? Close collaboration between engineers and clinicians is essential for state-of-the-art diabetes research, e.g., islet cell transplantation, inhaled insulin technologies, magnetic microsphere delivery devices and stress analyses of the plantar (epi)dermis. Cleveland State University (CSU) and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) have successfully collaborated since 1998 on a doctoral program in Applied Biomedical Engineering (ABE) to groom graduate biomedical engineers for careers in industry or applied research. The curriculum enables ABE graduates to conceptualize complex problems at the medicine-engineering interface; understand medical device design and development; work in multidisciplinary settings; and show versatility in moving from fundamental concept to problem solution. The ABE program leverages CSU's strengths in applied engineering and CCF's clinical capabilities. ? This proposal seeks to extend the ABE effort with a """"""""Diabetes Initiative for Applied Biomedical Engineering Technologies"""""""" (DIABET), which will train students to apply their engineering skills to diabetic complications, e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetic foot pathologies, and peripheral vascular disease. Teams of CCF/CSU faculty will address topics including artificial pancreas designs, insulin-delivery methods, vascular grafts and advanced biomaterials. The proposed curriculum will focus on the emerging fields of bioMEMS, tissue engineering, mathematical modeling, and medical imaging, integrated to give engineers the insights needed to advance the field of applied biomedical engineering within the context of understanding and treating diabetes. ? Along with new courses, DIABET will facilitate interactions among medical residents, research fellows and graduate engineering students, giving students first-hand experience of issues in the current management of diabetes and providing clinicians access to engineers experienced in cutting-edge technologies. Leading biomedical engineering researchers, physician experts in treating diabetes, and educators will collaborate, with advice from an external advisory board comprising laypersons with a personal interest in diabetes and senior faculty with proven track records in science and medicine. The proposed curriculum will become an educational model for ensuring that graduates master the requisite skills to contribute to teams focused on conquering the devastating consequences of diabetes. ? ?
