Graduate Profiles
Laura Navarra MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated July 2010
I studied the MSc in Biomedical Engineering at Brunel and graduated in July 2010. After graduating in Clinical Engineering (BSc) in Rome, Italy. I wanted to take an MSc abroad. I chose Brunel because I found the website very interesting, especially the taught modules and course themes and the excellent reputation of the University in engineering research.
Brunel has much to offer students. The location of the campus close to London and London Heathrow, the computing facilities, the library, 24/7 labs, on campus bars and restaurants, all making student life very easy and the recreational side pleasant.
The course was well structured, with the right amount of taught lessons and self study sessions. The lecturers were always ready to answer questions, putting emphasis on the development side and research of each topic. Guest lecturers, both researchers and people from industry provided interesting insights on specific themes. I must also say that all the Brunel lecturers were helpful and supportive during the choice of the dissertation topic.
In my final dissertation project, I developed a novel minimally invasive treatment for long bone fracture. After undertaking a thorough literature review of bone mechanics and biomaterials, I studied my device with the use of Finite Element Analysis (Ansys Workbench) followed by the experimental validation of the model. I chose this project because it was very challenging as it required a theoretical, analytical and practical approach which was very interesting for me.
Thanks to my MSc degree at Brunel I was offered initially an internship in General Electric Healthcare (Italy) in the IT field, and I am now enjoying employment in GE as a specialist for anaesthesia and intensive care monitoring and ventilation. I generate proposals, prepare sales quotation, attend customer meetings, and demonstrate the equipment and products to clinicians in the hospital clinical engineering departments. I also give training to new and existing customers.
The skills I gained at Brunel – a capacity to find solutions to complex problems, flexibility in learning new topics in a short time and acting on my own initiative are essential to my current job, and because of Brunel I was able to develop all the skills necessary to adapt to the job market.
I would recommend students to undertake the MSc in Biomedical at Brunel because of the valuable study experience and enriching student life on offer.
Nishil Patel MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated September 2007
"I did my Master’s in Biomedical Engineering and I graduated in September 2007. After doing extensive research I decided to go with Brunel University because of its history, excellent reputation in research and design and the quality courses it offers. Brunel has a large number of international students who come from different parts of the world which make it a diverse and a social university. Its close proximity to central London was another factor why I chose Brunel University. In addition, its student support is excellent.
My study experience at Brunel was wonderful but challenging. Lecturers are ready to help and they went out of the way to make sure all biomedical principles are understood fully. There is a strong research and development emphasis. During my thesis my supervisors made sure I fully understood the problem. They made sure I visited live surgeries in different hospitals which helped me understand certain problems fully. In addition, lecturers from the industry gave us a more detailed perspective into the course.
In summary Brunel was awesome. Campus life was unforgettable. Student services and events made one feel at home. There was great food in the cafeteria at reasonable prices. The facilities are all modern, fitted with the latest technologies. Brunel’s location is a great asset. It’s a door step away from Central London yet has an out of city, relaxed feeling which is a plus for people who want the benefits of both a city and a countryside lifestyle.
My Dissertation
Even with advances in physical therapy which intends to strengthen and loosen the shoulder, surgery is indispensable to fix and correct a rotator cuff tear. For instance, in cases when a patient is young and needs to do heavy lifting or may be involved in sports, surgery is inevitable. Rotator cuff surgery can be done with large or small incisions or arthroscopically. The aim of a conventional surgery is to reattach the torn rotator cuff muscle using bone anchors and sutures. Consequently, my dissertation’s main purpose was to carry out an investigative analysis of suture anchors and other techniques of rotator cuff repairs. The current trends of rotator cuff surgery and various techniques that are available at the disposal of health care professionals were examined. Vulnerabilities of bone suture anchor systems were looked at and a recommendation for a novel surgical device which would be more efficient and cost effective (re-usable) in the way rotator cuff tears are repaired is described in detailed. This device drills a straight track on the head of the humerus, from which sutures are passed. At one end, the sutures are attached to the torn muscles while at the other end sutures are attached to a bone plate. The device would consist of a slidable aiming arm attached to a cylindrical aiming tube. In addition from being adjusted laterally, the slidable aiming arm could be adjusted vertically to accommodate different sizes of the humerus. At the distal end of the sliding shaft, a hook is attached to locate a bone position between the cylindrical aiming tube and the hook. Consequently, a hand powered drill would be passed through the hollow cylindrical aiming tube, which would drill a straight hole in the humerus and would exit where the hook is located. This device could be implemented across the globe to under developed countries and revolutionise the way torn rotator cuff muscles are repaired.
