About the Bioengineering Department

The Illinois Board of Higher Education approved the formation of the Department of Bioengineering on December 9, 2003. Also approved at this time were the granting of Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Bioengineering.

The first class of 22 undergraduates and 3 graduate students entered in fall 2004.

Currently the Department is home to 6 full-time faculty, 30 graduate students, and over 100 undergraduates.

What is Bioengineering?

Bioengineering combines the analytical and experimental methods of the engineering profession with the biological and medical sciences to achieve a more detailed understanding of biological phenomena and to develop new techniques and devices. The engineer's quantitative and analytical approach; traditional competence in the processing and control of information, energy, and materials; and ability to design and analyze systems are powerful tools when applied to biology, medicine; and quantitative studies of relationships between biological systems and their environments.

Department Organization

Interim Head & Graduate Programs Chair
Professor Michael Insana

Administrative Staff

Lisa Leininger, Sam Smucker, Sandy Heibenthal, and
Elizabeth Stovall

Assistant to the Head
Elizabeth Stovall

Department Secretary
Sandy Heibenthal

Secretary
Lisa Leininger

Coordinator, Graduate Studies and Sponsored Research
Sam Smucker

Mailing Address

Bioengineering Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
3120 Digital Computer Laboratory, MC-278
1304 West Springfield Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801

Telephone: (217) 333-1867
Fax: (217) 265-0246
bioen@illinois.edu