanism of bone metabolic diseases
33	Hu Yanting	Male	Associate Professor	Space biology, tumor immunology
34	Li Qi	Female	Senior Lecturer	The role of exosomes in tumor immunity and tumor microenvironment
35	Teresa Alonso-Rasgsado	Female	Professor	Mechanical Engineering
36	Julien Gautrot	Male	Professor	Biomaterials and biological interfaces
37	Rob Krams	Male	Professor	Molecular Bioengineering
38	Julia Shelton	Female	Professor	Total hip arthroplasty, surface coating, tissue engineering, tendon wear
39	David Lee	Male	Professor	Tissue engineering and mechanical biology, mesenchymal stem cell biology
40	Hazel Screen	Female	Professor	Biomedical engineering, tissue, tendons, and heart valves
41	Gleb Sukhorukov	Male	Professor	Multifunctional nano drug conveying system
42	Martin Knight	Male	Professor	Mechanical biology
43	Elizabeth Tanner	Female	Professor	Development, testing and use of bone and joint replacement biomaterials
44	Pankaj Vadgama	Male	Professor	Biosensor development based on enzyme and antibody-based health point detection
45	Helena Azevedo	Female	Associate Professor	Mimic the composition and structure of carbohydrates and proteins
46	Tina Chowdhury	Female	Associate Professor	Inflammation, mechanical biology, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal science and bioengineering
47	Karin Hing	Female	Associate Professor	Bone healing or regeneration
48	Himadri Gupta	Male	Associate Professor	Multiscale imaging of hierarchical materials; ano- and microscale tissue mechanics; Mechanobiology
49	Thomas Iskratsch	Male	Associate Professor	Cardiomyocyte and Vacular Smooth Muscle Cell Mechanobiology;Cellular Force Measurements, Advanced Imaging Techniques
50	Stoyan Smoukov	Male	Associate Professor	Engineering & Renewable Energy
51	Lei Su	Male	Associate Professor	optical devices and instrumentation for detection
52	Aleksandra Birn-Jeffery	Female	Senior Lecturer	Assessing the effectiveness of different therapeutic interventions on gait defects