With a Master degree from Brunel University, I knew I was a step ahead of the competition. Therefore, I was confident enough that the industry will acknowledge my skill which I obtained from Brunel and a give me a chance to prove myself.
I am currently working for a medical device company called Maquet in the United States. My job title is a Product Engineer. My day to day duties are as follows:
- Analyzing research data or customer specifications and proposing product specifications to determine feasibility of product proposal.
- Developing work plans and schedules, preparing progress reports. Collaborate with research, customer service or sales personnel or customers to clarify or resolve problems and develop designs.
- Prepare and direct preparation of product or system layout and detailed drawings and schematics including establishment of new part numbers and bills of material or configuration rules.
- Coordinate the manufacturing or building of prototype products or systems.
- Create test protocols to support design development and regulatory requirements.
- Analyzing test data and reports to determine if design meets functional and performance specifications. Preparing reports for newly performed tests or analysis.
- Using computer assisted engineering and design software and equipment to perform engineering and design tasks.
- Gathering and presenting technical information in response to questions from engineering, sales and manufacturing personnel and customers. Resolved production problems either in house or at other suppliers' facilities.
My employer is very happy with the wide variety of skills and technical knowledge I acquired at Brunel.
As I am working for a medical device manufacturer, skills like FDA Regulations are very relevant to my day to day activities. Knowledge learnt from modules like Design and Manufacture, Innovation and Management and Biomechanics and Biomaterials put me way ahead of the competition. I can give input, recommendations and solutions to various design projects with confidence. This credit would go to the knowledge I gained from the taught modules at Brunel and the lecturers who made it simple to understand the modules.
I would definitely encourage applicants to do their Master degree in Biomedical Engineering at Brunel. Brunel has the best of both worlds: brilliant academic curriculum and excellent social life."
Nana Odom MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated November 2008
"My decision to pursue a postgraduate degree in a science field was influenced by the need for young women in Ghana to enter into the area of science and engineering as a career. Also having studied a BSc in Physics at the University of Science and Technology in Ghana and taking some modules in medical physics, I gained awareness of the application of physics and engineering in medicine and this appealed to me.
Brunel University was my choice because I wanted to further my studies in an institution with a very high reputation in research and teaching of engineering, and produces capable graduates who are well placed in today’s global labor market. I also believed in the school's mission statement.
My course director, Dr. Ashraf Khir was supportive not only in academic issues, but also in the general welfare of his students. I would also like to talk about the immense help and great teaching skills of the lecturers, which made the course much more interesting. The school also has accessible learning resources and facilities, which are designed to make learning easy for students. In general, I believe the course has been designed to prepare graduates for industry.
During my study, I got to do my dissertation with the Medical Physics group at St. Thomas’ hospital in London. This was a result of the Department’s links with industry. The project involved assessing and correcting distortions in Magnetic Resonance Images for use in Radiotherapy treatment planning. I chose this particular dissertation because of my medical physics background and also the knowledge I gained from the medical imaging and signal processing module during my MSc.
The dissertation with St Thomas’ better placed me for success in the employment market today. I currently have a job offer with the Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, as part of their radiotherapy physics group. This job involves performing quality assurance on Linear Accelerators two times a week, and for the rest of the week, I wil work as part of a research group. Since completion of my course, I have been contracted by Durbin Engineers, working in the NHS, managing medical devices and helping to services some of the devices.
I do not regret doing this course at Brunel because it has put me in a very strategic place in today’s market. I will therefore encourage anyone who is thinking of developing a career in this sector to choose Brunel University."
Dhruti Patel MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated September 2007
I still remember the day whilst sitting in an anatomy and physiology lecture how engrossed I was learning about an implant cardiac device. This inspired me to research further. The link between medicine and engineering truly fascinated me and motivated me to do an MSc in Biomedical Engineering.
Having researched all the available courses, I was drawn to the Brunel course due to its affiliation with the industry, its high reputation in the engineering field, as well as its library and campus facilities. Moreover I was intrigued by the structure of the course and the wide variety of Biomedical Engineering topics covered.
The course was very intense from day one; however I found I thrived under the pressure and enjoyed the challenged put forward. The programme was well structured and each module fitted like a lock and a key. External lecturers and planned visits were also very helpful as they put into perspective what was learnt. Having come from a scientific background with no previous engineering knowledge, I found the Biomedical Engineering Principles module very helpful. This is because it gave an insight into what the future modules may entail and also covered some of the basic engineering principles that were required further down the line.
My MSc project was carried out in conjunction with a surgeon at Hillingdon Hospital, and entailed the assessment of collagen quality and quantity in human carotid endarectomy plaque samples. This was a very stressful period of the course, however, I found this time allowed me to establish my strengths further. Many of the other Biomedical engineering programmes do not have a big focus on establishing industrial links, this is where Brunel differs and this aids in entering into the job market.
The Innovation and Management module involved guest lecturers coming to speak to us about regulatory affairs in regards to devices. I thoroughly enjoyed these series of lectures and this, in short, helped me choose my career path. I currently work for the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the European Regulatory Affairs section as a Regulatory Affairs Specialist (Devices). I came to learn about the work carried out by the agency when a lecturer (Dr Troisi) organised a talk by a member of staff from the MHRA. It inspired me to research into the work carried out and eventually gain employment within the organisation.
The lecturers at Brunel were very helpful and were a wealth of knowledge. They were always there to answer any query we might have in regards to the course material and the assignments. They were always ready to give some insight into life after the MSc and guide us. I am very grateful for all their support in building my career.
I thoroughly recommend Brunel University as it has all the attributes required to create a healthy work and social balance.
Hamid Zolfagharinia MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated September 2007
Since I was a child, I was always intrigued by the way the human body works. As I grew up I started to think more deeply about all the feedback mechanisms controlling the functioning of the body, and I was even more interested to look at the body from an engineering point of view. This interest led me to choosing biomedical engineering as my subject of study at the undergraduate level. However, as my BSc course mainly covered the bioelectrical side of biomedical engineering, I decided I had to broaden my knowledge in this field and learn more about biomechanical aspects. Therefore, I chose Brunel, where I had the chance to learn a wide range of subjects from very experienced and knowledgeable staff, who are not only academically outstanding, but also have a lot of hands-on experience in their respective fields.
We had lecturers from external industrial sectors which were really helpful in enabling us to understand what is going on out there in the real world of biomedical engineering. We also had a trip to Penlon Company, where we had the chance to develop industrial contacts and also see how a real production line operates in a biomedical equipment manufacturer.
Brunel has all sorts of great facilities available on the campus, ranging from a very big library to a modern gym and also wonderful clubs that offer great nightlife at Brunel. I highly recommend this course and University to those who want to maintain a balance in their academic and social lives. Especially for those who are seeking an informative course in the field of biomedical engineering, during which they will get to learn all sorts of subjects in this field, ranging from mechanical aspects of prostheses, stents and cardiovascular grafts for those interested in biomechanics, biosignal acquisition and processing and medical imaging techniques for those who prefer bioelectrical side of this field, to materials used inside the body and their features for those who are interested in biomaterials.
During my course I received very useful information in respect to careers. Besides, the very useful lecture by Nitin Williams, a graduate from the same course, Nitin informed me about National Health Service (NHS) training schemes for clinical engineers. Included in this scheme was a subcategory of "Clinical Scientists Opportunities" designed by the NHS to train specialists in different fields, one of which is medical physics and clinical engineering. They recruit every year in September, when applicants may fill out a maximum of 4 application forms at www.nhsclinicalscientists.info, for 4 different posts offered by various Trusts. Also, all the materials offered by the Jobs and Career Centre at Brunel and the seminars organised by them on how to write a CV, fill out application forms and how to deal with interviews, helped me through the whole process of application and interview, after which I secured a place at Portsmouth NHS Trust.
The MSc course at Brunel enabled me to stand out among the candidates for the job I applied to, and the things I had learned and experienced during this course certainly helped me a lot to succeed in my job hunting, especially the interview I went through, where I was asked about all different fields of biomedical engineering including medical imaging, signal processing, biofluid mechanics, etc. It was then I realised I had made the right choice to come to Brunel to study the MSc in Biomedical Engineering.
Arun Mahendran MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated June 2007
I did my post graduation in Brunel and graduated in June 2007. Before coming to the UK, I went through all the university websites that offer Biomedical Engineering. By looking at the course content, university reputation and tuition fees, I decided to go to Brunel. Moreover, Brunel is one of the world class institutions that focus towards several research activities.
The course was well organized, such that it covers a wide range of syllabus from basic anatomy to advanced medical techniques. The real time problems were taught by various staff members and guest lectures from different companies. Those concepts which were not covered in the class were given in terms of assignments so that students can learn themselves in-depth, a guide to become an expert in the research arena. Proper guidance was given to each assignment through special classes. The course will also be useful for those interested in doing a PhD in the field of medical implants, surgical instruments, etc.
There are adequate number of books and articles in the library that can be accessed readily. Moreover, the university has online subscription which has access through various medical journals.
The most interesting time was during my thesis period. In one of the hospital visits, I had an opportunity to talk with surgeons which resulted in doing my academic project with them. I got complete guidance from the surgeons and academic staffs, especially from Professor Tony Anson. The project was completed successfully and practically tested in Hillingdon Hospital. Since the project had commercial value, I was encouraged to make it commercialize. Currently I am working with Professor Tony’s company to develop this product. I thank him personally for his full support even after my course completion. I also thank Dr Ashraf Khir and all staff members who have been the backbone for this course.
Life at Brunel is very interesting. You will get to know different people from various countries and their culture. The people and staff members are very friendly. In short I recommend this university and course to anyone who is really interested in higher studies.
Nitin Williams MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated September 2006
Brunel was my first option. This was because of its excellent reputation, especially for engineering, its outstanding research profile and the high quality of teaching it offers. Furthermore, I was attracted to the Brunel philosophy of 'combining academic rigour with entrepreneurial enterprise' - a philosophy that is actively practiced in all its spheres of activity.
The Biomedical Engineering course impressed me with its strong emphasis on relevance to Industry. The course syllabus has been carefully prepared to reflect the current active research areas and trends in Industry. Perhaps even more importantly, a number of external lecturers from Industry teach on the course. The comparatively lower course fee for international students compared to other Biomedical Engineering courses in the UK made it even better value for money - a deal I simply could not refuse.
The Course
My one year at Brunel has been nothing short of transformational. I really have never had so much fun studying. The unique aspect of the course for me was that it delivered quantity as well as quality - a rare combination. The course syllabus was such that we gained exposure to a multitude of areas in the field of Biomedical Engineering. In all this, the quality or depth of teaching was never compromised. This has made us suitable for a variety of jobs within the Biomedical Engineering sector.
The coursework we did was also of a varied nature. While some of the assignments helped develop critical evaluation skills, some others honed analytical skills and problem-solving ability while others helped improve communication skills, both oral and written. The assignment topics were carefully chosen to be interesting and relevant, so much so that it was easy to get immersed in them. Adequate support was also provided. The overall result is that, at the end of the course, you find you have acquired a host of skills and have a bank of experiences to draw confidence from, thereby greatly increasing your employability.
The Lecturers
We were really lucky to have professional and responsible lecturers who were experts in their areas. Every lecture was relevant, novel and interesting and questions were always welcomed. We were also fortunate to be taught by a number of external lecturers from Industry. This also meant that, as part of our coursework, we were given the opportunity to solve real-life problems in the medical device industry, thereby increasing the relevance of our learning. Ideas were actively encouraged. In fact, when I had an idea to solve a real-life problem experienced in the treatment of hip fractures, I was encouraged by a lecturer (Mr. Chris Brown) to take it one step further and test the idea as part of my Dissertation! This support by the lecturers was not just confined to the classroom. When I was confused about my career path, a meeting with a lecturer (Dr. Ashraf Khir) helped immensely in enabling me to take a wise decision.
The industrial contacts of lecturers also come in very useful. When a medical device company that a lecturer (Dr. Tony Anson) was involved with had a requirement for a part-time Data Analyst, he recommended me to them since I had the right skills. The project that I did for the company gave me invaluable work experience besides filling my pockets!
The Facilities
Library and laboratory facilities are also of a high standard. The library was equipped so well that I seldom had to buy a book – I could always borrow them from the library. We also had a Subject Liaison Librarian especially for the course, whom we could approach if some material was proving particularly hard to find. She was always approachable and helpful, especially during my Dissertation when I was in a real hurry to get things done! During my Dissertation, I also had access to the top-class facilities in the Strength of Materials Lab, to test the fixation device I had conceptualised. In particular, I used a state-of-the-art Instron machine which produced highly accurate and repeatable results. Access to the Instron machine was especially significant for me because it allowed me a high-quality means of validating my idea, something that would have proved difficult to do otherwise. The lab technician (Mr. Keith Withers) also provided valuable practical insight.
Influence on My Career
Doing the MSc course at Brunel made me realise without a doubt that I was suited to academic research. This enabled me to focus my job search toward academia and gain employment as a Research Assistant at the University of Reading, soon after the completion of my course. My year at Brunel also played a pivotal role in shaping my research interests. After gaining exposure to a range of areas within Biomedical Engineering, I found I was most drawn to research on the human brain. This led to me applying for and obtaining a PhD studentship to pursue research on Computational Neuroscience at the University of Reading. After my PhD, I plan to pursue a career in academia primarily because I feel it would be most rewarding. Neither getting a job, nor making such clear-cut career decisions would have been possible without the skills and confidence I gained through the course or the guidance of a number of Lecturers.
Life at Brunel
Being a part of Brunel University has been an experience in itself. Brunel is a place that takes its multi-culturalism very seriously and as an international student from India, I was always made to feel pretty special. It is also an extremely dynamic place - something is always happening to suit one's tastes. If you are a music fan, a number of music concerts of different types, from classical to heavy metal are performed on campus. If mountain climbing is your passion, there are clubs which go on expeditions during weekends. By contrast, if you are the quiet, thoughtful type and would like to expose yourself to new ideas and gain knowledge, numerous guest lectures are regularly arranged on a wide variety of topics of academic interest.
Summing Up
The course creates a conducive environment to learning, growing and achieving your potential. It helps you discover your niche and equips you with that extra confidence and those critical skills, giving you a definite edge in pursuit of your career goals - all while living life the Brunel way!
Rachel Keenan MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated September 2007
I have known that I wanted to pursue a career in Biomedical Engineering since developing an interest in this area during my undergraduate degree. At undergraduate level I studied an MEng in Engineering Science at Oxford University. However, upon graduation I found that there were few opportunities for a graduate with little relevant experience, and found a temporary job working in mechanical engineering while I weighed up my options. I chose to study a Masters the following year in order to gain more skills and knowledge about this sector, and hopefully to gain contacts to help me to secure a job. I selected the course at Brunel University as it focused on the 'applied' nature of biomedical engineering, and the topics looked like they would be useful for working in industry as well as academia. Upon arrival, I found the University campus to be lively and has benefited from many renovations and new buildings. The facilities were excellent. My course mates were from a variety of nationalities and engineering disciplines, which provided a good mix of ideas and approaches to problem solving.
The course aims to develop a range of skills that will be useful to a career in biomedical engineering, wherever you end up. It covers different engineering disciplines and shows how they are applied in real life situations. However, the course does not restrict itself to pure engineering, and we were also lectured on topics such as Innovation & Management and Research Methods, which gave the degree an extra edge. A lot of biology is also included, as it is difficult to work in the medical sector if you do not know how the body works! All the staff we came into contact with were friendly and helpful, and have an obvious interest in the subject.
As a home student, I had the opportunity to apply for, and was lucky enough to obtain, the Anson prize, which covers the course fees. The prize allowed me to focus on the degree and get the most I possibly can out of it.
In January 2008 I started a job at The Technology Partnership, an engineering consultancy near Cambridge. I work in the Medical Technologies department, which develops medical devices for clients, such as inhalers. The role involves a wide range of activities including research, design, analysis, testing and planning for manufacture, and the work is technical and hugely interesting. The skills and knowledge I gained on the course have come in very useful, giving me a sound practical base and an understanding of the industry.
The course really fuelled my desire to work in the biomedical engineering sector and I found it to be interesting and beneficial. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the applied side of biomedical engineering and gain a strong set of skills at the same time.
Rhona MacInnes MSc Biomedical Engineering Graduated September 2006
Having previously studied Product Design Engineering in Glasgow I became particularly interested in the design of medical products and therefore began to investigate postgraduate courses which would give me further insight into this area - Biomedical Engineering seemed to be the perfect solution.
The course at Brunel had only been running for one year but, although there were more established courses elsewhere, this course appeared to be particularly dynamic with an up-to-date syllabus and an aim to quickly become a course of high regard.
As Brunel already has an excellent reputation in Engineering I knew that this MSc must attain the high standards of the other, long running, courses in the department. The location of Brunel was an obvious advantage, with London’s many attractions being so accessible and life on a campus was also appealing, particularly when moving from outside the country.
The course was demanding from the start but definitely enjoyable – it’s funny how easy it is to learn things that you’re actually interested in! On the whole the lecturers were very helpful; preferring that we asked questions in class rather than sit in silence not understanding difficult concepts - far more beneficial than in my undergraduate. A variety of external lecturers taught on many of the modules which gave a real insight into the biomedical engineering industry; for me this was very useful in pinning down the area of most interest and the direction I would like to pursue as my career path.
Links with industry were a main criterion when choosing a postgraduate course, particularly since I lacked industrial experience on my CV. Although I chose not to do the Biomedical Engineering and Innovation course, I wanted to undertake my dissertation alongside an orthopaedic biomedical company and, after discussions, my supervisor was very helpful in setting up the ideal collaboration.
For someone who wants to find out more about Biomedical Engineering but doesn’t know quite which area is most suited to their skills or abilities, this course is an excellent opportunity. Throughout the course it became apparent to me that I was especially interested in biomechanics and orthopaedic devices which has left me with two clear directions to choose from - moving straight into industry or continuing in research in this area. The idea of a PhD was ridiculous to me before starting the course, thinking it was only about sitting at a desk reading papers, but I now understand that much of the in-depth research required for medical devices comes not from industry but out of academic research.
Still unsure, I was excited to be introduced to the Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme. KTP projects are run jointly between research centres and industry with the view to improving company performance by utilising the knowledge, skills and technology within the UK knowledge base. (Details can be found on www.ktponline.org.uk.) I am now working as a KTP Associate/Biomedical Research Engineer on a practical project between Brunel University and Finsbury Development Ltd., developing an orthopaedic device and taking it to the clinical trial stage. The secondary aim is that part of this project will be used as the basis of my PhD thesis. Although I’m only a few months in I am really enjoying the challenge and am so thankful for the opportunities that my MSc has given me to begin my career in the biomedical engineering industry.
